Our two children are very healthy. See for yourself:
They are healthy and I only nursed them for 3-4 weeks. I fed them formula. (Insert Loud, Long Gasp Here) Guess what! They lived! And thrived! Formula isn’t poison after all!
What this post ISN’T about:
an advertisement for Enfamil while bad-mouthing the natural, God-given, beautiful process and gift of nursing your baby!
What this post IS about:
please please please give those new mommies a break! Share your advice (when asked for) with grace!
I remember it all too well! My beautiful first born, Riley Elisabeth, had finally arrived.
The climax of wonder and excitement after birthing her was intertwined with a whole lot of:
-lack of sleep.
-pain from pushing out a 7 lb, 8 oz beauty while recovering from the aftermath of such trauma to my body.
-those annoying nurses that kept coming and pushing on my tummy.
-wondering how in the world I was going to take care of such a tiny, fragile being.
-learning to deal with the roller coaster of emotions, and not being able to wipe away the tears fast enough.
as a new mommy were hard… but nothing compared to the ones I let others put on me!
After 3-4 LONG weeks of attempting to master nursing, our family came to a decision to switch to formula.
I remember feeling like such a failure. That I gave up. That I was a horrible mommy. That I didn’t measure up to other moms where nursing came natural to them. But we made a decision and stuck to it.
But then the questions came rolling in like thunder….
Why are you stopping?
Why don’t you pump?
Did you contact your lactation consultant?
Why are you giving up already?
Oh really?! Why?
Why? Why? Why?
Guess what new mommy: You do not need to explain your reasons to anyone. Just say it is personal and leave it at that.
Fact is, I tried. Hard. But there were personal reasons why I chose to switch to formula. MANY personal reasons.
Give new mommies a break! They have enough to deal with. We as moms can put so much unneeded pressure on other moms. Each woman’s body does NOT work the same. There are problems that can arise.
Do I think that nursing is the best option? Yes, I still do. I think it has numerous, wonderful benefits!
PS: don’t forget to enter the MASSIVE giveaway going on this week!