Breast Fed Babies

Wow. I really don't understand why the subject of breast feeding one's children is such a big deal. That's how I fed my kids. That's how all babies were fed before bottles and formula were invented. Not that I would breast feed a child as big as the boy on the Time Magazine cover......I always stopped nursing as soon as I discovered that I was pregnant again. The youngest was nursed until he was almost three. It worked out very well; no sour-milk bottles, no getting up at night to fix bottles, no formula. Even the best formula is no match for mother's milk. Diapers of breast fed babies are not as stinky as diapers from bottle fed babies, too. Of course, at work, I had to use a breast pump. And I have had many a rude boss or co-worker who did not understand, but I did it anyway, and among sacrifices that a parent can make for a child, that one is rather small.

A dynamic that goes hand in hand with breastfeeding is that, even if by default, one generally has to HOLD one's baby while breastfeeding. With all the the benefits of breastfeeding for the baby, that is probably the most important one. It would be interesting to conduct a study on mothers who abuse or murder their children, and determine how many of those mothers breastfeed. I cannot imagine wanting to harm a baby while I hold and nurse that baby.

Once again, I really don't understand why breastfeeding garners such a huge public reaction. It isn't sexual, and before bottles and formula, it was the only way to feed a baby. I also had no idea that by feeding my babies, I was inadvertantly breaking the law in a couple of the states where I publicly nursed. Totally amazing; children can become the victims of terrible crimes and justice never be served, but there's a problem with a mother feeding her child the way nature intends. This population gets worked up about the wrong issues.

Samantha; a proud, breastfeeding mom.