Kentucky Mom Asked to Stop Breastfeeding

http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/482335.html

This story makes me so mad on so many levels, I can't even begin to describe how I feel.

I think it's a case of an ignorant person being told by another ignorant person that what this woman was doing was disgusting and perverse.

Breastfeeding is not perverse, it's not sexual. It's feeding your baby and giving your baby the best start that you can.

Beginning to feel the stress

I'm beginning to feel the stress of being a single mom to 2 kids, young kids at that. Zach is a high needs baby and no it's not because I've spoiled him. It's how he is. I'm okay with it some days. Other days it sucks. Like now.

He's stubborn and when he wants what he wants, he wants that and nothing else. I can't do anything without him pitching a fit lately and it's driving me crazy. I used to have help, but not so much anymore.

*sigh*

Blank

Dad's dating a new woman and seeing them together so happy makes me sad. I want that.

She has 2 children who are 11 and 12. The girl has latched on to Britt which is fine but at the same time I want her to go away. I want my sister to myself right now.

We went today to take her kids to the painting place. R, Z and I went with them and R painted and had a blast but then he would just sit there and look at my dad like "Why aren't you helping me?" Dad wouldn't even help R wash his hands. Then Z was grumpy like always and I was just overwhelmed. I didn't sign up to do this on my own.

I'm just feeling sorry for myself. I'm allowed I guess.

Extended Nursing

I have been receiving comments about when I am going to wean Zach and after reading Casey's blog (www.beautifulletdown.net) about extended nursing I decided to put my own reasons down. Thanks Casey. :)

R nursed for 2 years and 1 month. The only reason he weaned was because I had to get my wisdom teeth removed and I couldn't nurse him and keep up enough strength for myself. He was okay with it and hasn't missed it. He's never asked questions, he's never asked to nurse. It was time for both of us. With R I did get some comments but never many because I wasn't at home and around people. Ex did make comments so I just chose to not nurse around him. He knew I was still nursing but as long as he didn't have to see it, he was okay with it.

Z has been a booby baby from the get go. He has nursed on demand his entire life. In the beginning we had so many problems that I almost gave up. We developed thrush ( http://www.kellymom.com/bf/concerns/thrush/index.html ) and because of thrush I had horrible holes in my nipples. I had cracked, bleeding nipples, thrush, an over active let down ( http://www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/fast-letdown.html ) , a milk sensitive baby, the problems kept coming and coming. I almost gave up because I was in so much pain but I knew I loved nursing too much to give up. Once 6 weeks hit, life got better. Things finally clicked. I started block nursing to help combat the overactive letdown, thrush finally went away and our nursing relationship really began.

I was in no rush to begin solids with Z because I knew that he was getting everything he needed from nursing. When he did start them, nursing didn't decrease, in fact I think it increased some days. He loves to nurse. He loves the comfort.

So here we are, 1 year and still nursing strong. Starting school is going to put up another road block in our nursing relationship but I'm going to keep doing it. I will pump during the day if I need to and then let him nurse away at night.

Extended nursing is not for everyone. I respect that so all I ask in return is that you respect my decision to continue our nursing relationship.

Here are some wonderful resources for you to read, if you so choose, about extended nursing and the benefits.

http://www.kellymom.com/bf/bfextended/index.html

http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496

Pediatricians and parents should be aware that exclusive breastfeeding is sufficient to support optimal growth and development for approximately the first 6 months of life and provides continuing protection against diarrhea and respiratory tract infection.^{30,34,128,178–184} Breastfeeding should be continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child.¹⁸⁵

Some Good News

Things haven't been good around here. My mom is still full of problems and I just can't deal with it anymore. Last night she put me and my children in harm's way and I'm done. Until she can decide to be an adult and take care of herself, I can't do it anymore. I will talk to her, I will see her sometimes but that's about it.

So here's the good news. I'm going back to school August 25th. I'm not just doing business or something like that, I'm doing nursing. I know it's going to be difficult but for the first time I know what I want to major in and I know I'm doing the right thing.

So that's my update. :)

And once again my no good very bad day

Things just don't seem to be getting better. We were having a good day and we get a call from my Grandma. Mom's dog died. Mom's dog dying means mom gets depressed and that means mom has to go to the hospital. Guess who took her? Me and Britt. *sigh*

I'm exhausted. I'm emotionally and physically exhausted. I can't deal with anything else bad happening.

Tomorrow is Z's birthday party. I have to wake up at 7 am in order to get everything done that we couldn't get done today.

Good night. I hope tomorrow is tons better.

My No Good, Horrible, Very Bad Day

I hate bitching and complaining but my day sucked ass. It was really horrible.

It started out this morning with this horrible dream where someone was trying to steal Zachary and me. I woke up crying and freaking out because Zach wasn't in bed with me. He was in the living room eating donuts with Kasey and Ray but it still freaked me out. Ray had a donut for breakfast so of course he was bouncing off of the walls because of the sugar, well that and he knew we were going to Papa's.

So he's in the fridge trying to get a cheese stick and he knocks the tea out of the fridge all over the ground. I was so pissed but mainly at myself because I didn't help him. I sent him to his room while I cleaned so he could keep Zach out of the way and I told him he needed to clean his room. He came back at me yelling and screaming that he didn't want to clean his room. No I didn't respond the way I really wanted to but shit happens. I yelled back and sent him back in there.

Kasey comes home, we get ready to leave to go to Dad's and I am just in a horrible mood. We're driving, almost halfway to Dad's and the front left tire blows out on me. I allow myself a few minutes to cry and then we get somewhat off of the freeway so Kasey can start changing the tire. He gets the car lifted up, the tire almost off and the car falls off of the jack. Yes seriously that happens. The boys and I are in the car and the car falls off of the jack. I can't do anything but sit there in shock, Kasey is in shock sitting on the ground next to the car. We both look at each other like "Well shit..." We are trying to figure out who to call to bring us another jack when a tow truck pulls up. The city hires some tow trucks to tow motorists to safety so they're not on the freeway. That was awesome, except for the fact that the car is resting on the rotor and the boys and I are still in the car. We're in the car while he's pulling the car up onto the flat bed of the truck, as he's driving across two lanes of feeder traffic to a parking lot. It wasn't just a normal parking lot...it was a parking lot for an Adult/Erotica Store. Yeah that's great. Ray was like "Mommy, what buildin' is that?" My answer was "Umm...a not good place."

So we make it to Dad's house all in one piece and my sis and I start running errands. We get almost done and we're having a great time when she gets a phone call from my grandma. Apparently my mom has bruises all over her face from her boyfriend. To make it all even better, her cat died tonight too. So now my sis and I are worried about Mom and trying to figure out how to get her over to Grandma's.

Mom is at Grandma's, my sis is at the movies with her friends, and both of my boys are sleeping. I am no longer wanting to chop my boobs off and just hand them to Zach, and I have been doing some online browsing.

So that's my no good horrible very bad day. I sure hope we don't get to play that game again.

Peace, love and Starbucks....oh yeah I had Starbucks tonight so I am bouncing off of the walls. I need to go to bed soon.