bessmorolpc

Meant to post this yesterday, but a day late is better than never right?!

This is me breastfeeding my 22 month old. Despite a pediatrician suggesting formula just a few hours into Jamie’s life. Despite jaundice being an issue in the first few days. Despite a tongue tie that got worse before it got better (after it was removed by lazor). Despite me needing to triple feed, and exclusively pumping for 2 months while he healed from the tongue tie procedure. Despite my own anxiety around breastfeeding and the messages I received making me question if I could do it. Despite getting free formula in the mail before Jamie was even born. Despite formula companies targeting me saying it would be so much easier if I just gave up.

All formula companies are predatory in the way that they market to mothers. But Bobbie is going above and beyond. By equating formula to “milk” it isn’t milk. Look at the ingredient list. Bobbie, breastfeeding helps with postpartum depression, not combo feeding. I can be a witness to this. Was it hard, hell yes. But once we got everything figured out I will never forget how much I cried because of how BEAUTIFUL breastfeeding is. Knowing my body was making exactly what my baby needed was so empowering. He got COVID, RSV, and Hand foot and mouth and didn’t need to go to the doctor for any of those conditions because of breastfeeding. Bobbie, and all other formula corporations need to stop with the lies and start telling to truth when it comes to their product. What if instead those corporations funded more lactation help and support?

To bad that will never happen because big Pharma and corporations run this capitalist society we live in.

I am in the checkout line of Walmart. I see a father shaming his son for making his little sister cry. I think to myself "what is this father doing?!" "WHY IS HE DOING THIS?". The father is avoiding vulnerability.​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.
Here's the full situation: Son is upset about something, dad immediately dismisses his son's emotions and starts looking at his phone, son becomes more upset and snatches something from his sister, sister starts crying, dad shames his son and says angrily and full of contempt "now look at what you did".
What could have happened instead: son is upset, dad gets down on his level and says "I understand this is really hard right now, I am sorry, I am frustrated too, this is hard". Dad hugs his son, the son feels comforted and his emotions are validated instead of dismissed. Shame was not used as a parenting tactic or form of disciple. Son is no longer upset.
"Why didn't the dad just do this?" I think to myself as I checkout. Because this would require emotional intelligence. The father is avoiding being vulnerable about how he feels. So instead the father shames his son, shuts him down, shames him again and the son closes off and shuts off all emotion.
If this is happening in public it is most definitely is happening at home. Dad is not a safe place for his son emotionally, son grows up not trusting his father. Son also learns being vulnerable is dangerous and being emotional is not allowed.
What if we could only be vulnerable with our children? What if we showed children that it is safe to be vulnerable, we can handle your emotions, we can walk through this with you.
IT. WOULD. CHANGE. THE. WORLD.

It has been a world wind of a couple of months you guys...​​​​​​​​​.​​​​​​​​​.
This statement: "The Best Things in Life Include: Challenge and reward". When I originally made this post I was thinking about motherhood. That still rings true. Motherhood is one of the hardest things I have done in life and is most definitely the most rewarding thing I have done in life.
But now this statements rings true in a new way as well. Over the last 2 months I have changed my mind or challenged my thinking about... well everything.
Challenging your beliefs around anything is difficult. What started all of this for me? Listening to a podcast called Problematic by . Thanks Caroline, but also stop challenging everything I believe Caroline lol. But really I do highly recommend. Especially if you are a Christian.
I feel like my eyes have been opened to things I never really considered before. Just to name a few things that I have a deeper understanding of now: Christianity, new ageism, politics, western medicine vs. functional medicine. So nbd just basically everything.
Challenging your beliefs is hard, but maybe it makes us more authentic in the end. If nothing else, I am more educated in why I believe what I believe.
Wanting to dive in yourself? One skill you MUST have before challenging yourself or others is having the ability to LISTEN. Do you get fired up when listening to someone with a different opinion? It is a sign you aren't actually listening.