Comments on: Are Breast Feeding Classes For Boobs?

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:01:47 +0000

I went to a BF class, too. It was a waste of my time. The instructor talked more about the “research” on why I should breastfeed, and why I would be a second-class mom if I didn’t, instead of showing me HOW to do it and what to do if I ran into problems. It was a complete propaganda bomb, which didn’t make sense to me, as I was obviously already on board with b-feeding. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone to the class!
As it turned out, I was not able to produce enough milk, either, no matter how long I pumped. So I did the sensible thing. I stopped trying to cram my pride down my daughter’s throat and gave her abottle of nourishment instead.
Oh, and after about a hour of “information” when I asked the instructor about how to do it, she said, “don’t worry a lactation nurse in hospital would help me.”

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:49:59 +0000

Thank you for this comment, Cath. I agree with you 100%.
If you can’t breastfeed and are stressing over it, who benefits? Certainly not the baby. I would worry more about the psychological effects on that baby due to the stress and grief over b-feeding than the so called “intelligence factor.”

“My baby is sooooo smart because I b-fed her!” Gimme a break.

Mine is bottle fed and is as quick as a whip, and no, that’s not just bragging.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:37:03 +0000

No,
I think your bashing of moms who can’t or don’t want to makes YOU feel better and SUPERIOR somehow. That’s usually the case with judgeMENTAL people such as yourself.

Get a life.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:33:14 +0000

No, Marcia

a pumping breastfeeding mom (and I don’t know any who don’t pump) is not dedicating more of her time to her baby, she ’s spending it with the pump, AWAY from her baby. It only takes seconds to “throw some formula into a bottle of water” and then you can spend some quality time cuddling your baby close while nourishing them….yes EVEN WITH A BOTTLE.
Yours is a silly argument, with no logic involved whatsoever. You ought to think before you type.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:02:02 +0000

Hey Squid,

If your kids are as smart as you say they are, then it sounds like they got that from their dad.

Quit being so judgemental, BIG DUMB SQUID

By: Fearless Formula Feeder

Fearless Formula Feeder — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:04:57 +0000

Thanks a lot, Teresa. My sides are killing me right now. That was farking hilarious. We need more humor about this subject, and thank god people like you are seeing the idiocracy (is that just a mike judge term or an actual word? I’m too lazy to look it up) in the breast vs bottle debate.

I felt the same way as you did – that there was no middle ground. So I started blogging about it. Not sure what you ended up doing as this blog was written awhile ago, but if you did end up formula feeding (and even if you didn’t), you mind find it interesting. I feel strongly that while breastfeeding can be a great thing, we have been grossly oversold the benefits, and basically guilt-tripped into it. (And I know guilt. I’m Jewish.)
It can be great, but only if it is something that a woman chooses to do regardless of the propaganda.

By: Kellie

Kellie — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 21:13:10 +0000

I was a part of the “anti-formula brigade” as well. My now 9-month-old was exclusively breastfed for 9 weeks, but my supply dwindled (largely as a result of following bad advice from a doctor), and I ended up supplementing with formula until at 4 months, my little one went to exclusive formula. Fast forward to today: my daughter is healthy, energetic, growing, and changing every day. She’s the best gift I’ve ever received, and, while I would love to have nursed exclusively until it was time for solids, it didn’t happen.

My “mother wisdom” helped me to understand that it was far better to enjoy my daughter and love motherhood than it was to stress over her food source. No, I didn’t hook her up to a siphon tube from my car’s gas tank and allow her to drink to her heart’s content, but I also didn’t starve her to death while her primary food source was drying up. The most important thing you can do for Buster is to figure out how to make the best decisions for him without driving his primary attachment and love source NUTS!

Happy mommying!

By: Irving

Irving — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:09:57 +0000

I venerate the valuable post you offer in your articles. I will bookmark your website and have my children check up here regularly. I am quite sure they will study lots of new stuff here than anybody else!

By: Lynette

Lynette — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 01:32:16 +0000

The best advice is to do what is best for YOU and YOUR baby. I have an in-home daycare…we have babies who formula feed and breast feed. They are all healthy and happy. My personal experience was the same as Kathy’s. My oldest had a protein allergy which meant breast milk wasn’t an option. (Found this out after 6 weeks or so of screaming, throwing up, and failing to thrive.) He had to be on Nutramigen, also. I now have two more kids…none of them breast fed because the allergy is likely to reoccur. They are all super intelligent and quite healthy…and loved like crazy!

Oh, BTW…just to dispel those rumors…depending on what Mama eats and their own biology, breastfed babies can stink just as bad as formula fed ones:) I’ve had LOTS of experience with this…like 30 years.

By: Nila B

Nila B — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 11:04:11 +0000

I don’t get the boob-nazi movement.
On the farm, or zoo, and with dogs and cats, not all animals are great milk producers and their babies can die. Some cows/sheep/dogs/cats produce more milk than others, some don’t. Sometimes the farmer, zoo keeper or dog breeder has to find solutions for the babies.

I don’t like that the so-called “nursing instructors” are mixing a few facts with their own opinions–hiding under the authority of the hospital or doctor’s office. (Talking about baby’s failure to bond, lower intelligence, etc.—I’d LOVE to examine the quality of the studies and strongly suspect hidden agendas.)
I run into crazy claims many times with friends going to New Age naturopaths. One friend told me that her naturopath tried to get her to stop breast-cancer chemo, that her secret blend of supplements would “cure” grayhair, that she can’t “digest sugar” of any sort (which if true, I’m surprised she’s lived beyond the embryonic-stage), and she allows herself to be “mystery” injected.
My sister had one coworker at headquarters take over their only conference room all the time with her milking-machine. She eventually got herself fired for spending hours of worktime choosing white-noise music to play for baby, and setting electronic timers to take her birth-control (REALLY).
My mom, grandmas, aunties were working mom’s, schoolteachers, and probably used formula, besides breastfeeding beyond a few months, IF At ALL. Same with all our peer teacher’s-kids. All of us mostly college grads, successful good citizens, pretty intelligent—and doing a DANG sight better than our peers with the stay-at-home-moms who most likely breastfed them longer.
How come some radio personalities like to ignore the multiple generations of successful kids coming out of working Mom’s (school teachers, nurses, etc.).

By: Amber

Amber — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 04:09:57 +0000

Wow..way too much too read and don’t know all the facts to really make an educated comment….

First with the breastfeeding… yes it is hard to get straight evidence from either side… I breastfed all my kids and was able to avoid formula all together with number 3. The best advice either way, just do your research and have lots of support. Those are really the key things. Breast milk is best but in the end…no, formula will not cause your baby any harm nor is breast milk the end all be all.

As far as the c-section, again, I don’t know the circumstances but really do weigh all the risks. It is still a major surgery. Just really read up and don’t always necessarily take what your doctor says at face value. It is really scary that the c-section rate is getting close to 40%. OF course there are medical reasons but it seems like the trend is leaning toward convience rather then medical necessity. A
Well, I just noticed that you posted like 2 weeks ago, so, whatever, you probably already had the baby by now.. haha

By: Krystal

Krystal — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:26:04 +0000

I love how “Sheila” has to be Teressa Strausser’s hero and swoop in to rebut anyone’s comments that might “hurt her feelings”

By: blissfully caffeinated

blissfully caffeinated — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:27:50 +0000

Yes! Use a pacifier. Force it on the babeh if you have to. You will be so thankful later. And seriously, my daughter’s buck teeth went away within a year after we stopped using it. But that is the best advice ever. Don’t let them tell you not use one. Baby needs it and you will need it for your sanity.

By: blissfully caffeinated

blissfully caffeinated — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:20:56 +0000

“…it…makes human breast milk the top choice for the lazy and the cheap…”

Eff you.

By: blissfully caffeinated

blissfully caffeinated — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:09:29 +0000

C sections are awesome. I’ve had both and the C section was so much easier. My scar is nearly invisible and the recovery wasn’t any worse than recovery from the horrifying episiotomy I had the first time.

By: blissfully caffeinated

blissfully caffeinated — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:03:58 +0000

Yeah, a lot of the lactation consultants are like boob nazis. You have to ignore them and do what is right for you. I did breast feed both of my kids, both for longer than a year and I will tell you that I have never been skinnier in my life. But, my oldest kid, while not suffering from Asthma or ear infections, does pick up stomach viruses with alarming ease. So the immunities don’t stick with them forever. Also, there is NO SUCH THING as nipple confusion. Giving a newborn a bottle of formula or a pacifier will not prevent you from breastfeeding it. Both of my kids had bottles of formula when they were newborns and both ended up being exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months. Lactation consultants can be very helpful in helping you figure out good positions to hold the baby and getting a good latch, and it is really awkward and weird at first, sometimes that little bit of support helps. Otherwise, ignore the La Leche militants and do whatever works best for you.

And I never let my babies out of my sight at the hospital, but that’s because I’m paranoid about those baby switching stories that you read about.

Good luck!

By: Tricia

Tricia — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:38:02 +0000

Okay, so my mom fed all 10 of her kids some homemade concoction of water, evaporated milk and karo syrup. I’m certainly not pushing this, but we’re fine. None of us have allergies or asthma, we’ve never had ear infections, we’re not sickies as adults and we still love our mom. Freaks, all of us.

T, as always, hilarious.

By: Sheila

Sheila — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 19:59:16 +0000

Jiles – you have no idea how many people would love the ability to mute others – especially the pompous who try to pass their opinions off as vetted science. I didn’t call people who breast feed lazy or cheap as a character assassination – I was simply stating an obvious fact that there is almost no physical effort to place an infant on the breast, and absent the trendy “need” for a breast pump, there are no additional costs associated with providing breast milk for a baby over what would be required for keeping the mother alive. To wit, lazy (people who don’t want additional work to do a job) and cheap(people who would rather not buy something they can get for free). Now if you can manage to crawl out of your cave to attend some formal education in the sciences – you will find out exactly how ignorant your assertion “And I’m saying: The human body was made to do that, so that should be pretty good data. I don’t care how many big macs people are eating or if the woman is a crack head or about any other BS you attach to it. In a whole, the human body is design to feed it’s young. for scientific data’s sake, that’s should be pretty decent data.” … has ANYTHING to do with science.

Jesus tits … next time you get the urge to speak, hit yourself in the head with a rock till the urge passes. Seriously.

By: Kat

Kat — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 16:45:36 +0000

We didn’t name our daughter until 24 hours after her birth. We couldn’t decide prior (had two names in the forefront that we liked, but upon seeing her for the first time we knew they were wrong). We eventually named her Zoe, a name we had liked many months ago but rejected for being too trendy. Oh well.

I suggest waiting to take a look at your son. I’ll bet his name becomes obvious once you get a look at him. You wouldn’t think a newborn would look like any particular name, but I was surprised at how easy it was to rule some of them out.

By: Adam Carolla's #1 fan

Adam Carolla's #1 fan — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 23:06:21 +0000

Listen to you often on AC’s podcast. Couldnt believe with all your neurosis that you are just now warming up to the c-section idea. C sections are fabulous. I was so jealous of my friends who had them and then lo and behold, i needed one at the last minute too. it takes 15 minutes and you are done. if you are in decent shape, or were anyway, recovery is so not as hard as everyone tells you. i was back to walking/running aggressively within a few weeks. Good luck!