We support you

Recently I was shown this artical on the Huffington Post. Right when I read it I knew that's what I needed to hear:

"The purpose of this week and month, of course, is to celebrate a mother’s role as her newborn’s source of nutrition, and to declare that no woman should be ashamed to nurse whenever or wherever a child is hungry. But, Simon warns, too often the message that mothers need to be supported in their decision to breastfeed can obscure the equally important message that ALL mothers need to be supported in whatever ways they choose to feed their child."

It's National Breastfeeding Month. While I think it is wonderful that lots of women are able to breastfeed, I also believe women who formula feed need just as much support. If you have never had to make the choice to stop breastfeeding then you may not understand what I mean. Weather you have a physical issue, mastectomy, low supply, on medication, or just stressed out over the time and energy it requires, there is no way to explain the heartbreak involved in the decision.

I was able to breastfeed my twins for 3 1/2 months. I nursed one at a time and two at a time. Either way it took forever. I was always nursing. One day driving home from church my husband reminded me that I needed to breastfeed when we got home. I was immediately paralyzed by the thought of it. Around this time I was diagnosed with PPD. This added to multiple fits of tears that my husband lovingly helped me through. These are my children! I want to bond with them! What if they are sick and just want to nurse! Formula doesn't have antibodies! We cant afford formula for two! The list goes on and on. By the time I made my decision to stop, I had been giving formula 50/50 and would have to do a lot of work to get my supply back.

It's been almost 3 months since the last time I breastfed. My babies are beautiful and growing perfectly. Most of all, the four of us are much happier.

“We all feed our children differently, but we are all feeding with love, and in ways that work for our individual circumstances and family dynamics”

So please next time you think that someone who formula feeds is lazy (I have thought this of people before), please understand that this decision, even if it is a choice, is their choice. And sometimes we don't even get the choice. We support you. Please excuse me while I make a bottle for my hungry baby...