Baby Talk
Dear God, let me count the ways this PSA for breastfeeding is so wrong. Let's start with the fact that this baby has a full set of teeth. My nipples just shriveled up and hid inside my body. Honestly, my lungs are being flashed as we speak. ("Heeey lungs!" - my nipples). Now, I know some people breastfeed for a long period of time, and it's a personal choice, etc. But there's nothing more repellent than a tiny baby who talks in general, so I don't know why they decided to make a CGI one for a breastfeeding campaign. I don't know about you but when I feed a baby, I won't want it talking back to me. Can we talk again about the teeth? Ok, I'll stop. I'll let you be the judge.
posted by Tempy @ 9:49 AM
5 Comments:
Yeah, that's creepy. But even creepier? Some babies are born with teeth!
The average age for a first tooth is 6 months, and the biting commences soon after. The World Health Organization recommends breast-feeding until at least age 2, so that's a lot of time with a lot of teeth. The good news is that you can teach a baby not to bite, and experiences teaches you when to expect a bite.
That's fucking magical.
Anonymous, have you ever had a baby with one tooth bite your nipple? It hurts. A LOT. And if you believe you can teach an infant to do anything, I have a bridge to sell you. Seriously, most pediatricians will tell you the benefits of breast milk are negligible after 6 months. That WHO recommendation applies worldwide, i.e. for countries in which breast milk is the most nutritious meal a kid will eat all day. All I know is, I would not want my son having memories of sucking on my tit. That is just wrong.
I posted as Anonymous because I was too lazy to log in-- sorry for that.
Yes, I have had a baby with one tooth (and more recently a toddler with 12 teeth) bite me, and it hurts like hell. And it's just one of the sucky things about breast-feeding. Prolonged breast-feeding isn't for everyone; even early breast-feeding doesn't work for all moms. But I think there are a lot of bad reasons out there that women choose formula, sometimes right away. The more we can share information from research and our own experiences, the better.
You're absolutely right that it's very, very hard to teach an infant anything. But food and mom's comfort are huge motivators. My experience was that my son did stop biting for a long time after I was consistent about stopping nursing after a bite. Now that he's older, it tends to happen when he's falling asleep so I can try to pre-empt it.
You're also right that early nursing is much more important than later nursing. But if a woman doesn't nurse early, she can't pick it up later. And she and her child will miss out on something really important.
I don't think everyone should nurse their kid into school. But I do think that women should support each other in making the choices that are best for their families. That includes understanding that one friend couldn't nurse because she'd had breast reduction, and another chose not to because it gives her the heeby-jeebies. If we change how we talk about it, maybe fewer women would opt out for the latter reason.
My mom breast-fed me until I was 23 months old, but I don't have any memories at all until at least three years later. I'm pretty comfortable in the belief that my son won't remember either, and that he will lose interest long before there's any risk of permanent memories or sexual feelings coming into play (unlike an in-law who told me that "they know what the parts are" by one year old).
I continue to nurse my son in part because our family is falling apart and it's an important part of my top priority right now-- keeping him feeling safe and loved. It's one thing that doesn't have to change for him. As for my friends mentioned above, it's a very personal decision. I'm sure it is for you, too. We can support each other or not. I know that this blog is about being funny, not so much about politics or causes, but I think I know Tempy well enough to throw in my (twenty) two cents.
You are 200% right Amanda. While we are lucky to be moms, being a mother is the hardest job in the world. The only right decision is the one a mom makes because she knows what is right for her family. Tempy, next time post about something less controversial, like the causes of autism or stay at home mom versus working mom.
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