Wednesday, December 22, 2010

People I Admire

Its a looonnng list. But I was reading a friend's blog and as I was reponding to her blog it got me thinking almost blogging as a comment in fact so I decided to come back here and blog. It was going to be about breastfeeding. And I think I might go off a little on that and get back to the admiration in a little bit. Basically her little boy is 14 months old and she is still breastfeeding him. This was my comment:
I don't know where I stand on the health benefits (not getting as sick) because I have seen it go both ways. And while I know the research claims one thing I have a hard time listening to any research because they go back and forth on so many things.
That said. 
I think this is great. Breastfeeding (or not) is about what is best for your child, and you- for your family. It sounds like because Liam tolerates it, and not much else, it is for the best. Also, because of my problems breastfeeding, I think stopping if I am ever given the chance to get to a year is going to be hard. (Just a side thought I am having) When I first think of the idea it does give me the creeps, friends and I have talked about it, some have gone over a year (usually having to stop because of another baby) but I don't judge, because everyone has different stories. and it would be crazy of me to judge you (or anyone) for going 'longer' when I ask people not judge me for having to stop.
I wanted to add to this that I have a friend who is more like a sister who had a little girl in July. Every time I have seen her she has given me breast milk for JD. Why? Because she understands my frustration, why I am so upset. PLUS she has an abundance, and I mean that. She has been pumping since the beginning due to latching issues. She is part of the reason that I now know for sure that if I had a supply I could have done the pump and feed thing longer. She plans to stop pumping the end of December because she will have enough in her freezer to get her daughter to her first birthday. That includes giving me about a month supply total. Her daughter was born in mid July lets just say the 15th and she plans to stop pumping December 31st. 5.5 months of pumping, plus giving away a months supply will give her enough for 7 months. CRAZY! It just isn't fair! Really we have talked about the unfair part being that we don't live closer so JD could have benefited more from her ability to produce for twins hehe.

The other reason I was thinking about this was I just read my quote from almost about 10 months ago: "Being a great mom is much more than breast feeding" I do still love my breast feeding mommies though!
The other thing I wanted to add to my friend's blog was that the only reason what she is doing breast feeding for so long bothers me is because I hear her story and think "man... I suck. I didn't try hard enough"

Something that also ticks me off is people who have the supply but don't try. YOU are the reason people like me can't catch a break. Don't tell me you tried when you didn't and I know you didn't. There are women this woman whose blog I am talking about or another friend who I am going to add to my admire list who are separated from their children more than you were. I know women who have been sick and bounced back. Or stopped after being on medication and were still able to pick back up after 4 or 5 days. I have heard all the stories, front and back. I can tell when people try and when people blame other things. Sometimes they blame one thing but leave the thing that caused it alone... You have a good reason for quitting yes quitting just use the right one!

Ok... done with the rant. Moving on to the important stuff.  I figure doing this after a rant I have been wanting to get off my chest might help keep me sane when all is said and done.

PEOPLE  I  ADMIRE
I am going to start with the people who have blogs, you too can read their stories:

Michelle - The woman whose blog I was referring too.
warriormom - Mom to the following blog. She has a husband in the military, a son who has served and I am constantly in awe of how she is so strong.
Skye - Her daughter is beautiful and she is amazing.

Now to people without blogs:

Gram & Gramp - my dad's parents - I hope I can be a quarter of the people they were, that way I can be half as great as they were
Mom & Dad - I know it sounds cheesy but it is very true. They are such great people. I am lucky that I find some of those traits in me occationally.
Isaac - He does so much and sleeps so little, I really have no idea how he does it

That is all I can think of off the top of my head, but it worked I do feel much better. I wish I really could express how amazing these people are in my eyes. They all do so much and I don't think people really understand how strong and amazing they really are well except for my grandparents, that was hard to miss :)

Well, I am getting sleepy. I need to get some rest tonight so tomorrow I can work on making chocolate for gifts for Christmas. So much to do so little time.
HISloveNAME
The Woodward Family

5 comments:

Shelby Lance said...

Am I one of those "quitters" in your mind?

MeWoodward said...

Nope. I would have told you. You were very sick :( There was no quitting that happened, you stopped. Now what would have happened had you not gotten sick, who knows. (Or even if you still had gotten sick if you had stimulated your milk supply more) But because you got sick nothing else matters. You know I am very much for breast feeding, but I was relieved when you stopped. There comes a point when you just have to focus on getting better, no matter what your milk supply is. I know a couple woman whose supply was great and they were able to bounce back after not breast feeding for a while. 1 I can't remember off the top of my head, the other was 2 weeks) I think it is great that they can get through it, more power to them (as long as they don't criticize those who stop) I have talked to a lot of people about breastfeeding, of all different experiences. I talked with a woman who got a cold, their baby got fussy and she stopped assuming she wasn't producing enough. That is quitting. Or pump and know she is down an ounce on the day and she quits. Again, quitting. Well, in my eyes. Because when someone like that says they couldn't or they tried when I say it if someone has only heard it from someone like that then they make assumptions. Not all, but some. And it is frustrating.

I don't know if you know what I went through, and some people reading may not know at all so:
I pumped and fed (including the hassle of an SNS) every 2 hours for 24 hours for a month with Rae. The next month I was every 3 hours (just straight pump and feed. I couldn't do the 2 hour thing anymore.) whether she was eating or not, or getting up or not. I still was only getting enough to give her half of what she was drinking. When I stopped around 2 months we were both MUCH happier. My PPD was pretty bad right after her. (interesting fact, PPD can occur anywhere within the first two years of a child's life.)
With JD I was going every 3 and only giving him 50%. At 3 weeks when I got the stomach bug that was going around I started pumping, was getting about 50% just as I thought, for about a day. Then I started getting 4oz (1 bottle) total for the day, even after a week after being sick, that was when I stopped.

I hope that came out right... In review- Love you! :)

Sarah said...

Just wanted to say that you have a lovely lovely friend for her to share her milk with you. I would love to do that for someone if I have the supply this time around. There is a great organization called "Eats on Feet" that does informal milk sharing.

and nursing past a year is really not weird at all once you've been nursing that long anyway... they are your baby, ya know? the World Health Organization recommends 2 years. It's totally natural and if you get to that point with another baby, don't let anyone make you feel bad for it. I nursed Noah till 20 months and it was more than anything, SO helpful..... being pregnant made it really difficult and he mostly weaned himself but I still wish I could have gone longer.

You're an amazing mom and I think it's awesome that you worked so hard to nurse your babies for as long as you could. Many moms I know who have formula fed haven't tried to nurse their subsequent babies.

MeWoodward said...

Thank you. She is the bestest, I really do wish we lived closer (for other reasons too, but that was the best)

That is what I was thinking. But having only gone to two months I really have no idea. I have a friend who said she knew someone that nursed a 5 year old... that bothers me. I have heard quite a few woman say that their children weaned themselves before two.

If we have more children I plan to try every time. I would really like to go the distance. But I don't know if we are going to have more kids. I actually think part of me wants to have more kids so I can keep trying. I really want to breast feed! lol

MeWoodward said...

I said thank you at the beginning of the entire comment, but I wanted to make sure that I added that it means a lot to have you, specifically being woman who is very much into breast feeding and such, tell me I am an amazing mom.

Also, if I do have more kids we need to chat much more regularly.