[blparent] Sensitive breast feeding concern, ladies only

Sun Apr 15 23:15:26 UTC 2012

Hi, Bridgit.  In most hospitals, you can borrow an electric double-sided 
breast pump to have in your room, or you can take one with you from home. 
My sister was given this option because she had to go back to work as a 
teacher soon after both of her babies were born, and she didn't intend to 
nurse with her breasts.  But she was given the option to pump anyway, just 
in case she wanted to give bottled breast milk to the day care provider she 
had.  My lactation consultant also gave me the pump-and-bottle-feed 
suggestion when I was having real trouble getting my baby to latch on.  So 
you may well be able to just tell the staff that you don't intend to nurse 
with your breasts, but you want to start pumping right away.  They'll show 
you how to use the pump and get you started off right.

That being said--and I'm not trying to be argumentative or start a debate 
because you know your own body and your own goals--nursing was very 
difficult for me, but also very rewarding.  I didn't find it particularly 
difficult as far as being well endowed, which was an issue even before I got 
pregnant.  I would urge you not to miss out on a great bonding experience, 
and a one-of-a-kind part of mothering, based on worries about what might 
happen.  You can always stop nursing and keep pumping if it doesn't work out 
for you, but sometimes latching on and nursing  go perfectly smoothly for 
mother and baby.  My cousin had that experience, everything worked like a 
charm, and she had milk to spare.  I know there was an issue with a blind 
couple who got their child taken away a few years ago, at least in part due 
to concerns about breast feeding, but most lactation consultants are as 
patient as saints, and willing to work with new moms for as long as it takes 
to get a good nursing relationship going.  La Leche League has even put out 
an article on how to deal with blind moms and their special concerns at 
meetings.  Food for thought anyway.

Jo Elizabeth

"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, 
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of 
the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been all of 
these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist

--------------------------------------------------
From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 3:09 PM
To: <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: [blparent] Sensitive breast feeding concern, ladies only

> Hello, guys may not want to continue along further here, though I
> certainly welcome any advice. My concern is not so much about breast
> feeding itself, but the concern of hospital staff when attempting it.
> Here is my issue:
>
> Women in my family tend to become rather well-endowed when pregnant and
> nursing. After a recent convo with my mom about breast feeding, I have
> decided it will work best from a physical stand point as well as a
> nonvisual one to pump and bottle feed rather than actually breast feed
> naturally. My mom and one of my sisters opted for this method instead of
> struggling with large breast and feeding a small being.
>
> So, I know they typically want mothers to breast feed naturally while in
> hospital, and I know some of the issues most women face with this on top
> of the pressure of being "supervised" while trying, then add on the
> blind factor and well... I'm just concerned if I have too many problems,
> whether they be related to blindness or not, it could lead to some
> problems with people questioning my ability once home. Bottle feeding
> has never been an issue for me, but I know breast feeding may present
> problems both blind related as well as physical- the blind-related ones
> being connected to my personal method with bottle feeding and the few
> differences breast feeding will present. I'm not worried about my
> ability, but worry about others questioning me and not giving me an
> opportunity.
>
> So far none of our medical team has given us the impression that they
> doubt our ability to care for a child without vision, but I know some
> people are challenged during their hospital stay. This is what I worry
> about. Am I concerned needlessly, and what advice and suggestions, if
> any, do any of you have? I appreciate all responses. I just don't want
> this one factor weighing heavily against us when I don't even intend to
> use my actual breast to feed once home, and my bottle method is pretty
> solid. Perhaps I'm worried for no reason, but I do want to be prepared
> for potential situations since the months are passing quickly. I'm five
> months along now and thinking literally of everything both good and bad.
>
> Sincerely,
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Read my blog at:
> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>
> "History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
> The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
>
>
>
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