Sunday, January 8, 2012

Breastfeeding

The topic I chose to write about is breastfeeding. All of the topics are important to me however, I breastfeed my son and am expecting now. Breastfeeding is really healthy to the wellbeing and development of infants.
In Mexico, breastfeeding is based on income and education. People with lower incomes and that are less educated breastfeed longer than 2 years since moms don't have money to buy formula or to provide for their children. Moms that are more educated and have better finances breastfeed for only 6 months since they believe that breast milk starts losing its health benefits after the age when babies start solids. Some woman will breastfeed up to 12 months just for bonding but after that babies are weaned gradually. The ability of buying healthy foods compensates for the lack of use of breast milk.
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5 comments:

  1. EbonyJanuary 8, 2012 at 9:09 PM

    I can recall watching a clip on youtube where the child was in kindergarten and the mom was still breastfeeding. Some argue at what age is it appropriate to stop. I personally believe a four-five year old should not be climbing in anyone's lap asking for breast milk. What are your views on the topic? How long did you breast feed your children.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRqGXS6RmKs

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  2. ShavonneJanuary 9, 2012 at 8:55 AM

    Hey Ebony,
    Thanks for the comment and that clip. Yes, I personally think that a mother breastfeeding their five year old is a extremely odd. In my opinion, breastfeeding should end at one year old. Once a child can talk and have teeth, they shouldnt be breastfeeding. I breastfeed my son until he was 9 months old.

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  3. s.bocanegraJanuary 15, 2012 at 12:04 PM

    Hi Shavonne,

    I enjoyed your post on Breastfeeding. Even though I chose not to breastfeed my first son, and because of a later surgery was not able to breastfeed my daughter, and even if I would have been able to I would have still chosen not to breastfeed. Even though for me personally it's not something I ever felt comfortable with or ever wanted to do I still can appreciate all the benefits it does provide for both the child and the mother, I still think it's a personal choice. And that is why I also chose that for my topic, because I think it is a personal choice, and that a mother like myself, who didn't choose to breastfeed can also bond with their child or children just as well as a mother who does breastfeed. Great job! and congratulations on your new baby, you are truly blessed.

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    Replies
    1. Dare 2B DifferentJanuary 16, 2012 at 5:59 PM

      Shavonne,

      I think you are truly blessed to be able to breastfeed your babies. I was not as fortunate I was not able to produce milk. I thought is was amazing how you said that mothers in Mexico breastfeed according to their income and education. I am so glad that we breastfeed her in America because we choose to.

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  4. rjmo2February 26, 2012 at 5:31 PM

    Thank you for sharing your knowledge and heartfelt stories. It has been a joy working with you in class. Best wishes, hope to see you in future classes.

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The Birth of my first son!

Lilypie Angel and Memorial tickers
I chose to write about the birth of my first son, who was born preterm at 19 wks and passed away. I chose this birth to write about because it was the most tramautic and most memorable. I also chose this birth because after reading the chapters and sections I think it is important to be knowledgable about your body and to keep up with appointments and take proper test and procedures to ensure that your baby is born full term and healthy. Five days before going into labor, I felt really bad and had an inkling that something was wrong. The physician that I was using at the time had an office in my town but was only there on Thursdays for appt. This was a Friday afternoon and if I wanted to see her I would have to drive over sixty miles to her next office. So, i gnored the signs and went on thinking that I was ok. On Wednesday morning, I woke up with slight stomach cramps. Took a shower, got dressed for work, and daughter off to daycare. Stopped by my Mother in laws house and when I got inside I had to sit down, the pain had gotten progressively worse. Still I continued on to work and and worked through the morning with the pain getting getting worse. Then I went to the restroom and noticed a bloody show. I had a coworker take me to the local er where I had to got through an hour long ultrasound of the baby and my cervix. My baby looked great and I found out I was having a boy!!!! How exciting, that is just what me and hubby wanted since we already had a daughter togther and he has an older daughter from a previous relationship. This was perfect. Now, all they had to do was stop these cramps so I could get home to inform my husband of the picture perfect family we were going to have! Well after waiting hours for a dr, to come in and see my I was delivered the horrible news!! His words exactly was "you are going to lose this baby". He said it with no sympathy at all. I immediately started crying and askign why. He stated that I had developed an infection. My cervix had already dialted to 5 cm, the blood I saw earlier was my mucus plug and when he checked me, the water bag was coming through my cervix. I pleaded with him to do anything to help save my baby. He stated that if the bag would go up some, he could stitch my cervix closed but he couldn't do that with the bag protruding out of the cervix. So I waited nervously overnight, laying basically upside down in the hospital bed hoping that this would help the bag to go back up and at least give him a little room to stitch me up. The next day he came to check me again and told me that there was nothing else he could do. I had developed an infection from having my cervix opened for so long and that if I didnt deliver the baby I would die. I felt like dying right there. This just couldnt be. I was 19 wks pregnant, certainly I could hang in there three more wks. But he said no. I called my normal dr's office and they called a major medical university located near their office who has one of the best neonatal hospitals in the world. However, they wouldnt even accept me since I wasnt at least 21 wks and due to the fact that I had the infection. So I had to accept that I was going to lose my baby boy. The nurse came into to give me something to break my water and everything just seemed like a blur. I was told that I didnt need an epidural since the baby was less than a pound. However, after hollering and screaming in pain from the emotional and physical stress, they gave me an epidural. Even with the epidural, this was the most painful and emotional births of my three births. Even with the epidural I could feel every single thing, I was in a lot of pain but dont know if it was really physical pain or the emotional and mental pain that was causing me to be in pain. Jackson Reed Hemingway was born on July 23, 2008 at 12:18pm. I decided that I didnt want to see him but having to be sedated after the birth, when I calmed down, I wanted to see my baby. I was able to see him and hold him. The hospital provided me with pics and foot prints. Me and my husband decided not to have a memorial for him. Instead, we mourned privately. Although Jackson did not live, I know that if he had, he would have had tremendous health issues to battle. Pre-term babies literally have to fight for their lifes. I would have wanted him to live. However, when I think of all the pain and issues that would have plagued him the first couple of months of his life, I would never want to see my child suffer. His development would have been slowed but learning from this weeks resources on growth and development it is not to say that he wouldnt have grown up to be a healthy baby boy.