10 Things Breastfeeding Advocates Need to Stop Saying.

In no way is this a "hate" blog about breastfeeding. I am all for breastfeeding and I am so glad that my son was able to get my colostrum before I dried up. I think breastfeeding is great, but I am in a lot of groups who do not have the best approach when trying to promote breastfeeding. I loved this article.

• Breastfeeding is a choice. -- No, it’s not, actually. It only is to women who are able to lactate enough to exclusively feed their babies.
  
  It is not a choice. If it was a "choice" I would have breastfed my baby for at least a year. My milk came in, but I did not produce enough to feed my 10lb, 3oz baby.  I was lucky if I got 2 oz in a day.  My son never latched, so I bottle fed him the colostrum that I was able to extract. I do think that if he was not taken to the nursery and fed a bottle right away, I probably would have had much better luck.
  
  
• Formula is poison. -- We have not engineered a product that completely mimics true breast milk. However, as each year goes by the quality of formula is improving. Calling it poison is ridiculous. Have babies had serious reactions to formula? Yes. The fact is that the chance of any allergy from mother’s milk is virtually non-existent (only in very rare conditions), but that still doesn’t justify calling formula poison. Formula saves lives in many circumstances around the world. I think that we need to be cautious of formula companies and how they are regulating their product. Just like a breastfeeding mother regulates what goes into her body when she is lactating.
  
  I HATE the response when mother's say that formula feeding is like feeding a baby a spoonful of sugar. Um No! Of course I am not debating the question if breast milk is better than formula because obviously Breast milk is better. 
  
• Breast is best. -- Breast is biologically normal. There are many situations when it actually is not best for mother or baby.
  
  ^ I do not understand the argument here, but the slogan often is ANNOYING to hear. 
  
• Formula feeding moms didn’t try hard enough. -- Really? I’m assuming the people who say this were able to breastfeed, or don’t have children. There is a reason that wet-nursing is still widely used in African villages (and developing countries around the world). Some human beings produce little or no milk to feed their infants.
  
  You seriously cannot state the above statement if you only know the mom through facebook! Like come on! You do not know their life and you do not know their struggles. 
  
• I only judge moms who have never tried to breastfeed. -- How about don’t judge at all? There are some people who can’t breastfeed for a number or reasons: Women with double mastectomies, women who have adopted (yes, I clearly know this is a possibility, but it doesn’t mean everyone can or should try this), or women who are on medication for severe PPD. Then there are just some women and families where breastfeeding is never going to be a good option for them. And that is okay, too!
• I am just stating the truth, they make themselves feel guilty, that isn’t my fault. -- With that logic it is no wonder breastfeeding has little support for the general public. Words hurt, you aren’t going to be winning any hearts by making someone feel like they have failed their child.
  
   You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.
  
• If they cared more about their children they would try harder. -- No, if they cared about their children they are going to be making the right choice to keep the entire family (including mom) happy and healthy. That sometimes means taking breastfeeding out of the equation -- whether they produced milk or tirelessly tried and finally laid it to rest without results.
  
   No one is going to tell me I didn't try hard enough. No one knows how hard I tried except my mother and sister.
  
• Domperidome is all you need if you *really* aren’t producing milk. -- No, it definitely can increase supply, but it doesn’t mean it will work for your biology. Plus, some women aren’t comfortable taking this prescription. Trust your instincts.
• I just think formula feeding moms are lazy. -- And I just think you’re an asshole.
  
  Well, I think breastfeeding moms who judge, judge, judge are complete bitches. If you see a mom formula feeding, does seeing her feed her baby explain her breastfeeding struggles? Maybe she couldn't produce milk? maybe she didn't want to breastfeed! maybe she tried and tried and couldn't even get an ounce? It doesn't matter to me, the baby is being fed and that is all that matters. 
  
• Breastfed babies are smarter. First off, there are many extremely intelligent people I personally know that were formula fed. More importantly, the studies that have been done on this are still not totally conclusive. There has been a link to an “extended” duration of breastfeeding an significantly higher test scores. However, the mothers of these children all were of an older age and came from similar socioeconomic backgrounds. I think the studies are important and valid, but I also think this isn’t something that would be healthy to mention to a mother that formula feeds her child. 
  
  This could be true. I am not debating, but this could be point when talking to a mother about breastfeeding. My son only received colostrum, but is one of the 3, 3 year olds who was moved up this year to the 4/5 year old class. I think it also has to do with the type of teaching instruction you have set up at home. Learning begins at home.
  
  
  Source:
  http://www.blogher.com/what-breastfeeding-advocates-need-stop-saying?page=0,0 

Love My Life.

I was just reflecting over today and I came to a conclusion; I love my life!

It's barely 9:20pm and I am exhausted! I got up super early today to take Wes to his 1st day in the 4K preschool class! He loved it! I have no doubt this will foster his growth and development.

I have so much homework to get done before our trip home and I am such a procrastinator! I was debating whether to double up and take classes at EPCC. I am going to talk with then tomorrow and hopefully get in! I am so ready to have my degree, seriously!


My little boy is AHMAZING! I love him so much my heart hurts thinking about it.

But anyway, back to what I was trying to explain. I have so much to look forward too! Seeing family, Halloween, my boo's 4th birthday, thanksgiving, Christmas, new years, moving across the world! This is one wild ride my life turned out to be! I never pictured myself living in some distant country, but that is what it has molded into! God has led us to this, I know to open and offer more opportunities.

A Ray of Sunshine

I haven't blogged in soo long! Update on everything. . We ended up staying in El Paso until next June/July because of everything Chris will be doing with Raytheon and getting ready to leave the country. We got a townhouse in Central El Paso and it's okayy. We are right by the pool and swim all the time! That is a plus I guess. I am still working at All-Star Readers and Wes will start the 4s Class  tomorrow! He is more than ready! I am still in school and right now I am taking a history class. I usually love history, but the way this class is set up, I am not really liking all the lengthy timelines we have to complete every other week.

Wes has gotten so good at swimming by himself (w/ floaties 

of course). He loves the water just like his mommy!

 Wes got his first classmate birthday invitation

last week! I am so excited for him. 

 I had surgery in July to take out my cysts and to make sure my fallopian tubes were clear since we are going on almost 2 years of TTC. I was soo scared! When they had Chris and I sitting in the room, I actually had a nose bleed because I was THAT nervous. When they wheeled me into the OR I was terrified! Last time I was in the OR I didn't have choice because I was having a baby, but this time I did. I obviously want a baby, so I went through with it! Recovery wasn't that bad. I felt nauseous and weak. I was fine the day after. My results were kind of saddening. I found out I have a lot of scarring from my C-section and I only have one working fallopian tube. The other one was blocked. My doctor isn't worried because he tells me it "only takes one" to get pregnant. I hope he is right! Since trying to concieve our second and using OPKs, I have never gotten a postive result. This month I used my clear blue ones and I got the best news of the week! I had so much cramping on Friday I thought I was starting my period early. I got home and tested at the same time I do every day and got this result! Yay!!

I finally got a +OPK!! I was soo happy! 

Wes is becoming a lot more verbal about having a "baby." He wants one and he wants one bad! Lol, everytime he sees a baby he tells me "I want one." No smile or anything, just stating he wants one lol. Hopefully we can make this sweet little boy a big brother in the next month! We have one more month of TTC before Chris is off to Saudi and we are stuck here until June/July. 

My sweet boy!

Let me tell you what I did today!

This morning I went to ACS (Army Community Service) and tried to fax my income tax return to FACTS. When we move I want to put Wes in Catholic school, but the tuition is 3,000 up front. While I can make monthly payments, there is no way I can pull that kind of money out of my butt lol. So, FACTS is the company I have to go with and arrange monthly payments so he can go to the school. The clock is ticking so I am trying to get everything submitted. Well I TRIED to fax it, but I guess there server was over loaded so I must go again tomorrow, yay!

We are having our summer literacy camp at work for the next 2 weeks, so I wasn't able to notify my boss that I will be leaving next month. I am trying to find a good time, but there is never any time! So, I need to do that ASAP!


Speaking of moving, I need to get my living room and Wes's room painted back to the original color so I can schedule a walk through with housing and they can tell me what I need to fix. Soooo much stuff to do before we move and I still have to do it while working 33 hours a week!

Sunday...Funday...

Not so much. More like a lazy day! All day I was totally glued to my ipad, watching season 3 of "Son's of Anarchy." I love that show and I finished season 3 in one day! That just shows how dedicated I am, or how much of nothing I did today lol.

It isn't "official" yet because we haven't "officially" gotten orders today, but we are moving. Around July 26th, the Army will come and pack us up to end this chapter in our lives. Bittersweet of course! We have made a life for ourselves out here, but I cannot tell you how happy I am to be going home! Chris and I are about 90% sure we will be back in Alabama, but it all boils down to where he gets a job at. He is not officially out until September, but we are heading out so we can start getting our BAH for the next 2 months. Not exactly sure where we will be, but we will be doing it together!

A Change of View

So, today I actually got to hang out with one of my best friends in El Paso. We were talking and catching up (considering we haven't hung out in God knows how long lol)! She brought up circumcision. I have never been "pro", but I did believe whatever a parent chose was great for them and I chose to circumcise. She told me all of the usual things I usually hear. I said I made the decision to get Wes circumcised and I don't regret it, but as future sons go, I am not sure I will be circumcising them. I had researched it a little more and found out the procedure and wasn't sure I wanted to put future kids through that. Then she showed me something what would forever change my views on circumcision.

What happened in this video will forever be in my mind. I keep seeing that poor baby being strapped down. Arms, legs and all. It was disturbing before they even started cutting. Then, in this circumcision they used anesthetics, so they shoved this huge needle in this poor babies penis. He screeched in pain. My heart hurt!! Then there's blood and they wipe it away. The baby is still screaming in pain. After a few minutes, they pull the penis forward and shove this knife to start cutting and that is when the baby was screaming in more pain and that was all I could take, 3 minutes out of a 7 minute video and that was enough. I wanted to pick that poor baby out of the video and just hold him tight. He just came in to the word and their carving him up like a fucking turkey.


I looked over at Wes and I told him I was so sorry. I cannot believe I put my son through that pain. To have him taken away with strangers and for those strangers to violate him like that. It honestly makes me wanna cry when I think about it. I was 18 when I had Wes and that was the norm. I never thought twice about NOT circumcising. I wish I had a 1000 times. I will never think twice about circumcision again. None of my future sons will be put through that pain that their older brother was. I thank Kim for showing that video to me because now I am no longer on the fence, I am for keeping a little boy the way he came into the world; perfect!

Busy, Busy

This past week was super busy! School and working, along with Wes's soccer and my volleyball, I haven't been able to blog in a few days.


Early last week, one of my super good friends in El Paso had her baby girl! The only thing that sucked was I didn't get to see her until the next day because of work! I was soo bummed, but she was beautiful! I am so happy for Kim and that she finally has her precious baby girl!! I wanted to be one of the first to see her, but with working that didn't happen. I felt so bad! When I finally did she her it was great to finally hold an itty bitty baby!! Ahhhh I want one(:


Wes had his soccer game on Saturday and it was at 9am, and combined with him not being a morning person, he has a little slow to start at first. Once he got going, he was pretty good and did his usual thing. I love watching him play and although he is so cute to watch, I cannot wait until he gets older and it gets more competitive!!


I had a volleyball game next and our first game we ended up playing 3 matches. We won the first and lost the other 2 matches. It was definitely a dirty game we totally should have won, but the ref wasn't calling anything. Our 2nd game wasn't much of a game because we won 5-25 and the next 6-25. It sucked, but a wins a win.

Chris and I have gotten into this show called 'Prison Break' on Netflix. We are also hooked on 'The Big Bang Theory', but we put that on hold cause 'Prison Break' is so awesome!

Now, it's back to another week! Wish the weekend didn't end so suddenly, but only 5 more days lol