Wednesday, August 6, 2014

My thoughts on BREASTMILK

... the movie. A movie specifically on breastfeeding. And even if you're not a mom, don't plan to be a mom, or don't care about it in general, hear me out.


Before I start rambling, I should mention that while I would love to give you my opinion on actual breastfeeding, I don't think my thoughts or opinions really matter on the subject. Just know that I'm excited and grossed out all at the same time. I think the only opinion I want you to know is that I hate seeing breastfeeding pictures on instagram or Facebook. I think how you feed your baby is your business and I think some moms share their breastfeeding boobies just to get a rise out of people. Just feed your freakin' kid and move on, ok?! ok.

I think the movie is something every woman should see. It shows you what our bodies are capable of and how we're engineered to grow healthy babies. It's pretty neat. I learned that you don't have to have a baby to produce milk (weird, right?) and if you are breastfeeding, breastmilk will leak out of you in the most inconvenient times (ya know, like when you're in bed with your husband/whatever your sleeping with) WHO KNEW?! I mean, I knew they leaked, but not in an intimate moment. I also learned that some women use their breastmilk in their food. One woman proved that by squeezing her breast into her eggs... then she made an omelette with those eggs. I CAN'T. 

I paused the movie several times, wiped sweat from my forehead, and turned away 90% of the movie. The different scenes of boobs expressing milk into the air literally made me gag, and I almost decided it was time to turn the movie off. The film was also up close and personal with pumping. If you've ever seen a nipple being pumped, good for you... I have not been graced with that vision before yesterday, so you can imagine the look on my face when I saw it for the first time. Here's what it reminded me of:


just let that sink in for a bit. 

The women you meet throughout the film had all the same thoughts I'm having right now. 

"Will I make enough milk?"
"What if it doesn't work?"
"will the baby latch?"
"how do I know she's latched?"
"I don't want to use formula"

yada, yada, yada. It was comforting knowing that I'm not alone. It was also interesting to see that a majority of those women eventually went to formula and only a couple exclusively breastfed. It lowered my confidence at times, but also made sense in the fact that this is really hard and time consuming. It's going to take a lot of patience. A LOT. And since I'm not working, it can be something we (the baby and myself) can focus on. 

I wouldn't recommend eating anything while watching this movie. If you have a weak stomach, this isn't for you. I know my thoughts will probably change once baby Maddie arrives, but for now this subject makes me cringe even though I'm 100% for it. It's totally weird, I know. So obviously I had to blog about it. Does anyone else feel this way about breastmilk? am I just immature? What are your thoughts?

4 comments:

  1. You're awesome, honest, and I hope I am just like you when I am with child. Seriously, all of these thoughts run through my head and I am terrified about even thinking about babies

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  2. I haven't watched the movie, nor have I had a child, but... I totally agree with you 100%.

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  3. This makes me think of the Friends episode where Rachel watches the home movie on Phoebe's friend give birth. You just can't go back. I will want to breastfeed when I have kids, but maybe i'll just let the expereince be a 'surprise' instead of watch the movie. TMI. I think i'd gag, too.

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  4. I'm going the breastfeeding class route - which may or may not be any better than watching a movie on my own on the subject. I haven't attended the class yet, so I have no help on the matter. I have heard (and been told - which I'm sure you have been, too) to take advantage of having lactation consultants in the hospital come and visit you - even if the baby latches well right away. I'm definitely beginning to realize what's REALLY going to be happening in 18ish weeks and it's starting to freak.me.out (and gross me out - I accidentally opened up a page to a certain birthing book and had to refrain from believing those things would actually happen with me while I struggled to keep the dinner I had eaten 1 hour before down). So all that to say...you aren't alone, because I have the same feelings!

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