my two cents
Because I got going and this ended up very very long-winded I decided to post it on my own journal - this is my comment in response to this boob_nazis post, which you can't see unless you're a member - but it was based on this bloggers post.
Larissa has freely welcomed and responded to the criticism, she has put a disclaimer on her entry and noted several times that her post was meant to be humorous and, well, while her decisions would not be mine I have to respect them - by delving deeper into her blog I can see that she loves her son very much, she has her reasons for the decisions she made - and I am talking about the breast-feeding and circumcision... she's stated a few times in her replies that her son is not usually found to be covered in crusty goop, sat in front of the tv or neglected. She washes his toys frequently and knits him lovely things.
I want to say again that I don't agree with all of her parenting decisions but do want to note that my Sebastian:
- watches LOST if he's still awake (and sometimes Ellen during the day)
- can also sometimes be found in a dirty bib (beats a dirty shirt)
- gets (an appropriate dose) of Tylenol and Orajel when necessary to maintain his and mom's sanity
- has toys that aren't always impeccably clean and germ-free
- has a mom who isn't a perfect mother or a perfect boob-nazi
- has a mom who would also sometimes rather knit me a sweater than actually hang out with me - usually after a long day and once he is in dad's care... I love my kid all the time - doesn't mean I don't want (and need) some time away from him occasionally
I would also like to note that before Sebastian was born I did a lot of reading on breastfeeding (I had no idea what I was getting into or what to expect) and many sources suggests avoiding common allergens right off the bat - things like dairy and wheat - so I see where she's coming from.
We get pissed because we get judged all the time for doing things like whipping our boobs out in public to feed our kids (well, mine's more of a "plop" than a "whip") - judgements from people who aren't willing to delve deeper and find out the why's behind our actions - by snapping to judge this woman based on one post is similar to one of us being judged an exhibitionist or indecent because we had the gall to "expose" a breast. I can't say I don't think our argument is more righteous - I am a self-proclaimed boob nazi, after all - I am just saying that we should know better, having been on the wrong end of the proverbial stick, than to snap to judgement.
I am not saying that some valid points aren't being raised - bottle propping can be dangerous if the parent is not watching vigilantly and has been *proven* to cause cavities; circumcision has been shown to be medically unnecessary and I don't agree with her arguments for doing it - but it is done... his penis is circumcised and that's that - nothing much can be done at this point - and at least she did do research before deciding to do it; no, she doesn't breastfeed - but at least she did it for the first 4 months, she's doing better than most. She says she doesn't bathe him as often as she should - but doesn't say how rarely she bathes him - I doubt, based on other pictures on her blog, that she lets him develop a "Pigpen" type funk that follows him like a cloud - I only bathe mine every few days - 2 - 4 times a week depending on the funk-level - if I bathe him more than that the combination of our dry weather, hard water and his sensitive skin results in a scaly, itchy, crabby baby (I suffer the same sensitivities - in winter I shower 2-3 times a week, I'd rather be a little dirty than be in constant discomfort and all red and icky thank-you-very-much). Yes she says she lets her baby cry himself to sleep - no, I don't think it is the way to go - but not my kid, not my call... I was left to cry myself to sleep - and I'm not a complete fuck-up.
I am also curious what makes her a junk-food eating slut... I didn't see any reference to her eating or sexual habits... did I miss something?
I was hesitant, after re-reading this, to post it - I am certain it isn't likely to gain me any friends, BUT I have to say my piece... Larissa can't even see what has been said about her, can't defend herself and I am not sure she's been treated fairly. I would be really sad if my comments led to my removal from the group - I enjoy reading the intelligent, supportive, informative, and sometimes funny things you have to say and participating in breast-feeding discussions (of which, I am not wholly certain this is one). And that, as they say, is my two cents.
Larissa has freely welcomed and responded to the criticism, she has put a disclaimer on her entry and noted several times that her post was meant to be humorous and, well, while her decisions would not be mine I have to respect them - by delving deeper into her blog I can see that she loves her son very much, she has her reasons for the decisions she made - and I am talking about the breast-feeding and circumcision... she's stated a few times in her replies that her son is not usually found to be covered in crusty goop, sat in front of the tv or neglected. She washes his toys frequently and knits him lovely things.
I want to say again that I don't agree with all of her parenting decisions but do want to note that my Sebastian:
- watches LOST if he's still awake (and sometimes Ellen during the day)
- can also sometimes be found in a dirty bib (beats a dirty shirt)
- gets (an appropriate dose) of Tylenol and Orajel when necessary to maintain his and mom's sanity
- has toys that aren't always impeccably clean and germ-free
- has a mom who isn't a perfect mother or a perfect boob-nazi
- has a mom who would also sometimes rather knit me a sweater than actually hang out with me - usually after a long day and once he is in dad's care... I love my kid all the time - doesn't mean I don't want (and need) some time away from him occasionally
I would also like to note that before Sebastian was born I did a lot of reading on breastfeeding (I had no idea what I was getting into or what to expect) and many sources suggests avoiding common allergens right off the bat - things like dairy and wheat - so I see where she's coming from.
We get pissed because we get judged all the time for doing things like whipping our boobs out in public to feed our kids (well, mine's more of a "plop" than a "whip") - judgements from people who aren't willing to delve deeper and find out the why's behind our actions - by snapping to judge this woman based on one post is similar to one of us being judged an exhibitionist or indecent because we had the gall to "expose" a breast. I can't say I don't think our argument is more righteous - I am a self-proclaimed boob nazi, after all - I am just saying that we should know better, having been on the wrong end of the proverbial stick, than to snap to judgement.
I am not saying that some valid points aren't being raised - bottle propping can be dangerous if the parent is not watching vigilantly and has been *proven* to cause cavities; circumcision has been shown to be medically unnecessary and I don't agree with her arguments for doing it - but it is done... his penis is circumcised and that's that - nothing much can be done at this point - and at least she did do research before deciding to do it; no, she doesn't breastfeed - but at least she did it for the first 4 months, she's doing better than most. She says she doesn't bathe him as often as she should - but doesn't say how rarely she bathes him - I doubt, based on other pictures on her blog, that she lets him develop a "Pigpen" type funk that follows him like a cloud - I only bathe mine every few days - 2 - 4 times a week depending on the funk-level - if I bathe him more than that the combination of our dry weather, hard water and his sensitive skin results in a scaly, itchy, crabby baby (I suffer the same sensitivities - in winter I shower 2-3 times a week, I'd rather be a little dirty than be in constant discomfort and all red and icky thank-you-very-much). Yes she says she lets her baby cry himself to sleep - no, I don't think it is the way to go - but not my kid, not my call... I was left to cry myself to sleep - and I'm not a complete fuck-up.
I am also curious what makes her a junk-food eating slut... I didn't see any reference to her eating or sexual habits... did I miss something?
I was hesitant, after re-reading this, to post it - I am certain it isn't likely to gain me any friends, BUT I have to say my piece... Larissa can't even see what has been said about her, can't defend herself and I am not sure she's been treated fairly. I would be really sad if my comments led to my removal from the group - I enjoy reading the intelligent, supportive, informative, and sometimes funny things you have to say and participating in breast-feeding discussions (of which, I am not wholly certain this is one). And that, as they say, is my two cents.