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In honor of World Breastfeeding Week this week, I am dedicating my thirteen to the motherly art that is breastfeeding.
Thirteen Reasons Breastfeeding Is Right for Me
- It's free. Seriously. And I'm as cheap as cheap gets, so naturally this is numero uno.
- I don't have to worry about running out of breastmilk. Sure, there can be supply issues. I know about these first-hand, but if you put a baby to your breast, they can get something out. You can't make an ounce of formula with an empty can. It's simply impossible.
- When I nursed in the night, the baby and I both slept through the feedings. That thing about not being able to take turns on the night feedings is irrelevant. When you nurse, no one has to get up with the baby. ZZZzzzZZZzzz
- It gives me an excuse to continue eating like a pregnant woman well after the baby was born. Thanks to my nursing metabolism, I could eat and eat and not gain weight. (But I also didn't lose it. This trade-off was okay by me...I love food way more than being skinny.)
- There was never a need to carry a bulky diaper bag. Without having to tote around bottles, formula, and water I could put a couple of diapers, a small pack of wipes, and an extra outfit in my (big) purse and proceed with life.
- I get to hold, feed, and bond one-on-one with my baby countless times a day. And that's a memory that no one else can ever claim from me.
- The antipyretic powers of breastmilk can't be beat. I have witnessed it countless times. The stuff is as good as Tylenol or Ibuprofen when a fever is involved, only it works much faster.
- It makes me feel like Super(wo)man. Faster than a bottle warmer. More powerful than formula. I could calm a screaming baby with a single moment of nursing. I could survive nursing strikes, mastitis, and pumping at work for a year and still come out feeling great about it.
- The longer I nursed, the healthier my children were. When I quit at 4 months with my first, he endured ear infection after countless ear infection. I stopped at 7 months with my second and the same thing happened. With my third, we're still going at 14+ months and she is, by far, my healthiest child.
- It decreases my risk of breast and ovarian cancers. Given my family history, I'll take all the help I can get.
- Breastfeeding is about as green as it gets. There is no disposable packaging!
- Sorry if it's taboo, but nursing delayed my period for nearly a year. That's nothing short of sweet.
- I know we all think our babies are the cutest, but my breastfed babies' poop really doesn't stink (as badly as formula poop).
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others’ comments. It’s easy, and fun!
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19 comments:
Breastfeeding was a no-brainer for me when I did it :)
Enjoy your Thursday!
http://harrietandfriends.com/2010/08/wanna-get-your-car-stolen-get-an-escalade/
Great list - loved #8!
And congratulations, Jennie - well done to you! I also found that my third child was healthier than the other two, although I only nursed her until she was nine months old.
On#10... the benefits can't be overestimated. For any ladies approaching 35, or with a history of breast cancer, please schedule a mammogram! (I had mine this morning)
Good List! I'm convinced moms are super heroes! my son had a breif stint in the NICU after he was born and they gave me this bottle bag to keep the breastmilk in, it said, 'I make milk. What's you super power?' enough said.
Thanks for stopping by my blog!! I'm your new follower.
Great list! Love that you included #12! Definitely a perk. ;)
I wish I could echo #3, but it didn't feel that way to me. ;) Although I was definitely more asleep than I would have been if I'd had to get up and make a bottle.
I was frequently able to sleep through the feedings, but there was always a diaper change right after that I'd have to wake up for.
Great post ^_^
Congrats on making it 14+ months. Zane is defiantly a pretty healthy child. Didn't get his first cold until 10 months and is rarely sick (and not one eat infection yet and he's 2 1/2!). He nurses a few times a day. I love this post!! I second the cheap aspect! That's one thing I love about it! Oh and also the ability to eat almost anything and not gain weight ( I will warn you, that does stop around a year or so, at least it did for me).
Interesting list. I would have breastfed had I been able to have a child.
Great list!! This is the first child that I have been able to exclusively breastfeed which has definitely changed the tune I sing about it:) When it was hard for me I had nothing positive to say but this time around I could almost echo your list exactly. I had to shake my head in agreement with carrying around less, my diaper bag is smaller now with 3 children then it was with 1!
Nice list. Good points, all.
I'm big on breastfeeding, but... how do I say this... I wasn't made for it. So I pumped for a few months and had enough to feed my boy (freezer!) for a few more months so it worked out OK. I have always been a little jealous of moms for whom breastfeeding is a snap. It was SO not a snap for me...
Great list...I especially loved how handy it was, and that metabolism boost!!
I nursed my three for a year each. I felt like a lean mean lactating maching! Love your list! I am really scatterbrained and the fact that I didn't have to remember to pack my breasts kept my kids alive and happy!
I don't have kids yet, but this was an interesting list to keep in mind for when I need to make that decision! :)
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:)
Rachel
Fabulous reasons to breast feed!
I can't say anything to that. When I was pregnant in 1973 breast feeding was out and bottle feeding in. They had exactly the same arguments like today with breastfeeding : healthier children. I can't complain with my bottle fed son, he is 6.6 ft tall, had never serious health troubles besides a flew or a cold and all the kids diseases. I think it is a matter of fashion and not all women are so lucky as you and don't have enough milk.
I agree with Gattina that not all women (and kids) are as lucky. I wish I and my kiddo experienced this wonderful phenomenon.
I totally agree with your list. Both of my kids were breastfed and I wouldn't have had it any other way.
#4 is the best reason, in my opinion! LOL Seriously, I had trouble feeding my twins. I pumped for the first 6-8 weeks, but I had supply issues, and they were so small they had latching on issues. I did my best, though.
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