Monday, August 23, 2004
Breastfeeding is a raw deal for Mom
Think about it. You've just been through the most arduous physical, emotional and hormonal experience of your life and you have NO TIME to convalesce. Nine months of pregnancy, half a day or so of labor and then pushing the kid out. Next thing you know, you have a new ball and chain. Your newborn.
If you decide to go with bottle feeding, the work will be divided more evenly. If you go with bottle feeding AND you get a live in nurse, you will have no concept of what I am talking about because everyone will be well rested and happy (except the nurse, who is getting paid lots of money and is happy anyway).
Husbands of breastfed babies can either be passive or proactive. I have chosen to be the latter. I did not sit back and watch my baby bond exclusively with the boob and, as a result, mom. For the most part, I have tried to be "King Burper" and "Master of the No Cry Diaper Change". I have done both with varied success. What it does mean is that I take care of the baby before, during and after most every feeding that I am around. Alternatively, you can just let mom do all the work, be jealous of her bonding and let her get pissed at you while you sleep through the night and sit on the couch alternating between the Olympics and playing Halo.
Luckily, from day one, I have had a magical power over Kayla. By some miraculous twist of fate, I have the ability to almost instantly soothe Kayla. This alone makes me indispensable in all cases except for extreme hunger. At these times, I sometimes wish that I could breastfeed, but then I chalk these thoughts up to temporary insanity. My time will come soon enough when we begin to introduce the bottle. Just thinking about the phrase "nipple confusion" makes me laugh.
If you decide to go with bottle feeding, the work will be divided more evenly. If you go with bottle feeding AND you get a live in nurse, you will have no concept of what I am talking about because everyone will be well rested and happy (except the nurse, who is getting paid lots of money and is happy anyway).
Husbands of breastfed babies can either be passive or proactive. I have chosen to be the latter. I did not sit back and watch my baby bond exclusively with the boob and, as a result, mom. For the most part, I have tried to be "King Burper" and "Master of the No Cry Diaper Change". I have done both with varied success. What it does mean is that I take care of the baby before, during and after most every feeding that I am around. Alternatively, you can just let mom do all the work, be jealous of her bonding and let her get pissed at you while you sleep through the night and sit on the couch alternating between the Olympics and playing Halo.
Luckily, from day one, I have had a magical power over Kayla. By some miraculous twist of fate, I have the ability to almost instantly soothe Kayla. This alone makes me indispensable in all cases except for extreme hunger. At these times, I sometimes wish that I could breastfeed, but then I chalk these thoughts up to temporary insanity. My time will come soon enough when we begin to introduce the bottle. Just thinking about the phrase "nipple confusion" makes me laugh.
