Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Breastfeeding Stories - A Humorous Look At The Benefits Of Breastfeeding

The benefits of breastfeeding your baby are often disputed among breastfeeding advocates and mothers who choose the bottle over the breast. Many of the benefits of breastfeeding can be duplicated by bottle feeding mothers and it really boils down to a matter of personal choice. Those who bottle feed their babies choose to avoid some of the unpleasant experiences that came with choosing to breastfeed an infant. In an effort to lighten the serious battle between the bottle and the breast, let's take a look at some of the humorous benefits of breastfeeding.

One great perk of breastfeeding is that you get to wear sexy, easy access, nursing clothes. Most nursing clothes are designed to allow your infant easy access to the breast. This feature is a great convenience, but it also can lead to inadvertent breast flashes in public if your nursing clothes are not properly secured after feeding your infant. If you find people following you around while out in public, check your shirt.

You get to join the stylish trend of baby wearing. Breast fed infants often nurse more frequently than bottle fed infants. This can lead to the feeling that your child is always attached to your breast. Baby wearing can be seen in malls, grocery stores and parks across the nation. Baby slings, swaths and holsters are sold that encourage a nursing mother to flaunt her baby wearing style. Some even offer anytime access to the breast- a very nice perk for the infant.

Another wonderful benefit of breastfeeding is the delightful experience of public breast feeding. Curious onlookers and the not-so-subtle glances of those hoping to catch a glimpse of an exposed breast add to the excitement and tension of trying to nurse your hungry infant in public. Many women cringe at the thought of public breast feeding, choosing instead to nurse their infants in bathroom stalls and the back seats of cars. Public breastfeeding for some is an invitation to be free and let it all hang out. Heaven help the poor soul who makes a snide comment or stares too long at this hormonal, sleep deprived mother.

This brings us to the classic sore nipples. There is just no other experience that compares to allowing a hungry infant to chomp, suck, chew and grab a breast that is plagued by bruised, cracked and sore nipples. No amount of prenatal education or coaching by the La Leche League can prepare you properly for sore nipples- it must be experienced to be appreciated.

Breastfeeding is a wonderful time of nurturing and bonding with your infant. It is also a lesson in balancing pain and humility with a little humour. The humorous benefits of breastfeeding cannot compare to the genuine benefits of breastfeeding for many mothers. Learning to take the unpleasant aspects of breastfeeding with a grain of humorous salt is part of the wonderful world of choosing to breastfeeding your infant.

No comments: