[blparent] Sensitive breast feeding concern, ladies only

[Tammy]

Hi,

I totally agree with this post.  Get yourself a good breast pump and take it 
with you to the hospital.  Give yourself a crash course in how to use it 
before you go to have your baby, and bring some sterilized bottles too. 
then just pump.  If you're gonna bottle feed anyway, let your baby have 
formula for the first couple of days til your milk comes in.  Give the 
pumped colostrum first and then formula after.  If I were you though, I 
might try to breast feed just to see if you feel differently about it after 
the baby comes.  I know that when I had my first I had all these ideas about 
what I was and wasn't going to do while I was pregnant and then when he came 
I held him and everything changed.  Remember that you are the parent and 
ultimately you say what is and isn't going to happen, and what your baby 
will and won't eat or in this case drink.  the staff are sometimes quite 
pushy, and lots of time you're too tired to push back but if you're definite 
about your decision it's worth pushing.


hth

Tammy

-----Original Message----- 
From: Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC)
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2012 10:10 AM
To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [blparent] Sensitive breast feeding concern, ladies only

        If you don't want to breast-feed for whatever the reason, just say 
no and stick to your guns.
I know plenty of sighted women who have done this.
They've all said the hospital staff pressured them to breast-feed, and when 
that didn't work, the staff told their husbands to "see if you can talk her 
into it".

All of them were annoyed that there wishes were not respected.

They all also said that the hospital left the issue alone when they had 
additional children.

The other thing I'd suggest is that since you are planning to pump and 
bottle feed that you give breast-feeding a shot.  It didn't work for us, but 
I'm glad I tried it.  I say this partly because it's not something you can 
just decide if you are ever curious.  Also, you may like it. Really though, 
you can feed this kid any way that works for all involved.  There is way 
more to being a mom then where lunch comes from.


-----Original Message-----
From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On 
Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Sunday, April 15, 2012 5:09 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



_______________________________________________
blparent mailing list
blparent at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
blparent:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/rebecca.pickrell%40tasc.com
CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: This message and any attachments or files 
transmitted with it (collectively, the "Message") are intended only for the 
addressee and may contain information that is privileged, proprietary and/or 
prohibited from disclosure by law or contract. If you are not the intended 
recipient: (a) please do not read, copy or retransmit the Message; (b) 
permanently delete and/or destroy all electronic and hard copies of the 
Message; (c) notify us by return email; and (d) you are hereby notified that 
any dissemination, distribution or copying of the Message is strictly 
prohibited.

_______________________________________________
blparent mailing list
blparent at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blparent_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
blparent:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/blparent_nfbnet.org/tcl189%40rogers.com