BFing and The Message

I was at WIC yesterday and I had to attend a BFing support group. All the women were super nice. However, after a little bit of talking, I realized that I didn't fit in with some of these mothers. This was a fairly small group, maybe about 7 women or so. Two of the women were complete hippies and deep into 'Natural' parenting. They didn't seem to care about their appearance at all, one didn't shave her legs and the other didn't wash her hair and what looked like to be a week.

They went around the room to see if anyone had questions, concerns or problems. I asked a question about milk supply and introducing solids. I felt like I was naked on a stage with the spotlight on me and I just told the joke of my life and all I got in return were crickets. One of the hippies said that I shouldn't give solids, regardless of what the Pediatrician says..blah, blah, blah. I bit my tongue. I honestly felt like I had did something wrong.

Then one of the ladies stated that 'natural' parenting and BFing goes hand-in-hand. Although, I get her point, I was sorta taken back by this as well.

Is the message they want to send about BFing is that you can be a trainwreck, not shave, be 100% organic, introduce no solids, make your own diapers, co-sleep, etc.? Do you think that having BFing represented by unkept women who are natural-Nazi's give a not-so-good representation that you can BF and be a modern woman?

What message would you like to represent to the public about BFing?


(Sorry if this came off insulting to anyone. That is not the purpose of this.)

For me, anything that is presented as the ONLY way by a group or an individual with the attitude that anything else is wrong is a huge turn off. I would much rather have something like breastfeeding be presented to me as a healthy option, not shoved down my throat as part of somebody else's personal agenda.

Ewww, if she doesn't wash her hair, does she wash her body??? And the baby is eating from those dirty boobs? I bet her pits smell too.. poor kid... granted your nipple secrete a kind of antibacterial stuff that conditions them, I still recommend showering. Now shaving, well I don't shave most of the time. But I am not some natural hippie, I am just too busy to shave lol!

I think that is sending the wrong signal. You do what feels right.

To answer the solids question, usually they say at 6 months is safe to start, and cereal at 4 months, although pediatricians reccommend waiting one year. Few people wait the year though, it does no harm.

I don't think those women made Bfing look bad, lol. I mean, there are people who breastfeed and are unkept and there are people that bottlefeed and are unkept. I'm surprized, though, that WIC was using these women as examples and they were pushing "natural" parenting in this same class. And for anyone to say "no" solids no matter what the doctor said is running on risky ground because a doctor might tell you to give solids for a certain reason ( weight gain or a defiency, ect). I don't think WIC should have used these women. As far as the who delievers this message, I don't care what someone looks like as long as they tell people the fact and benefits! That is what is going to be the best representation to women!

Quoting Jyn D'lere:“ Ewww, if she doesn't wash her hair, does she wash her body??? And the baby is eating from those dirty ... [snip!] ... and cereal at 4 months, although pediatricians reccommend waiting one year. Few people wait the year though, it does no harm.”

Ewww yeah I agree. I know for me even if I didn't come home and jump in the shower immediatly, I would always wash my boobs off several times a day. It's milk in there! Even if I just grabbed a wipey while I was out. Natural is one thing but cleanliness is very important too. I can understand a little about everything but I really can't stand anyone who has to take anything to the extreme.

Quoting Arly-R [HBC]:“ Ewww yeah I agree. I know for me even if I didn't come home and jump in the shower immediatly, I would ... [snip!] ... too. I can understand a little about everything but I really can't stand anyone who has to take anything to the extreme. ”

Well they actually recommend not washing your breasts, because it does make its own conditioner and antibacterial stuff, but they do say to wipe them with a cloth, ot allow water to run over them. I washed around them, and wiped them with a clean wet cloth. The soap can also irritate baby trying to eat if it isnt washed clean, and if the baby happens to be allergic to your soap it's worse.

Quoting Jyn D'lere:“ Well they actually recommend not washing your breasts, because it does make its own conditioner and ... [snip!] ... can also irritate baby trying to eat if it isnt washed clean, and if the baby happens to be allergic to your soap it's worse.”

Oh no no. No soaps throughout the day. Just when I showered. I would use wipeys a lot though. I never new about the natural conditioner. It just seemed like the right thing to do. LOL! Especially in the first few months when they would leak a lot and I would have to change the nursing pads often. If it were me I wouldn't want to put my mouth on a boob that was soaking in milk all day. I'll have to "google" this conditioner stuff. Maybe it won't bug me out as much after that.

Quoting Jyn D'lere:“ Well they actually recommend not washing your breasts, because it does make its own conditioner and ... [snip!] ... can also irritate baby trying to eat if it isnt washed clean, and if the baby happens to be allergic to your soap it's worse.”

 
Yeah, you don't want to use soap or wipes on your nipples. They have natural oils that you will wipe away using those things. Just run water over them (them..haha!).

Quoting Arly-R [HBC]:“ Oh no no. No soaps throughout the day. Just when I showered. I would use wipeys a lot though. I never ... [snip!] ... that was soaking in milk all day. I'll have to "google" this conditioner stuff. Maybe it won't bug me out as much after that.”

Yep, glands in your nipple produce an oil that keeps youe nipples from drying out, and also can kill bacteria. Your body is an ingeious thing, its made for this. Actually even better than using lansinoh on your nipples, is just excreteing a little milk and rubbing it in like lotion.

A moist rag is all that is needed if you want to wipe away excess milk.

Ewww, and I had washable nursing pads, wash those babies immediately!!!!! they SMELL and they do it FAST! LoL!

I guess I'm the type of person that supports BFing, but I also don't mind if someone uses formula. I think that there should be a healthy message about BFing and that it should be accepted and no shame attached.

I was offended too by the way they were talking about formula too. Not everyone in that room was a BFer, but the class was mandatory. I used formula for both my sons due to reason I feel I don't need to get into. I guess I was just put back by how these women kind of shoved agenda.

I would want my message to be that you can BF and still be a hip, modern mom...and that BFing is a beautiful thing (as well as a breast..LOL).