I confess I’m not very green. I don’t even have much desire to be green — too lazy, too busy, too unconvinced that driving a Prius will save the planet when apparently production of a hybrid battery contaminates it. Too worried that anything I do won’t make enough of a difference. And too lazy. Did I already say that one?
I buy those funny twisty lightbulbs, but only because it saves shopping trips in the long run. I make most of our food from scratch, but only because it tastes better that way. And I run the washer and dryer sparingly, but that’s only because if I washed the clothes I’d probably have to fold and put them away. More energy wasted!
I would like to do my part for Earth day though, especially since the Seattle Mom Blogs and Goodies for Mom ladies seem really earnest about everyone doing their part, though every time a “green product” is promoted, I get just a bit skeptical.
Here’s the one thing I’ve done very conscientiously and consistently in the past seven years, and all for the good of mankind:
Breastfeeding. It’s natural, it’s healthy, it’s downright biological. And it’s cheap. And easy, once you figure it out and it stops hurting like a mother (get it?). There’s a lot of misinformation out there about breastfeeding though, so I thought I’d list a few of the Myths of Breastfeeding. If you think I don’t know what I’m talking about, you’re probably right, but I have nursed three kids until they were 11 months 3 weeks, 14 months, and 18 months old. And my first kid? Sally? She was 9 lb 3 oz at birth and 10 lb 14 oz at 10 days old. Beat that, Enfamil!
(If you can’t or don’t breastfeed, don’t feel bad. We’re only talking about saving the planet, after all. Ah, ah, I joke! I jest! Just don’t look at me and my disposable diapers like that, ok?).
Myths of Breastfeeding
1) Baby knows how to breastfeed. Reality: Baby is freaking clueless and so are you. Get a consultant, read books, watch youtube.
2) Consultants know how you should breastfeed. Reality: If any one lactation consultant knew how every mother should breastfeed, she would be a millionaire. Talk to a mother or sister or friend.
3) Breastfeeding only hurts if baby is not latching on correctly. Reality: Take a sensitive organ. Any sensitive organ. Attach a gnawing, clamping, totally self-involved, bloodsucking parasite to that sensitive organ for approximately 7 hours at a time 23 times a day for one year. Oh yes, that feels good.
4) When you’ve finally mastered breastfeeding, you’ll have years to enjoy this incredible bond with another human being. Reality: Sooner than you’re ready, it’s time to wean. No matter how much you hated it at first, or felt like a dairy cow the entire time, or wallowed in the sublime connection, baby will move on to Sippy Cups and 2% milk (hopefully from recycled materials and your local dairy goat farm).
I hope the tree huggers appreciate all the mommy breastfeeders! Sometimes I wonder, especially whenever there is another brouhaha about breastfeeding in public. Please. Can we talk about something more socially significant, like whether or not teenagers should be allowed to breathe in public or adults to talk politics in non-trans-fat-using restaurants?
Breast-feeding: Anytime, Anywhere
And that’s what works for me.
Tags: breastfeeding, earth day, environment, green, works for me
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LOVED this post! I, like you, find that it’s NOT so easy being green. But I had never before considered my breastfeeding years to be such a contribution to the environment.
Julie Stiles Mills’s last blog post..banana. sweet!
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And it can sure be expensive being green, too. Loved the humor in your post. #3 had me rofl!!!
Brandy — mom to six kids, each of whom she nursed.
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I highly recommend a professional consultant or a LLL volunteer. A friend or relative will be less open to the realities of your body and just want you to do the things that worked for them. A consultant understands more fully that everyone is different.
Memarie Lane’s last blog post..Starbucks!
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Funny, funny.
Adrianne’s last blog post..The good and the bad
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I agree with you on the Prius thing. About the only green thing I do is recycle – and I’m really wondering if that is a good idea anymore. I mean how many plastic gallon jugs can we really use?? I know they supposedly turn them into some kind of wonderful fabric now, but really! I’m picturing a huge Mount Plasticmore in every state….
toni’s last blog post..April is National Poetry Month
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Marie –
It’s a good point that people are usually biased towards (and just plain aware) of methods that have worked for them, whereas a professional should be aware and promoting of a variety of suggestions. It was a LLL person who kept stressing to me that pain only accompanied “doing it wrong.”
This was unhelpful advice. My point is that a new mother should talk to a) women she trusts, b) both professionals and those who’ve done it successfully themselves, and c) lots of them, until she finds what (and who) works. Same with a midwife or therapist or professional helper of any kind. Never be shy about seeking a second opinion.
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Check out my green blog http://www.cipacs.org
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