Wednesday, August 4, 2010

When Sharing Your Opinion is Not So Helpful

So, I woke up this morning, to turn on GMA for some morning zone-out time, since I had just dragged myself out of bed with a hungry baby. He was very ready to start his day, but after another "restful" night, I was not ready to get up. Needless to say, when Owen wakes up for his first morning (by morning, I mean after 4 am...before then, it's still nighttime to me) I don't even have time to make and/or drink a cup of coffee, so I'm really dragging. Anywho, back to GMA.

I turn on the TV to hear the headline "super model Gisele Bunchden stirring up controversy with her breastfeeding comments." ...Oh great.

As we all know, I'm struggling with this breastfeeding guilt, but I've been trying really hard not to focus on it. But, did you know, that this week is apparently national breastfeeding week or something?! So, I'm seeing news clips about the benefits of bf all week long. Which is really great, I think it should be promoted and encouraged, because it is the best form of nutrition for our babies. It's just bad timing, for me. lol. So, then, I hear on the news about this very famous and influential model stating breastfeeding should be international law, for the first 6 months, and mother's who aren't bf-ing are feeding their children chemicals.

Granted, I just caught this on the news, they didn't offer any backstory to her statement or anything like that. But, this just makes me mad. There are so many women who aren't able to bf their children, for various reasons, so who are we to judge and suggest the passing of laws on this? Even before I realized bf-ing wasn't going to work for Owen, I never would have passed a judgement on another mother, who decided she couldn't breastfeed. I just feel, as women, we should be supporting each other, not judging and making generalizations that mothers who don't bf their children are "lazy" or "didn't try hard enough" or whatever. And, until you've been in the shoes of a women who desperately wanted to breastfeed, but for whatever reason, was not able, you have NO right to put your two-cents in, especially if it is judgemental or unsupportive.

I really didn't want to keep talking about this subject, but that was before the news story and before I knew it was breastfeeding awareness week.

In other news, my car burned up this week. Yep, it's gone. The little red car that has been with me for the past 6 years, through my last year of highschool, through college, through many road trips, is gone. My dad was driving it this weekend and the engine caught fire and it burned up! Luckily, Dad got out in plenty of time- it took a good 30 minutes apparently to burn past of the point of recognition, and sadly, it was allowed to burn that long because the fire department of levy county really dropped the ball. I'm just super thankful I wasn't driving with Owen in the vehicle...I've had nightmares about that ever since.

I had my post-partum appointment yesterday, and got cleared to drive again (haha, the irony) and exercise. I guess I'm healing perfectly fine, but my midwife really cranked into my scar and the tissue around it, to "break up scar tissue" and OMG, ever since I've been nice and sore whenever I move or whenever Owen kicks me in the belly. I hope that doesn't last long!

Owen's been really spit-up-y the past two days- literally it seems like more comes out than what goes in. I know that's not true in reality, but when you see the amount of laundry we accumulate just from his spit-up, you'd think the same thing. Three milk-out-of-the-nose instances since last night, and a spit-up soaked couch later, and it's leaving us banging out heads together in frustration and confusion. Plus, he's on a hypoallergenic formula, with rice cereal to thicken it, and 2 medicines. I think the problem is the medicine- he's gotten wise to it's presence, so he tries to spit out the liquid if he can, and the pill- that's supposed to "dissolve"-doesn't...so it's a mess trying to get it down him.

Well, that's all for now, I was supposed to take my final exam tonight, but I didn't have the time to study at all today, with Owen, and tonight we have dinner with Craig's brother, Derrick, and his girlfriend, Angela. So, hopefully tomorrow I'll get it done, since that's the last day.

♥ Belle ♥ 

2 comments:

  1. I wanted to remind you of the time when we were little playing on your parent's patio and that dog came up, grabbed a plastic straw off the table, and you went hauling butt after it. When your dad got wind of it, he wasn't pleased with you because of how dangerous that was, but the point is you were fearless. You were completely confident that you were doing the right thing at that very moment. I pray you tap into that innocent confidence, so every time you see something or hear something and are reminded of how breastfeeding will somehow be better for Owen you will stop and realize what you are doing now for your son is the best thing for him. You and Craig are wonderful parents and Owen is not only blessed to have you all, but also the entire extended Carey family.
    Bridget

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  2. Honey, don't let those bf comments bother you. Again, it's not your fault, and you ARE doing what is best for your baby (and the doctors have even said so)...so no guilt, ok? That was super crazy about your car. :( I am so thankful you weren't in it. And I'm so glad your daddy was ok. I'm sorry to hear that Owen has been spit-up-y lately. It probably is the medicine. Babies love to spit that stuff out. I hope that you'll find time to study today. And girl, if you ever need anything, please know that you can call me. Even if just to chat. Love you!

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