Formula Vs. the Almighty Breast

artb — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 06:56:00 GMT

Little does a typical father know about the raging debate amongst our motherly counterparts. Not until recently when our favorite baby formula got pulled from the shelves did I understand how serious the breast vs. formula discussion has become. When I mentioned in the last entry that we used formula some responded that they were surprised we'd made this choice. And then my wife admitted she felt guilt about it. And then someone lept to her defense, and then another mom told a moving story about how her baby couldn't swallow so well so they were forced to use formula but she was ashamed and then a college classmate whom I hadn't heard from in years, or actually ever, wrote in to put in her two cents, and now she's a famous writer! So this debate must mean something.

I think Maggie and I might represent your typical organic leaning earthhippy parents. Or at least we know where those desires come from. We use cloth diapers, avoid plastics, no tv, pestide free, etc. And we were happy when it was possible for Elsie to breastfeed (I heard on "Lovline" (awesome radio show) that nearly 50% of mothers can't do it, true?). But we were also pretty happy when Elsie began taking to the bottle. Then Maggie wasn't so teathered to the baby and when Elsie started taking formula a new sense of freedom entered our home. We'd heard that Elsie might get sick when she stopped breastfeeding, but she's been okay. Maggie just kind of tapered off the pumping and eventually the breast became less appealing to Elsie. And more appealig to me! Anyway, it seemed a pretty natural process. Hippy that I am, I still think breastfeeding past the point when the kid begins to walk and talk isn't necessary. It even seems a little weird to me, if you want to know the truth. Us dad's want those boobs back at some point. They were only out on loan, remember that kiddos.

Anyway, I think there should be no shame in formula using. Here's a link to very informative article by Organic Pregancy celebrity Dierdre Dolan about the various formula's available on the market. She breaks it all down for us. And she points out another good reason many moms stop breastfeeding: they get pregnant! Watch out, it could happen to you too, if you're not careful. Happy Holidays from the Diaper Bandits!

Can You Drink Breast Milk?

artb — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 12:17:00 GMT

This morning, after pouring myself a cup of coffee, I discovered there was no milk in the refrigerator. Or rather, there was no cow's milk in the refrigerator. Maggie had pumped a bottle full of breast milk the night before and there it sat on the shelf. I don't particularly enjoy black coffee, so I thought, "Why not try this milk in my coffee instead?"

I poured a little in my cup and watched it swirl about. It looked like regular milk, though perhaps a little thinner. I took a sip. I couldn't tell much - the coffee still tasted black. So I poured a little more in there and took another sip. I could taste it now and my throat caught a little once I did. It was a bit like someone had watered down my coffee and added something vaguely sweet to the mix. Perhaps I was just too aware of what I was drinking, but I couldn't finish the cup. I know many husbands taste their wife's breast milk, but I've never really been tempted to do so. That stuff is for the baby, I say. And I won't be putting it in my coffee again anytime soon. Though that formula made milk is looking kind of tasty...

I come from a generation raised by in the 1970's, when there was a real strong "back to the land" ethic amongst certain groups of parents, including mine. My mother tells of her friends frying up afterbirth and serving it to guests for breakfast. And I remember one time this woman named Cat called up and asked if she could give birth to her baby in our living room. My mother said no. Earlier that year the babysitter had discovered pot plants drying in our closet. I'm not quite sure what this has to do with drinking breast milk, but I was just thinking about the various taboos we've built up around childbirth in our modern world and how those hippie types kind of sought to break them down. If you're at all interested in the subject of growing up with hippie parents I highly recommend this book by Maxine Swann called "Flower Children". Her parents were big time hippies and she writes quite well about it.

I suppose each generation believes they are bringing something new to the parenting world, but if anything I'd say we're more conservative and traditional than our parents. I'd like to add a little more unconventionalism to Elsie's life sometimes, just so I'd feel like we were breaking new ground. My brother in law was shocked when Maggie started breastfeeding Ida, her sister's baby, but apparently that's all been done before. I'm working on lactating myself, though I think I'll need to shave my chest before such a proposition becomes attractive to Elsie.

Diaper Bandit : breast milk

Formula Vs. the Almighty Breast

Can You Drink Breast Milk?