Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Why breastfeeding isn't always best! Yes, you read that right.

So, you' re already, probably judging and thinking what's this gals problem?!

This post is about MY experience while attempting breastfeeding, how hard it was, how much I cried, how I felt so helpless, so judged and how I tried everything I could, to successfully breastfeed. I'll probably leave some details because number 1 I'll forget or number 2 I would be writing for a week! I am not a writer, my first language is Spanish so I am sorry in advance for any typos.

Currently, I have 3 kids. I have 2 girls that are 4 and 5 years old and a Boy that was just born 3 months ago. I am epileptic, I have hypothyroidsm , I am hypoglycemic. That is me.When I had my first baby and second baby, I was on a really, really bad medicine that could not only affect my babies in the womb but also if I decided to breastfeed. I was even told by one doctor, that I might as well finish the pregnancy because it would more than likely already be "damaged". Yes, you just read that correctly. I decided  with my first, to stop the medicines cold turkey while pregnant, even If I had an episode. VERY IGNORANT , DO NOT DO THAT! Thankfully though, I did not have an episode until 5 days after I had delivered her. I decided to give her colostrum and milk for those 5 days but when I had to start my med again I did not continue. My kidneys had to be constantly monitored with this med and the last thing I would want is for my child to go through that process as well. With my second child, I did the same thing, but only lasted 4 months without the med when I had the biggest episode ever. Thankfully, she was born as healthy as can be and is a happy little girl!

Fast forward to my third child, I was able to now be on a new medicine for which I was given the "go "to  breastfeed and take it while pregnant. So, on april 22, I gave birth again,to a  happy and healthy baby boy. I started my journey to breastfeed, was on support groups, was on a bunch of vitamins and drank mothers milk tea and fenugreek tablets, pumped milk everyday to help with my supply since my medicines, the ones that have permitted me to be a mom, to be a wife, to live happily and healthily... cause me to have a VERY low supply. I did not want to introduce formula or supplement. I kept breastfeeding in those first weeks. I was so happy. However, my baby boy was not! He was fussy, he was cranky, he cried all day and all night. He would barely sleep, unless it was in my arms. My mommy instinct told me something was wrong, my medicines were causing him to be like this. My baby was hungry all of the time! I called my OB and had me reffered some domperidone. Domperidone is a medicine that is not recommended for this, but its been said to increase your supply and so I wanted to try it. I tried domeperidone for 2 days when I broke out in hives everywhere, my eye and lips were swollen.

Needless to say, I was on steroids and allergy medicines for a week.  I decided to experiment when he was one month and go ahead and try a bottle of formula and "wala". My baby was quiet, my baby was sleeping, my baby gave me a SMILE! I knew right there and then that I could not force something that was not good for my baby. After talking with our pediatrician , my primary, my OB and my neurologist we all decided it was best for his health that he continue on formula. He has been the happiest baby ever since. I have been able to enjoy him, and not worry if my medicines are having an effect on him. I have been able to overcome the fact that I CANNOT BREASTFEED. I have been able to understand that my babies would much more prefer me taking my medicines and being here with them, healthy and happy than to breastfeed.

What I cannot overcome is the JUDGING from SOME moms who do breastfeed, the generalizing, the critiquing of moms who give formula. This post is for you, DON'T JUDGE! You do not know the situations of those moms, of any mom! No wonder you have so many moms who don't want to ask for advice, ask for support, why would they? If they are judged every second of it! Recently I visited the facebook of a DR , believe she was called dra. parrilla which by the way has a really good book about breastfeeding in spanish. She's a lactation supporter and for the book so am I. Someone commented that she was cruel for generalizing and saying that formula is bad, that you are causing life long damage to your babies for doing so and talking badly about moms who decide to do so. The person who commented couldn't breastfeed because she also was epilpetic and she mentioned how she has 4 kids and they are all as healthy as can be. She even described how she had friends that were vegans, did not vaccinate and breastfed and their kids were in the hospital all the time. Just goes to show, that it does NOT matter what you do or don't do it can happen to ALL OF US. She ended her post saying, please dont generalize, dont talk about moms who give formula as if they were bad moms, and she even said that her respects were with all of them for breastfeeding since she knew it was a great sacrifice. Some people liked her post, and commented in her favor and in a matter of 4 minutes they were all DELETED. Another great example of how extremist some people can be. Just because she had a different opinion and gave her a piece of her mind since she wanted to breastfeed and couldn't, they deleted her comments without any words of encouragement, of support, hey, even if it was to fire back, I would have respected that. But nope, deleted all her messages. To that girl, Marie, this post is also for you, I am here, I understand you and YOU ARE NOT ALONE!


Let's educate ourselves, lets encourage breastfeeding but STOP the bullying and RESPECT and BE CONSIDERATE of moms who don't because you do NOT know their situation.

-Yasmin