Is Breast Feeding Good for the Environment?

As much as I can, I do my part for the environment. I take pride in the fact that I live a mostly Green life. I only use organic cleaning products to clean my home, eat organic as much as possible, installed a water filtration system in my kitchen and shower to eliminate harsh chemicals (I actually do notice a big difference in the taste of the water and my hair when I wash it). I didn't say I was 100% Green because, "Shhhhhh, don't tell Al Gore, but I use disposable diapers." Being the Green Martha Stewart is too much work.

When you think about being Environmentally Friendly as it relates to feeding your baby, Breast Feeding makes perfect sense. No bottles and no powdered formula in plastic containers. While I was pregnant, I saw myself as this Earth Mama nursing Sophia exclusively. I would nurse her anywhere (discreetly of course); in a restaurant or at the park. I would just cover her head and my boob with one of my many receiving blankets.

Well, my fellow Mama's, fantasy (as some of you may have already experienced) is very different from what may actually happen. It started out great. As soon as Sophia was born - she took to my breast like most 8-10 years olds take to the Jonas Brothers. To make a long story short, Breast Feeding was initially excruciatingly painful. I thought my body would shoot straight through the roof all the way into that final frontier called space. Maybe that sounds dramatic to some, but I'm not kidding. My fantasy of my little cherub suckling at my breast and myself enjoying it went straight down the toilet. Boy, did feel like giving up, but I really wanted to do my part for the environment and for my baby. Be Green. There was this little voice in my head saying, "Fuck being Green, my tits are killing me!" Then there was another voice that said, "Come on girl, you can do this. it's so good for Sophia' immune system. Suck it up! " Pun intended. LOL. Plus, it's great bonding time. Bonding time sounds wonderful, when you're not wincing in pain.

Well,I did suck it up and it did get a lot easier after about 4 1/2 weeks. Sophia is now 3 months and breast feeding is wonderful and enjoyable. We got the latching technique down and my nipples toughened up. I had people giving me suggestions to go to a Lactation expert, hire a Doula, go to breast feeding meetings etc.... I was too tired and too exhausted to go anywhere in the beginning. Women have been breast feeding for centuries, I thought. What did women in the 1600's do? I just trusted my inner Earth Mama to know what to do, read a few books and talk to friends who successfully breast fed and that worked just fine for me. Bottom line, do whatever you can to make it work for you and know that it is perfectly fine to bottle feed your baby too.

I have a confession to make. When Sophia was about 2 1/2 weeks old, I went to the ER with a very high fever. My OB said it's not unusual to get run down and dehydrated after giving birth. It ended up being nothing, like most things. I left Sophia with my husband and after being in the ER for several hours (what is the reason for using the term "ER" if you end up staying there for 5-7 hours before you get seen by anyone?), I realized, "Oh My God! Tony will have to give her a bottle." Noooooo. Not a bottle! After you deliver, the Maternity ward sends you home with a goody bag of baby stuff. Little prepared bottles of formula are one of the items. I was worried about two things: 1) That she wouldn't take the bottle, since she only knows breast feeding, and 2) that she would prefer the bottle over me. The nurse in the ER told me "Babies are primal and if she's hungry, she'll drink it." Duh, "Common sense is not so common (Voltaire said that). The nurse was right.

I say all this to say that Sophia' been able to drink both formula and breast feed. I take this as a sign that she will grow up to be an adaptable and flexible person. A character trait I find very attractive in people, and that will serve her well in life. My fears were totally Ego based. My sensible husband who happens to be exceptional with kids of all ages, explained to me that you bond with your child by playing with them. It's not just about breast feeding. It's your time and attention. In other words he said, "Get over yourself!" And I did.

What's so nice now is that I don't feel like my Boobs are slaves. I have some more free time and some normalcy back. Not as much as I would like, but more than before. Tony feeds Sophia which he loves to do. I swear if he could grow a pair of breasts, he would. He's very nurturing. It's so important to include your mate, so whether you pump or do both breast feeding and bottle, make it work so you both feel involved in caring for your baby.

I'm still doing my part for the Environment, by using BPA -free bottles. I'm being Green as much as possible, and cutting myself some slack. What else would you expect? My message to all the Mamas out there is to do the best you can by nurturing yourselves with love, asking for help where you need it and give yourselves credit. You're doing the most incredible thing in the world: Raising a human being!