I've never tried it, but I've heard raw milk is tastier. I mean, raw milk cheese is tastier, so I'm not surprised. I'm not curious enough to try it, though, since I've got young kids (one still nursing) to take care of and can't be in the hospital for 2 months recovering from some preventable bacterial infection.

This is definitely an issue. I did extended breastfeeding with my oldest, while working full-time, but it was hard to find a balance. Pumping on planes, in foreign hotel rooms, etc. to keep my supply up. Due to some other circumstances (a post doc thing that my partner is doing), I'm home with the youngest now. I…

Yep. This is totally a thing. I've met more fundamentalist Christians in my "crunchy mamas" circles than at any other point in my life. I breastfeed (but am not anti-formula, just lucky enough to be able to nurse and to enjoy it), and do elimination communication around the house (a luxury, since I'm lucky enough…

I have been in a similar position, and I actually was polite but honest. "Look, I recognize your right to do what you think is bets for your family. However, I am not comfortable with my infants being around unvaccinated children at least until they complete their 9 month shots."

My friends weren't thrilled to hear…

Some folks just don't want to hear it. I've learned to ignore the "anyone want a chicken pox lollipop?" posts in my FB feed. At least I know when to keep my kids away from theirs.

I directed the hospital formula discussion at nanz01, not at you, and in response to something she had said. Then you jumped in, and I responded to clarify my point about public health and hospital advertising. So, yeah, I'll "leave you alone" when you stop assuming that every comment in this thread is an indictment…

I'm certainly not saying that I understand how you feel. I'm saying that, as a matter of public health policy, I don't think that allowing any pharmaceutical company or other industry to purchase exclusive rights to advertising in a hospital setting is appropriate.

This goes beyond a single person, and whether they…

You bring up an interesting point about information for new moms in the hospital, but I tend to see it as shielding women from advertising at a particularly vulnerable point. There has been research on advertising to new moms, and they have found that if a mom picks a certain product while she is pregnant or right…

I think that folks were talking upthread about the Gisele breastfeeding comments, which I agree were hurtful and ignorant.

When I said "no one wants that," I really meant "no caring, rational, person who purports to have a woman's best interests in mind" wants that. Certainly no one on this thread wants you to feel…

I saw a Discovery Health about a woman in Turkey (or maybe Syria) who had a stone baby for almost this long. It was crazy, and now I miss Discovery Health (damn you, Oprah, for taking it away!)

I'm sorry I misread your earlier post, and if my suggestion added to the anxiety you are already feeling about this. It sounds like your babe is doing great with formula, so congratulations for identifying her need and meeting it. That's a huge proportion of successful parenting right there.

It also sounds like you…

That's totally shitty. Each chapter has its own leaders. Some are awesome. Some are crappy. I'm sorry you got one of the crappy ones.

I don't want to sound like I'm pressuring you to continue nursing. But if you want to continue, and you think it might help to have some advice from someone who has been doing this…

You can still drink! This is one of the biggest myths about breastfeeding. You can't get shithammered but you can totally kick back with a couple glasses of wine if that's what you want. Only about 2% of alcohol consumed gets into your blood and milk, and it peaks about a half hour to an hour after consumption. …

You can think that. But you are wrong. The WHO recommends breastfeeding until at least two, and even the APA recommends nursing until at least one.

There's nothing wrong with not nursing, but nursing past infancy is completely normal and appropriate as well.

Newborns are sleepy, it's kind of their jam. Yours might be extra sleepy (congrats on the baby, by the way!)

If you are worried about her staying awake during a feeding, you can try tickling her feet or head, taking off a layer so she's not so cozy, or putting your cold hand on her belly (not very nice, but…

People are assholes. Ignore them. I know La Leche League gets a bad rap for being pushy, but one of the most important lessons I took from LLL was "When it's not working for one or both of you, it's time to be done."

I also think sometimes messages get mixed up. Formula is not evil. Formula is a necessary…

As everyone else is saying, you have to be kind to yourself. Motherhood is a marathon, not a sprint, so it's probably too early to say whether or not you've "taken to it."

A confession: I rocked at pregnancy, birth, and nursing. These things came very easily. Now that my biggest kid it entering school, I'm…

I love how you talk about breastfeeding. This can be such a fraught topic, but you always manage to express your love for nursing while ensuring that everyone knows that their mileage may vary.

As you know, I also loved nursing. I'm entering my fourth year of it (with different kids). It's the shiz-bomb for me,…

I've nursed for 46 months and counting (not all the same kidlet) and, you know, sometimes its magical. Sometimes its a total shitshow, often literally. Maybe this picture was taken on a good day, or maybe her baby is just a really calm nurser. Maybe one second after this photo was taken, the baby popped off and…

Oh, and can you go "star" NanaFdzM's comment in the greys below? It is fantastic, and I don't have the clout to bring it up.