Don't you just love the personal questions that people ask you when you are pregnant and have babies? I know I have been shocked to hear normally rational people ask me such personal questions such as...
Was the pregnancy planned or an accident?
So when did you get pregnant?
Have you been peeing all the time?
Did you have hemroids?
Are you taking a stool softner?
When are you going to have another baby?
Are you getting your tubes tied?
Have you started your AF yet?
And, of course, these things are so no one's business. By the way, I am not talking about close, personal friends asking these questions. I am not even referring to conversations with my girlfriends in which we compare pregnancy/birth experiences. These questions have been asked by random people in Wal-Mart and people I barely know!
Now that we are starting Ty on solids (he had his first "meal" of real food tonight--pictures tomorrow hopefully), I am bracing myself for the are you still breastfeeding questions. I don't know why some people think it's so weird to BF your baby for 6+ months. And I don't know why it's anyone's business either. But the "minimum" according to AAP is 1 year and WHO is 2 years. I have no intention of going to 2 years, but I congratulate anyone who does. Now if the kid was Emily's age and nursing, I would think that was weird in my head, but I would never say anything to the parent--it's not my business.
I nursed Emily until she was 1 year and 3 days old, and we stopped because she was ready. But when she was around 6 months, people just started assuming she was weaned. And even if they didn't ask the question, you could still see the "weirded-out" look in their eyes. This is not everyone--most people, by the way, gave me props. I'm just talking about a few silly, uneducated people.
Speaking of uneducated people...this happend to my husband (and he is not the uneducated person to whom I am referring). Dee was telling the female science teachers (can you picture this conversation?) that I was sad that we were having to supplement 4 oz of formula daily when Ty is in daycare. Although I have no supply problem when I nurse him, with pumping, I struggle to keep up with his gy-normous appetite. One of the BIOLOGY teachers said, "Well, I don't see why she's upset because it's actually healthier for them to get breastmilk and formula." I love that my wonderful husband told her how wrong she was! He told me she was an idiot--how could a biology teacher think that something artificial was better than something natural? Go Dee (I love you)! Sorry for the tangent...back to the subject...
I came across these (mostly sarcastic) responses to prep myself for any you're still BFing questions/comments as Ty enters the 2nd half of his 1st year. Some of them really made me laugh, especially because I love sarcasm!
Are you STILL nursing?
Of course, I wouldn't dare ask someone else to do it for me!
Actually, he's the one doing the nursing, I just sit here.
No, I'm not, my mother lives too far away. Ty is, though.
Yes! (then hold up your hand expecting the other person to high-five you)
Right now? No, he's over there playing. I need him to do it.
I was never a nurse. I don't like needles! I'm a teacher, remember?
Everyone asks that, it must be because he's so incredibly healthy!
WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO WEAN?
I weaned a long time ago, when I was two I think.
(pause) Oh, you were talking to me? I thought you were asking him...he can't answer you yet.
Oh...sometime in the future. (be vague, it gets them every time!)
I suppose whenever he stops nursing, that would be a good time.
That's funny, I was going to ask you when are you planning on going vegetarian (or something equally as ridiculous to ask)
When his mustache gets in the way.
HE DOESN'T NEED TO NURSE AT THIS AGE!
Maybe not, why don't you read up on it for me. Maybe you can find out if there is an expiration date for my milk.
And you don't NEED to eat that doughnut, but you still are.
HE SHOULD BE DRINKING COW'S MILK FROM A CUP BY NOW
He likes human milk from these cups better at the moment.
and my favorite.........
ISN'T HE A LITTLE OLD FOR THAT?
Aren't you a little old to be wearing those jeans?
Hope you enjoyed! And if my brother or any other male read this, that's what you get! You can't expect a Mommy of 2 children to have "bodily function-free" posts all the time :-)
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3 comments:
Love it Melissa! Sam just started weaning himself at 9 months. It has been harder on me I think then him! You go girl! Keep nursing as long as you can. I too hav heard many of those comments! my favorite is" Why do we have a mom's room at church now a days you girls just sit anywhere you want and whip it out!" an older lady at our old church!
I thoroughly enjoyed that! LOL. When Braden weaned himself at 5.5 mos no one could understand my sadness; especially when it's your last. And I think that YOU miss it, makes it seem more wierd to them. When will they understand it's not the SENSATION I miss? It's the bond with our child and him needed only us, and God giving us such a gift in that we can keep him alive all by ourselves with out any man-made help.
And when Braden had breastmilk jaundice no one could understand why (if my milk made him sick) WHY??? I would continue, even though I had a ton of Doctors telling me that his levels would never get dangerous, and it would eventually go away, and I was causing him no harm, only a few appointments but a very early jumpstart on his immune system.
Everyone naturally assumed since he was getting stuck I should automatically stop what I was doing to cause the needles, and I tell you that one was a hard one to weigh without all of the negativity. Eventually at 7 weeks, his jaundice did disappear, and he nursed exclusively until just before 6 mos when he just wouldn't take it anymore, and preferred a bottle.
And when he gave me his cue, I waited a week to make sure, and then I followed his lead.
I feel ya' kiddo! Keep it up! It's so good for them.
By the way, GO D!!!!! Herein lies the problem....tons of mothers have formula fed their babies, with no dramatic problems, so they think it's just as good - and while I'm not saying it's bad for baby, when it's natural, unless there is a jaundice issue that we had from a blood incompatibility, then it rarely causes ANY Problems which does make it superior to formula because it's natural!
Way to go, Dee!
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