Father Knows Breast

After learning my wife was pregnant, then came the planning.
No drugs during the delivery, and the baby would be breast-fed.
Before we go any further, I want to insert the disclaimer that these
were strictly my wife's decisions.  I simply went along for the ride.
All I'll say at this point is that she ended up getting the epidural with
mere moments to spare, and our child was on formula the second day
home from the hospital.
That was the time I took a stand.
The crying fits that my daughter was experiencing was enough to make
me want to drive our Jeep off the nearest cliff I could find.  Were we
risking her health by insisting that the old-fashioned way was the only way
and 'too bad so sad' if Margie's body wasn't fully cooperating with Savannah's
nutritional needs?
Centuries ago, there was no formula.  It was done the old-fashioned way.
But centuries ago, you were lucky to have lived past forty.
The non-stop crying literally left me with the DT's on that second night.
She had paused her crying only to allow herself time from her head to go back
to crimson red from purple.  Then she would start right back up again.
We finally got her to sleep, because she had cried away all her strength.
As Margie came downstairs, she asked what was wrong.
"We gotta do something about this," I said pleadingly.  "This just can't go on."
Much to my surprise, Margie capitulated without any argument.
We went out and bought formula and bottles the next day.  She actually needlessly apologized to me for it.
This is how selfless my wife is. 
Yet it never ceases to amaze me how many people feel otherwise.
And sometimes I wonder about the Gerber GoodStarts people and any other formula producer, which prints "breast milk is best" on the label.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.  Pun intended.
It's not enough to take our money, but lay a guilty trip on us too?
Experts say it's healthier to breast-feed a child.  But moms today have careers and are having children later in life.  There's nothing wrong with that.
And it's time for society to shift gears.  Your hearts are in the right place, but your brains gotta wake up.
What a mother puts into her body can go into the body of her breast-fed child.  Even the experts who say 'trace amounts' of alcohol or OTC medicines don't matter, there exists several 'what-ifs'.
And with all the developmental disabilities that children are diagnosed with these days, who'd want to take that chance? 
And forego your own health in the process?
I've always said if a parent doesn't take care of themselves properly, how can they do the same with a baby?
It only makes sense.  It's why during the safety drill on most airline flights, flight attendants tell you to assist yourself with the oxygen mask before your child.
This is not being selfish.  You have a responsibility to keep yourself for the sake of your child in your role as caregiver.
Please think of this the next time you take an irresponsible swipe at a parent who does things a little differently than you.


NEXT WEEK:  The Time for Time-outs