Demographic

[ailbhe]

It's odd how many recently or hugely pregnant people I know, suddenly - I never did before I was pregnant myself. It's all a big conspiracy!

One by one, my family are asking me "What, you're not still breastfeeding her, are you? Why?" It's an effort to tell the truth - "Why not?" rather than come up with rational justifications along the lines of "WHO guidelines... NHS guidelines... The global average is over 3 years you know..." and, worst of all, "Because of her dairy intolerance." What am I doing, justifying myself like this? Feeding my baby is normal. Formula feeders don't have to suddenly justify why they haven't changed to something else at 9 months. Why is formula feeding more "grown up"? Why is breastfeeding only for young babies? What's wrong here?

Hi, choir.

Comments

[mactavish.livejournal.com]

One of my co-workers told me that when her kids were each a year old, she suddenly started wanting to "have her body back." She didn't mind bearing them or breastfeeding them to a point, and then she wanted to be more physically separate. Though I'm not sure I'd chose weaning that young, I do appreciate her sentiment, too.

[ailbhe]

I have met people who felt that way, too, and I can sort of understand it, because it's true - my body *isn't* my own. But I knew that before I got pregnant, sort of, and once I got pregnant, I *really* knew it. It now feels like it is my body, and my gift.