Breast vs. Bottle

Reading a new-mom friend's blog about breast feeding and the stress it induced for her and her newborn, reminded me of the stress I felt almost 22 years ago as I grappled with the breast vs. bottle decision.

Of course, everything I was reading was telling me that if I didn't breast feed, I'd be doing my precious baby a grave dis-service. But, I just couldn't bring myself to go that route because of circumstances that had completely turned me off to breast feeding when I was a teenager. (I think it best not to expand on that at this moment.) At any rate, from the time I found out I was pregnant, I agonized over the fact that I just wasn't comfortable with breast feeding. I was sure I was a terrible mom even before my baby had even been born.

At each doctor visit, I was asked for my decision and, for 7 months, I wouldn't admit to the doctor that I was going to bottle feed. I just knew that if I made that admission I'd get a long lecture about how I'd do my poor little unsuspecting baby life long damage.

Finally, in my 8th month, I 'fessed up and told them I'd be bottle feeding. How incredibly relieved was I when the doctor's only response was, "Okay, then this is the formula you want to use." Omigosh! Had I known it would be that easy, I'd have told them my very first visit and saved all those stressful months. Probably would've been better off for my unborn baby as well. A stressed out mom-to-be isn't a good thing, either, right?

Fortunately, both my baby girls were extremely healthy as bottle fed babies and, as far as I can see 21 and almost 17 years down the road, I didn't do them life long damage.

I was able to have a true bonding experience with them as I fed them; holding them close, talking to them and loving them while they drank from their bottles. And, isn't love what it's all about for babies?

I learned to go with my gut sometimes (most times?) and things will work out for the best. My babies benefitted from having a (somewhat) relaxed mommy instead of an uptight one dealing with a feeding option that just wasn't right for us.


Go with your gut, too. Especially if it's going to help you have a

Stress FREE day!

Today's Stress

FINANCES!

Not that that isn't a daily stress but some days it just catches up with me more than others and I can't imagine how I'll pay the next bill.

My insurance has changed and no longer covers prescriptions. Great! I used an inhaler daily. Notice the past tense. Cost with insurance coverage? $3.00. Praise the Lord. Cost without insurance coverage? Nearly $200!!! Nope. I can't afford that. Good grief, how in the world can anybody afford that? And yet, without it, there are times that I can barely breathe! So, how do I handle that stress? I scream, "I HATE being poor!" Because, we all know, that helps!

I just finished mowing half my yard. One of my favorite things in the whole wide world to do. Okay, not. But, now I have the added fun of trying, over the next couple hours, to breathe again. Here's hoping...

If I never post another thing, you might figure I lost the battle of finding my next breath. Hopefully, that isn't the case but it does add some stress to my already stressful life.

Here's wishing YOU a Stress-FREE day!

For Good

This song from Wicked was sung tonight at my daughter's graduation celebration and there are so many people in my life it applies to. I'm sure in your lives as well.


I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you.

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend:
Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a skybird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you:

I have been changed for good

And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the things I've done you blame me for

But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share

And none of it seems to matter anymore


Like a comet pulled, Like a ship blown
From orbit as it Off it's mooring
Passes a sun, like By a wind off the
A stream that meets Sea, like a seed
A boulder, half-way Dropped by a
Through the wood Bird in the wood

Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
I do believe I have been changed for the better?

Because I knew you:
I have been changed for good.



Have a Stress-Free day!!