Making the Decision to Breastfeed

Making the choice to breastfeed was one of the easiest decisions I have ever made. I was very proud and optimistic about my choice. But I was actually shocked at the reception my decision got from friends and family. First off, I quickly found out that I would be the first person in my family to ever choose to breastfeed. My friends thought I was insane to take on such a "daunting" task, even teasing that I was doing it only to "save money on formula". But I was determined since I knew it was the best decision for me and my baby. I also knew that this was a huge undertaking, one that could not be taken lightly. I started to gather information immediately. I read everything I could get my hands on until I felt informed and prepared. Ironically, at times, it seemed the more I read the more nervous and anxious I got about this very important decision.

Randy and I decided it would be best to do research together. We both felt that the support from one another would make this a committment we could both handle and be proud of. It was kind of funny though, when I registered us for a breastfeeding class, Randy's first thought was "Do I really need to go?" But to our surprise it was so informative for us both that we found even though I would be doing the actual feeding, we both had very important roles.

With great appreciation, I found that Randy was also doing research on his own about breastfeeding. We started sharing our research with each other. I felt equipped to handle this commitment long before Olivia was born. Taking a class and reading as much as you can about the facts of nursing your baby are a surefire way to stick to your commitment to breastfeed.

But a word of caution. A short time into my days of reading about breastfeeding, I found that I was becoming more and more anxious. I kept reading stories in parenting and pregnancy magazines about moms who tried nursing and the struggles they went through. While a small amount of this was healthy for me to get a good idea of what I would be facing, after a while the negativity some moms had started to weigh upon my mind. I even remember a girlfriend of mine, who had just had her own baby, telling me that her lactation consultant in the hospital was mean and made comments about the fact that formula fed babies are always sick. I thought to myself, "My goodness, how rude". But after speaking with Randy about the things I was reading he helped me put things in perspective. Each person will have their own experiences and perceive things differently. It is up to you to make the choice and do what is best for you and your baby. No one, and I mean no one (not even your mother or mother-in-law), can tell you what to do when it comes to breastfeeding (or not breastfeeding) your baby.

That being said, I love nursing Olivia. It has been one of the best experiences of my life. But looking back on making the decision, both Randy and I know that we could not have done this had we not prepared for it right from the start. And I can't help but understand why most people either don't try it or don't stick with it after they do. A well informed and committed person can make it through anything.

Some excellent Web resources on breastfeeding are:

www.lansinoh.com

http://www.fda.gov/fdac/reprints/breastfed.html#tips

http://www.parenting.com/parenting/article/0,19840,1039847,00.html

http://www.lalecheleague.org/FAQ/faq.html

There is so much involved in breastfeeding that I did not cover all the issues that go along with it. Stay tuned, in future posts I will discuss concerns and suggestions based on my experiences in breastfeeding.