Wednesday 12 March 2014

Angrier than a left boob with mastitis...

So as I'm sure most of you have heard about or read about, recently a woman was asked to leave an adults only change room at the YMCA because she had her baby in there with her, who she was breastfeeding. There is some argument as to whether she was asked to leave because she was breastfeeding, or if she was asked to leave because she was in a designated adults only section with a baby. Whatever. That's not what I really care about, to be honest. What I care about, are the comments made on the story by clearly the most ignorant and immature people in the entire province.

The rage I felt reading what some people (women especially) wrote has been plaguing me for days. I've read the comments made both on the news site as well as on Facebook and I can not wrap my head around what some of these people are saying.

One woman couldn't understand why breastfeeding mothers don't just pump before they go out. Ah yes, the pumped milk theory. Such a lovely idea. Why don't we? Why don't we just hook our udders up to a machine that sucks all the liquid gold out of them, put it in the freezer, take it out, put it in the diaper bag, find a place to heat it, warm it up, and feed it to our children from a bottle (That has to be sterile, but that is a whole other pain in the ass process)? Let me provide some education for you...

Most breastfeeding mothers are only able to pump when their child finishes nursing. This means that she might only get 1-2oz each time she pumps. She might only get a chance to pump once a day, and this means it will take her at least three days to make up a 6oz bag of milk. This milk has to be frozen because it's fresh. Breast milk can only be kept in the fridge for about 6 days because there are no chemicals in it that keep it fresh (duh). This means it has to be frozen, and let me tell you, if that shit defrosts, you use it or you lose it. And if you lose three days work, you sob.  My end point is this: do you, in your right mind, Lady on Facebook, think that I or any other breastfeeding mother, is really going to pump for three days and then waste that work on someone else's ignorance? It's time for you to get a grip. That milk is used for the very rare occasion that we can detach our koala-like child from our bodies and actually have some alone time. Go to the movies, go out to supper, drink a bottle of wine. Whatever. That milk is not pumped off so that you or any other moron doesn't have to deal with that fact that babies are and should be breast fed.

I also love when people say things like, "I support breastfeeding, but..." and then go on about bottle feeding in public. That's my favorite. How would everyone feel if I supported making babies, but I thought sex was gross? Thinking about other people having sexual intercourse makes me really uncomfortable, even though it's totally normal and natural, so I would prefer if every man would instead freeze their sperm, unfreeze it when they're ready to use it, bring it to a fertility specialist, and have it placed in their partner using medical equipment. Because you know, I don't want to have to explain to my children how babies are made. That would be way easier on me if everyone could do that. Thanks.

See how stupid that is? See? If you can breastfeed, do it! If you can concieve children (and you want them), do it! Why go through a pile of unnecessary work? I know moms who couldn't breastfeed, and I know moms who couldn't just get pregnant. Trust me, they would both have done it the natural way if they could have.

Another woman stated that she "would probably puke" if she saw someone breastfeeding in public. She says she has a weak stomach and just can't handle things like that. To this woman, I say this: you very obviously should not ever leave your house. Ever. Every human being on this earth has bodily functions. Every. Single. One of us. And I am going to make a pretty educated guess, that milk coming out of your breasts is the least disgusting bodily fluid out of all of them. If someone stood up at a restaurant, whipped their bird out and proceeded to urinate on their table, absolutely. You have every right to probably not want to finish your meal. Maybe even throw it up again. But if a woman discreetly nurses her baby and that makes you sick enough that you need to leave, you are the one with the problem. Not her.

Another comment that I enjoyed began with, "I didn't have the luxury of breastfeeding my children." Oh yeah. Real luxurious over here with Edward Cullen gnawing at me with his two new fangs. I also spent that last week luxuriating in 2000g of Cloxacillin a day for acute mastitis. Breastfeeding is not an easy task. Sure, it's a lovely feeling to bond with your baby and give them the best nutrition that you can, but it's also a major sacrifice. It can come with cracked nipples, blocked ducts, low supply, aggressive let down. A number of major issues that impact both mom and baby.  Your baby needs you round the clock because you are the sole provider of food. Sometimes they won't take a bottle or a pacifier. They just want you. They don't care if you're in the middle of cooking supper, or if it's 3am, or if you haven't showered in four days. I don't think that "luxury" is a term I would use in the same sentence as "breastfeeding". Seriously.

Finally, I adored the several people who commented asking why this woman was breastfeeding in a "dirty change room" anyway. Why? Because of all the morons on Facebook and on the website and in the general public who can't get over the fact that the only reason women have breasts is to feed their children. I would bet my left knocker that if she breast fed in the family change room, someone would have complained that she was performing such a lewd act in a place where children could see. Maybe not to a worker, but at least to each other. Same thing if she was to do it in the lobby area. If nothing else, she probably would have gotten a few sideways glances.

It is 2014. I can't believe that this is even an issue anymore. Women and minorities have equal rights now. Two men or two women who love each other can get married. Breastfeeding is one thing that has always been consistent and people are still complaining about it. Grow up! Or shut up... Either will do.

1 comment:

Jennifer Weedon @MomCaveTV said...

Ha!!! I couldn't resist reading this when I saw the brilliant title. So glad I did. Hilarious while making excellent pints.