Sunday, April 20, 2008

Venting

So I'm going to post a "venstration" today. "Venstration" is a term I like to use when I'm venting about something that frustrates me. Today's topic will be "The debate over public breast-feeding." Now really anything within the topic of "breastfeeding" gets on my nerves. Mostly because I am not one to try to tell everyone else that is doing the opposite of me that they are wrong! I breastfed my girls both for 2mos., sorry if that's a little TMI, but with Kaylee there were serious supply/demand issues. Ainsley was a little easier, however I was never able to produce enough to allow me to pump and breastfeed, so I knew when I went back to work it just wasn't going to work out.
I subscribe to Parenting, and almost every month there is a comment or poll or something regarding breastfeeding, which makes sense given the genre of the publication. This month there was the age old debate about breastfeeding in public. I would like to take this moment to state my position on this topic. I don't care! I do find there are more discrete ways then others to do this, however I really don't care. People have to do what they need to. There was a time in this world where formula, and all the other things we feed our children didn't exist. What did was breastfeeding. So if someone is making that choice so be it. Just as if someone is in public feeding their baby a bottle don't persecute them for not breastfeeding. Really you never know the whole story as to why they made that choice, and it shouldn't matter because it's their choice. As long as children are being fed then let's move on. However, what struck up my need to "venstrate" is someone said that everyone else can eat in public why can't babies. Seriously? That is your argument? Not saying it's an untrue statement but if we saw everyone else, in public, eating by being hooked onto a body part that may be a little different. But then again if everyone ate that way we wouldn't have this debate and I wouldn't have a "venstration!"

2 comments:

Myra Duffy said...

Hey Steph,
I agree with you that it's a personal choice and that as long as the mom is comfortable about her choices ... both whether or not to breast feed and where and how she does breast feed if that is her choice I don't have any issues. Also thought I would share that grandma wasn't able to breast feed either although back then there wasn't the pressure to breast feed. I don't think it hurt any of us.
Myra

Christina said...

I agree, I think every mom is entitled to make the choice that she feels is best for her and her baby. I think a lot of times moms can be judgemental of other moms. If everyone just realized that every mom is trying to do the best for her baby and worried only about themselves, this would be a non-issue. It's unfortunate and ridiculous that it has to keep coming up...I agree!