Wheatless Mama: I am a breastfeeding nazi?
I am a breastfeeding nazi. I am a breastfeeding nazi!
So I bet you can guess what has been on my mind lately. The first week of August was World Breastfeeding Week so my facebook feed had a lot of breastfeeding articles and I also attended a W.B.W event at the local WIC office. I was just being me and I guess that means that I am a breastfeeding nazi. At least that is how some people see me. I'm militant. I'm in your face. I'm opinionated. I'm judgmental.
Strangely I just don't see myself that way. I mean yes I am big into breastfeeding. Yes I am an open lactivist. I have never jumped on a mom for using formula. I have never told a mom she's evil for not breastfeeding. I have never done those things because I don't believe those things. I know that everybody is just doing the best they can.
Now with that said, I will never say that formula is as good as breastmilk. There are trues and that is one of them. Breastmilk is the normal food for babies. I like the way that Dr. Darcia Narvaes said it, formula is emergency food. So if my scientifically backed assessment of formula means I'm a breastfeeding nazi then sure I'm a breastfeeding nazi. I know "they" mean it as a bad thing but I just look at it to mean that I stood up for my belief and that bother someone else. Their problem not mine.
I won't back down to make someone else feel better. If you formula feed then that is what you do. I know that the formula companies thank you for your money and hope that you will always turn to formula. If you have children in the future and you want to try breastfeeding please do. Just because you formula feed one child doesn't mean you can't breastfeed the next. I'm hoping that women will make decisions for themselves rather than let the formula company or the doctor or the hospital make it for them. Do what works for you not what someone tells you to do.
I would love for every baby to get at least colostrum. Every ounce counts. I would love for people to be open to the idea of extended breastfeeding. I would for people to realize that just because I'm pro-breastfeeding doesn't make me a nazi but I'm sure I'll win the lottery first. Anyways, that's what has been on my mind.