I've always thought Gisele Bundchen was a butterhead, but now I think she's a bit of a douche as well. This week the Brazilian bombshell who had a baby in December told Harper's Bazaar UK that there should be a "worldwide law" requiring mothers to "breastfeed their babies for six months." Said Bundchen, "Some people (in the US) think they don't have to breastfeed, and I think, 'Are you going to give chemical food to your child when they are so little?'" She soon after recanted her statement on her blog, saying "I understand that everyone has their own experience and opinions and I am not here to judge."
I myself am exclusively breastfeeding, but I wouldn't condemn any mother for how she chooses to nourish her child. Although I've run into my share of new moms who found breastfeeding "too hard" and gave up after a week or two, I also understand that there are many factors complicating the debate. And really - if I had to choose between being pregnant and having to breastfeed, I'd choose pregnancy any day of the week. Take today for example. I woke up with my boobs throbbing. I've had my share of crackled, bleeding nipples but this time it's different. In the past I've put a dab of Polysporin on before bed and the pain goes away after a day or two. (Did you know that's the best thing for healing? The vast majority of women swear by Lanisoh to heal nipples. I say, beware of false gods. Lanisoh keeps your nipple nice and moist, which is a breeding ground for bacteria - and thus, infection. This is a little known fact though. Aren't you glad you visited my site?) This time around though, the Polysporin isn't working, and after four days, the pain has been getting worse.
Yesterday I got rid of a clogged milk duct in my boob with warm compresses and a very hot shower, but today I'm back to having terrible nipple pain. I also noticed two strange yellow dots on my nipple. Desperate, I called the breastfeeding clinic at Women's College Hospital which has an excellent round the clock helpline. The woman I spoke with, Anita, pinpointed the problem right away. She said I had crystallized milk on the tip of my nipple, which is like a pimple, except unlike a pimple, it won't go away on its own. Also known as a milk blister or a bleb, the only remedy is to remove the skin covering the crystallized milk and then squeeze it out like a pimple. How do you remove the skin? With a sterile needle apparently. The thought of committing such atrocities upon myself made me weak and wobbly. Instead I opted for the chickenshit route: a warm, slightly rough washcloth which I rubbed until the area was raw. I then picked off what I could, leaving a large, gaping hole. After this, I was instructed to use a warm compress and then to immediately nurse. I don't know how other people feel about this procedure, but the idea of taking a needle to my boob and then having a hungry piranha-baby feast upon your gaping wound? Well, it's the closest thing I've experienced to torture in my un-Bourne-esque life. Factor in a screaming baby demanding your undivided attention while you're trying to perform this neck-wrenching procedure and you have a recipe for disaster.
I have no idea if I removed the problem. The area is so raw it's hard to see anything but redness right now. I suspect this will be a long, painful process. I need to "heal" the area enough to be able to see if there's stuff left in there. And when I do, I'll have to "open it up" once more. Ugh. They say motherhood is the hardest job in the world. And coming from a gal whose seen her fair share of shitty jobs, I'd say that's an understatement. But make no mistake, breastfeeding should be put at the top of the "Hard as Fuck" list when it comes to being a mom.
PS. Gisele is still a douche.
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