Wednesday, October 26, 2011

thanks CDC, now I feel awful

So I have been breastfeeding full-time since Mason was born, and I love it.  It's free, its convenient, and breast-fed babies are just cuter, lets be honest.  However, I've been working full time for the past 2 months and subsequently pumping every 4 hours at work, and its starting to become less of a joy, and more of a hassle.

I feel like SUCH an awful mom for wanting to stop breastfeeding.  Why is that?!? I know many women who have never breastfed and their children are fine...but its like...I want Mason to have EVERY opportunity to be ahead of the game.  If theres something I can do for FREE will give him that advantage, I should totally do it...right?

The CDC says that all babies should be breastfed for the first year, and im totally down with that...but as a working mommy, its hard.  http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/faq/index.htm Thanks CDC for making me feel like a awful person, so 43% of women were still breastfeeding at 6 months?! they must not have jobs.

Another thing I think should be discussed is that breastfeeding isn't just 100% automatic.  The further a mother gets post-partum, the harder it is to keep and maintain a milk supply.  For example:  if I am stressed out, I dont make milk; if I excersize too much, I dont make milk;  if I dont drink enough water, I dont make milk; and finally, if I stop breastfeeding for even just 12 hours, im fairly certain ill stop producing it all together.

The guilt I feel when I think about not breastfeeding is mind-blowing.  Like literally, ya'll, makes me nauseous, because thats what all guilt feels like for me.  Am I a bad mom for not wanting to breastfeed for the first year...?  I cant even finish my thoughts right now.  ugh.  Someone validate me.

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