Saturday, May 31, 2008
Crazy ideas
I had a post partum visit recently with a woman who was fussing and complaining because there was no way to attach the breast pumps to her chest when she was using them so she had to sit and hold them in place to express milk. She was so offended that she is creating and marketing something to hold the pumps in place while expressing. This will allow her to "do things" while she is pumping out the breast milk so that she can feed her baby with a bottle. Now, I asked the obvious question "Why don't you just nurse your baby at the breast and then you won't have to worry about pumping?" Well, my patient replied that she just couldn't get the hang of it and by pumping and bottle feeding she could be "doing something" while her baby is eating because she could prop the bottle and of course once she perfects her pump holding harness she will be able to "do something" while pumping her breasts as well. I cannot imagine it is more efficient to pump the milk from the breasts and feed in a bottle (going thru the middle man as it were) than to just learn how to put the baby to breast and have the milk go directly from the manufacturer to the consumer. I just shake my head in wonder and dismay. Perhaps I am getting old and cynical. I think breastfeeding is a unique and wonderful way to feed a baby/child while establishing a bond of closeness and demonstrating to said child that you have time to meet said child’s needs and that "doing something" is not more important than the child or the child's needs.
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You are most certainly not "old and cynical"... I was convinced when pregnant with my first baby that I would need a breast pump in order to pump to allow dad to feed baby when I was getting out and having a bit of "me" time. So, I got myself a good Medela pump. Baby arrives, we get along lovely with breastfeeding, I learn how to use the pump and am very concerned about the amount of milk I was able to pump - and if that was "it" how in the world would Pops feed this babe every night before bed (or whenever) with such a "small" amount of milk!?! So, I called my friend who was a registered dietician working for a WIC program in Kansas. I told her that I tried pumping and was not able to fill a bottle. She asked when I was pumping. I told her after feeding, I took a shower and then used the pump. She asked how many ounces I pumped. I told her that I was ONLY able to pump 6 ounces from one breast and didn't want to pump from both for fear of not having anything to feed my babe from the breast when he would wake from his nap. She laughed and told me that I had pumped an enormous amount of milk for my baby and that I shouldn't worry. If I continued, I would be able to go out for the whole afternoon regularly and leave baby with Pops and bottles. Well, I continued to pump and I got myself a nice stash of milk in the deep freezer.
My baby never learned to drink from a bottle. I never ended up leaving him with Pops before he was eating from the table. In fact, neither of my girls learned to drink from a bottle, either! Aren't I so glad that I have that $150 milking machine?!?! What a hassle all that is, though! Thinking about how and when to pump, take the time to pump, preserve the milk appropriately, prepare a bottle from the stored milk, wash and sterilize bottles and nipples... blech. Unsnap nursing bra, remove nursing pad, hold baby to breast - WAH LAH!! :) Oh, wash with the nice hot water in the shower you had to take to clean all the other bits and parts that reside on your body - no extra care - just make sure they run through the spray! Oh, some people just can't see the trees for the forest or however that saying goes!!
I don't understand how someone would rather give a bottle. It feels the most maternal to me. It is also time to sit and rest myself! I am glad that I have some older children this time... I often find that I drift off to sleep as I nurse this new precious bundle... and we enjoy a nice snuggle in the rocker with a nursing pillow to help my tired arms. Oh, a great moment to rest and love on the newest miracle in your life!!
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