Breastfeeding

I might post about this topic a lot but I absolutely LOVE breastfeeding! I feel impowered. Providing Mady with all the nourishment she needs to grow big and strong...it's amazing what this body of mine can do! I love the bond that it has created between the two of us. I feel extremely close to her and feel like I am able to understand her likes and her dislikes even though she can't really "tell" me. I'm sure that formula-feeding moms feel the same way, but I do believe that breastfeeding has helped me to form this relationship with my daughter.

Yesterday (her 5 month birthday!) Ryan and I took Mady to Michigan City and went outlet shopping. Boy I love a good bargain!! Madelyn was SOOOOOOOOO good and barely cried at all all day long. She was content just watching everything going on around her. She took a couple naps in the sling. I also nursed outside in the windy conditions. It is interesting to see others' perspectives on breastfeeding. As I was feeding Mady, I was covered up and everything but sometimes I feel like feeding her in public draws attention although it really shouldn't. At first I was EXTREMELY nervous about doing it in public, but now I am completely at ease with it. Partly because I am much better at not expsoing myself to the entire world and partly because I've finally come to the realization that it doesn't matter what people think about it. I'm doing what I feel best for my daughter and if I offend you, so be it. I'm glad that it is becoming more acceptable to do it in public and I wish more people would give it a try.

While we were at Michigan City, we saw a lot of other babies that were Mady's age with their parents. They were adorable! It's neat to see and talk with moms of other babies who are the same age. I was quite frustrated with one lady though because of her insensitive attitude. She asked how old Mady was and I told her and her daughter was about a month younger but a little bigger than Madelyn. She immediately explained to me after telling how old her little one was that she is as big as she is because she breastfeeds and eats every hour and a half. She said it in a condecending way kind of assuming that I couldn't possibly breastfeed because my baby was leaner and I was younger (she was kind of old...and graying). I just smiled and kept on walking. I don't EVER want to act that way towards another mom and don't want to have that 'breast is better and you're feeding your baby poison' kind of breastfeeding-mom attitude. Even though I strongly believe in breastfeeding and will make it a goal for each of my children to breastfeed them for a year, I understand that everyone has a choice and that's why there are good formulas out there that are almost like breastmilk. Moms have many reasons why they choose to feed their babies formula instead and many are good reasons. I'm not going to look down on someone just for the way they feed their baby. All I can do is try my best to breastfeed as long as possible and that's my personal choice. I'm sorry if this post seems like a vent but I really wanted to express my opinions and that's what my blog is for =)