I don't think anyone should pass judgement on how long mothers choose to breastfeed. It's just one of those personal decisions that is soley between you and your baby.
So I was pretty ticked off when I had a discussion with a woman from work and she chose to adopt an attitude of disbelief that I was still breastfeeding baby when she was a whole eleven months old. I also had the audacity to admit that I would probably still be feeding her in three months. Oh the shame!
I am very comfortable in my decision to keep feeding baby as long as she wants it, as long as it doesn't become wierd. If she is still feeding when she is thinking about going off to uni, I may have let it go on a little too long. But if your baby is still young enough to have her age measured in months and not have it sound silly, she is definitely still young enough to breastfeed!
The woman was tasked with finding people to send away for a kind of jury duty. People were randomly selected and then she had a very specific list of questions to determine our suitability for the role. One of these questions was "Will any member of your family suffer hardship if you are required to be away for the duration of the trial?" When I explained the breastfeeding, she then asked me a whole bunch of really personal, aggressive questions about timings of feeds, and how I manage it with work. She acted like she was trying to catch me out. Seriously, who would lie about something like that on the spur of the moment? It would take me hours to think up an excuse that good! The worst thing was, she has a grown son of her own.
She still has the power to send me away if she chooses to, but I doubt she has factored in my determined streak.
Nine years ago I made the decision to sign my life over to work - they control where I live, who I live with, the type of house I live in, and what state and town I work in, and then they pull me away from these living arrangements for long, relatively unannounced periods. But I never signed over Baby's life. My work was not her decision, and I have a duty to do the best I can to protect her from the upheaval that comes with the job. And I will be damned if I let one judgemental person decide when I stop breastfeeding my child!
So rack off lady, these breasts are not heading west.
Good on you for sticking to your guns! ;)
ReplyDeleteI can relate to that one for sure! I started a new job part time when Milly was 8mths old and I'd walk to the childcare centre to breastfeed during my lunch breaks.
My FIRST day a senior female told me I'd be off to AFG on the next rotation for 6 months - and she was laughing as if it was funny that I'd be leaving my baby! She was a lovely lady!! (It wasn't that I minded being on the rotation list, that comes with the territory, but that she knowingly confronted me on my first day back from MATL and thought that it was funny) She also didn't factor my mother-will into the equation!
Look forward to reading more of your blog - its nice to have someone in a similar situation!
Congrats on your gorgeous little one's birthday!
Proud of you Mumma:)
ReplyDeleteI agree - If I could have Breastfeed my two for longer I would have, but dropping the pounds and being tired just was not my thing.
And that fact that Mr Accidental is still off doing his job - humm but come to think of it that would not even cross there minds as being an excuss.
Stand tall my dear - she has no right. Fingers crossed that she sees the light and doesnt sign you on for another task.
OH! Did you SMACK her for me?!? How dare she? You feed Baby as long as you want to, my dear.
ReplyDeleteClearly she was NOT a breastfeeding mother. I worked when i had my first & expressed milk every lunchtime (& before & after work) feeding my baby to 18 months. It can be done, especially if expressing milk is like tapping & striking oil, for me it was easy. I worked in an all male office (oil industry) & none of them batted an eyelid with my milk bottles in the beer fridge. Then i had twins, i didn't work so i just fed them directly for 18 months, again easy for me. My 4th baby was my last so i fed him for 2 years. They are your babies & boobs, do what you want, whether working or not!! All the best, love Posie
ReplyDeleteWow, what a bitch! She had no right to be so judgmental. Especially since children who are breastfed for 12 months are healthier and happier! Anyway, what the heck kind of crazy job do you have that will tell you where to live and who to live with?! I've never heard of such a thing!
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