sutton024

You are supposed to breastfeed because breastmilk is the best food for your baby, right? Well, yes and no. Yes, breastmilk is the best food for babies, but it is not just about the milk. Bottle-feeding is a feeding method, breastfeeding is a relationship. "Nursing is the biological norm for mothers and babies. It is a relationship that links the baby's immune system to the mother's, provides the baby with stimulation and connection while providing the mother with stress reducing hormones. It even feeds the baby." Author unknown. So why are so many women now exclusively feeding pumped breastmilk? For some moms it is not a choice, but the only option because for whatever reason, breastfeeding did not work (baby with a weak suck or cleft palate, for example). But some women are proudly choosing to pump and bottle feed. Clearly these moms are doing what they feel is best for their babies, but I think that most of them do not know that they are not giving...

I always knew I wanted to breastfeed my children. I couldn ’t imagine doing it any differently. I was lucky enough to give birth to two beautiful boys and I enjoyed breastfeeding them both. Not that it was easy or without struggle, but it was what I wanted to do and loved doing it. In fact, I liked it so much, and felt so passionate about breastfeeding that I became a La Leche League Leader, so that I could help other breastfeeding moms. I really took to the idea of “Mothering through breastfeeding”. It wasn ’t just a feeding method for me, but a relationship with my child. My husband and I always talked about adopting a child who needed a family. We thought, if we can’t have kids of our own then we will adopt. Even if we can have kids of our own, maybe we will still adopt. After the birth of our second son it became clear that going through another pregnancy was not going to be good for me or our family. My doctor told me not to risk it, that my health was at stake. But we wanted ano...