I dont push breastfeeding on moms but it is REALLY hard for me to understand why moms formula feed. I guess there is the rare medical condition why moms need to use formula. Since moving to the South, I feel like the majority of moms use formula and I DEFINITELY get more looks when I pull out my nursing cover. With my two older girls, I never really felt weird with breastfeeding in public. Here, in GA I almost feel embarrassed. I think that is really sad.
For instance today, I was at a softplay in a local mall. There was a mom there bottle feeding her newborn. When I started nursing Brianna, her 3 year old daughter could not understand what I was doing. That is sad.
I actually saw that mom in Target and overheard her telling someone her baby is 3 weeks old!!! That is really sad.
Do moms really start with a bottle at birth? I cannot even comprehend that. It is so unnatural. And yet I am the one that little kids ask what I am doing, wondering why the baby is not having a bottle. THAT IS SAD.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I followed the link on the Cloth Diaper Whisperer's blog when I saw that you were living in Georgia. I moved here a little over 2 years ago. I just have one son, 9 months. I thought this was an interesting, and sad!, post. I've seen people on the Internet bottle-feeding from day 1, and I can't understand why, either. Some people get into breastfeeding and don't keep it up, and that's their deal, their priorities, but to FF from day 1? I don't know. I'm sure they have their reasons.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I've never seen anyone else BFing in public in Atlanta/Alpharetta (where I live), other than some other ladies in the mothers' room at church, but I've never gotten weird looks (or I just didn't notice!).
I spent 1.5 weeks in Savannah last summer (DS was almost 3 months) because DH was working there and I BF him in public numerous times-- on park benches more than once, even at my table in a restaurant. No one looked at me funny except my DH's coworker at the restaurant with us who was a little uncomfortable. Oh well.
Anyway, I know you don't know me and I know I've rambled, but just know you're not the only one in GA with strong feelings about BFing!!
What really frustrates me is when I hear Mommies who can breastfeed without a problem, but don't because it's too inconvenient. I have several medical conditions that have prevented me from breastfeeding and it devastated me. I didn't feel like a good Mommy, but I still did everything I could to try (drugs/herbs/pumping/feeding nonstop). So when I hear about how inconvenient it is to Mommies who produce more milk than a Nigerian Dwarf Goat I get soooo frustrated. Oh well. I guess to each their own.
ReplyDeleteHi! I found your blog from the Cloth Diaper Whisperer. I'm a mama living in Atlanta (intown) and feel like breastfeeding is the norm.
ReplyDeleteAll of my friends in my playgroup and even my friends from the suburbs (Alpharetta) breastfeed.
I know of two moms who don't but that is because they take medication that prohibits them from doing so.
I, for one, have breastfed at Taco Mac (nearly every Thursday night), the Falcons' game, the Aquarium, parks throughout the city, oh my the list is endless!
Despite being a transplant from Boston, I feel like I have to defend Atlanta! Come visit me and we'll breastfeed all over :)
That's totally sad! (I followed the link from Cloth Diaper Whisperers site, by the way) I feel the same way! As mentioned above by Jen, some moms try everything they can and still CAN'T Breastfeed, but they bottlefeed with love. But I feel lucky in the way that where I live, in Montana, there's A LOT more "hippies" (my husband calls them) :) so there's a LOT more people who would support Breastfeeding. But I've still gotten the occasional dirty look from people while I've been at Dairy Queen. :)
ReplyDeleteKeep on setting a good example!!! :)
I didnt mean to be so negative in my post, I was just really aggreviated that day but its been building up. Another example is all of the churches we have visited here, none have had a mother's room. So I nurse in the nursery (with a nursing cover) and people (other mothers) feel embarrassed. I guess it's just a different culture.
ReplyDeleteBUT I will say that I had a great weekend while visiting the Jepson Art Center with my family. In one of the children's exhibits, I was nursing DD and there were two other moms nursing their children!
I have been very fortunate to be a third generation BF mama so I have always had a lot of support. Milk flow has never been a problem but I have had my fair share of clogged ducts and thrush. With DD#1, I was able to BF exclusively and work full time. I realize I was very fortunate to have a great support system both at home and at work in order for that to be a possibility.
I do realize that for many reasons, some mamas can't BF but it still makes me sad when a child can be totally bewildered to what a nursing mama is doing. But I guess its similar to a lady telling my DD#1 how excited she must be to help Mommy get bottles ready and to feed the baby. I remember Alexandra giving the lady a funny look (because she knows I BF!)