Bashed for not breastfeeding?
Jul 02 '00 (Updated Sep 08 '01)
Okay. You know, the debate between the bottle and the breast has been going on forever, and will continue to go on as long as babies are being born. I don't agree, nor do I disagree with anyone's choices either way. However, I personally am tired of being bashed for MY choice of choosing the bottle over the breast.
Number one, those who bash me do not know me. They don't know my medical history...which consists of epilepsy and other ailments. I wasn't even supposed to be able to have a baby due to medical problems I have. The epilepsy, for those who don't know, is hard to make a decision about while pregnant. I HAD to stay on my medication for this and chance having a baby that was not "right"...or else I would put my life, AND my baby's life, in danger. Having a seizure can cause severe oxygen loss to the mother and fetus. After going through many changes in my medication over the years, my neurologist and I finally finds one that works for me, and then I get pregnant. They (the supposed experts) don't know if it is dangerous to the fetus, or if it is excreted in breast milk. Would you take the chance in giving your baby seizure medications? No. I couldn't do it either. Why? Because once you stop breastfeeding, the baby goes through a withdrawal of the seizure medication that it gets while drinking mother's milk, and it will have breakthrough seizures. ANYONE that takes these meds when not needed will experience the same thing.
Number two, we all know how a new baby keeps us up 90% of the night. Try taking the medications AND keeping an all-night feeding baby happy. I was not taking very good care of myself, and the medications (not just the seizure ones, but others I take daily as well) made me more of a zombie than I already was. How much nutrition could a baby get from me? I wasn't eating, I lost my pregnancy weight gain in 2 weeks, and I felt horrible due to post-partum depression. I made SURE my baby was well fed by giving him the bottle.
So, yes, there are some of us who cannot breastfeed. Why bash us for it? Why bash ANYONE for their personal choices, as long as the babies are being well taken care of? I am very lucky. My son is happy, healthy, and did not inherit my epilepsy. The medications did not affect him in any way. I have been bashed for my choices in breastfeeding, my choice in choosing to get help for my post-partum depression (can you believe it?), my choice in HAVING the baby when I was putting my own life at risk... and personally, I'm tired of it. Just let the women make their own choices. You made yours.
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