Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Breastfeeding

OK, I've been trying to hold back on this for awhile now but here it comes. I hate breastfeeding. H-A-T-E. This is no exaggeration. For those of you who have never experienced the feeling of having someone suck on a bloody, open wound up to 8 times a day, let me just inform you- it ain't as easy as it looks.

Here is a brief list of all the things I hate about it:
1. It hurts.
2. My boobs are so big that they totally eclipse my child's head when I'm feeding her.
3. My boobs are so big that Victoria can no longer keep my Secret.
4. No one else can help you or do it for you.
5. People give you dirty looks when you do it in public, even if you shove your kid up your shirt AND cover up with a blanket.
6. Breast pumps make you feel like an actual cow...moo.
7. My boobs are so big that I lost a pacifier once and found it that night when I took off my bra. (True story.)
8. You can get tennis elbow from it, which does provide you with prescription pain killers, that you can't take BECAUSE you're breastfeeding.
9. You can't drink unless you want to have to buy the "breast screen" test strips at Target to screen your milk for alcohol. Purchasing said strips is only going to lead to more dirty looks. (The first time I saw those I wanted to buy a box of strips, a bottle of wine and go home and pump, just to see what would happen...)
10. Boob sweat is disgusting. You either have to bathe or your kid is going to smell like it every time you feed her. (If you are a B cup or under you can't relate and I don't care OR feel sorry for you.)

The good things about breastfeeding:
1. It's good for your kid. (Even though Aubrey was only BF for 3 months and is NEVER sick and Emma was BF for 11 months and is ALWAYS sick.)
2. It's free. (And yes, this is mostly why I do it...don't judge me.)

24 comments:

Mary-Peyton Posey said...

Too funny! I love #3 and #9

Elizabeth Murphy Collins said...

I'm in hysterics...because I TOTALLY understand....
I lasted 6 months with Mary Frances and only 6 weeks with woodie..due to #10...she was born in July..and it was the hottest summer EVER...needless to say, she nor I smelled very good for a long time...GROSS!

Stacey Hudson Hamner said...

Robin, that made me laugh so hard that I almost shook Harper off MY boob! I remember mentally measuring her growth by comparing her head to my boob. She just caught up a couple of weeks ago! As to #10, why can't there be a nursing bra that lifts and SEPARATES?! :)

lovey said...

Robin this is great. I loved every aspect of breast feeding. I did not know you were so funny!

Robin said...

Sharon, you must be one of those B cup and under people I was talking about! No offense! And thanks!

Emily said...

Oh. My. Goodness. I am laughing so stinking hard! This one I am nearly to tears.

donna said...

This is the best recap of breast feeding .
Absolutely hilariously true.

Anonymous said...

This is so funny!

Laura Gray said...

I can totally relate. I nursed Olivia and Noah each for a year. I got preggo with Noah when Olivia was 9 months and the feeling of her nursing those last three months drove me up the wall. I wanted to throw her every time she ate. As far as size....I get HUGE when I am nursing and now that I have weaned I have lost all breast tissue and gone down 4 bra sizes. The problem though is that the skin is the same size it was at a DDD and there is just no filler left. It is even uglier than you are picturing in your head right now! Only a SKILLED surgeon can help me at this point.

Robin said...

Laura, I feel you girl!! Let me know when you are ready to go under the knife and I'll bring you a casserole!!! I can't wait to be done this time!

Anonymous said...

Think how sick Emma WOULD HAVE been if you had not BF her... Ahhhhh...see, it was worth it!! Good job, its a commitment!!

Jennifer said...

Laughing so hard at this right now! I had forgotten all of the joys of breastfeeding but have been quickly reminded...

Carol said...

i laughed and thought this was funny but i nursed both of my kids (non-exclusively) for about six months (long story short i have a problem with my pro-lactin production which means i can't produce milk at a rate which would sustain life :( ) but i loved BFing and honestly? It didn't hurt at all. (and NO i'm not a B cup or smaller ;) I'm a DD!!!! not that you wanted to know but thought i'd share ;) But yeah... I enjoy the dirty looks.

PS - i'm lori wescott's cousin-by-marriage and just wanted to let you know i think your stuff is funny ;) i'm enjoying what i've read but now my baby is back to sleep and i am going to sleep too - i'm sure you can relate!! :)

g_pirkle said...

I breast fed both of my boys for 13M. I was proud of myself for the sacrifices I made for my children and our budget. While we are awaiting the adoption of baby #3 I am ELATED that I can bottle feed him/her with NO GUILT!!! FYI, not sure if I'd breast feed baby #3 if I could. The lonliness and alienation was overwhelming at times.

Robin said...

BF can be a wonderful experience, it just wasn't for me. I had every problem you can possibly have from jaundiced premature babies that didn't know how to suck to mastitis which was horrible. It is an enormous sacrifice and gift you give to your children.

Big Daddy's Fam said...

Just found your blog today. VERY amusing- thanks for the giggles. I am a b-cup extended BF- sorry! But I could still relate to some of your complaints. It is a huge sacrifice, just like most of motherhood is. But in the end, it's all worth it. And since we are the ones responsible for bringing our children into the world, we are responsible for giving them the best gifts we are able. I'll keep following you!

Josh & Mer said...

Robin,

Wow! I have to say I'm a little shocked. I received a link to your blog from a Christian friend of mine and wanted to check it out. I am also a stay at home mother, seeking to serve the Lord by serving my family at home. I do understand that breast feeding is the hard route. My daughter wouldn't latch on for about 4 months unless I used a shield. It was so hard to BF anywhere but home. I wanted to give up, but knew it was the best thing for her health. Without the support of my loving husband and God's help through His Word, I would probably not have kept going. I have been doing it for almost a year now. It's the best sacrifice I have made for our budget and my daughter. Not to mention, I could never replace the closeness I have with her during those moments, whether they be in the middle of the night or in the middle of the park. :)

I feel that your post may be discouraging to other young mothers that may be considering it. In a world where that is so "Me" centered it is not easy to follow God's commands to be selfless servants for our families. I pray that those seeking support will not be discouraged by your post, but be encouraged in the Lord to keep their focus on Him and what the sacrifice does to help the health of their child. I was discouraged by a few women of my church. We should be ENcouraged by other Christian mom's. Discouragement is not from the Lord. As a sister in Christ, I pray that your blog will be used to encourage and lift up, not be used as a platform for complaints about the daily life of motherhood. Count it all joy.

It is a huge and wonderful sacrifice. I praise God for His strength and endurance with BF.

Meredith
Titus 2

Robin said...

Meridith,
I totally understand where you are coming from. But I had SERIOUS health complications. And when I was BF I would have given ANYTHING for someone to tell me it was OK to quit, to know that I wasn't alone.

Breastfeeding isn't always the best choice for every mother, and as an RN I know this to be true. My post-partum depression was severely worse when I was breastfeeding because I was in such excruciating pain, I cried the entire time I was feeding her and dreaded the next feeding in between. Switching to formula allowed me to enjoy my baby immeasurably more.

That said, BF my second child was a breeze.

My blog is meant to be encouraging to all mothers, and I can't tell you how many women have emailed me to thank me that they were not alone in their breastfeeding struggles.

I assure, if you'll spend a little more time here, you'll see that my blog is NOT devoted to complaining. I am far from perfect and God has called me to share my imperfections, laughing at myself and all my mistakes in a very public forum. I hope you can see the humor and will be encouraged.
Robin

Laci said...

Robin,

Thanks for sharing this. I fully understand the 'pain' you went through. Baby #1 for me was the same as yours, but baby #2 a breeze. Then came #3, she didn't have the mouth control to suck. That was so much fun, let me tell ya. My husband insits I BF too. Believe me, he repays me greatly for my sacrifice. :). Oh, and you missed a down point: the let down and pressure of the flow. HELLO-I could drown my baby but not before they were pushed away by the force of a firehose.

The comment from Carol made me laugh. I understand her way too much. I look like I have beaver tails hanging from my chest. If we do have another baby I don't think I will BF, having two of children with the struggels they have, it would be way too hard.

I think your blog is great, it's full of humor and encouragment. I love how I read your posts and laugh because, YES, I've been there and my kids act the same way too. But what you do is make me see EVERY mother goes through the same stuff and there is a way to get through it ALL by laughing and enjoying it. I mean my kids behave much better when I'm in a good mood. So thanks for all you do for my motherhood mentallity. I owe you so much.

Whitney said...

Robin,
Just want to thank you for all your truth when it came to BF! I think it would have been wonderful for my mental-wellness if other mothers would admit the realities rather than making those that it doesn't work for feel inadequate and less of a mother. Yeah, it's no cakewalk, and each child is different. Hearing another mother admit it helped me with my emotions toward the situation.

I reached the decision at six weeks (yes, gasp) that it was time for my son and my breast to part. It was the best decision for my child and my family.

(And, FYI, my 11 1/2 month old is extremely healthy...never even had a fever, just a cold. He also attends a Mother's day out program once a week and is in a playgroup with children another day of the week. One heck of an immune system if I do say so myself)

Keep on bloggin! We need your positive messages-and your humor spin on the realities of motherhood!

Laci said...

Whitney,
Don't gasp at your 6 week stopping point. The feeding therapist I had to work with during my daughters growth told me and gave me wrtitten proof that the most nutrients (I know that's spelled wrong sorry) is in the first 6 weeks of BF-ing.

Natalie said...

THE REASON that I read your blog is so I can laugh at myself and not be alone on things! BF is so hard, and as a Mother, it is choice that we make....

That being said- I view your blog as a beautiful and VERY funny journal! If anything God has blessed you with a beautiful, funny family- that you love so very much!- I thank Him that you are able to share with the rest of us!

Anonymous said...

As a mom who never even tried breast feeding, procedure looked messy and painful, I watched my daughter lug that dual electric pump around. She needed "relief" regularly. She had milk in the fridge, yucky tasting if you don't already know, and her boobs were constantly popping out of her shirt. When I finally said, "when are you going to quit" because Jayden never latched on, she was relieved that she could quit. Someone told her "good" momma's always breast feed for a year. Good momma's do what's best to keep themselves and their baby healthy and a bottle of formula set my daughter free to be happy with her baby, not worrying whether he was fed enough and certainly not in pain anymore.

Anonymous said...

No man can make an Apple ..... same goes for Breast Milk.... only one
proper food for babies.

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