The other night I sat down after teaching my Bradley Class and was relaxing in front of the tv. It's my routine after talking for two straight hours to sit quietly and just veg out. I opened up my Facebook and was glancing through notifications when I saw something so upsetting. Literally my heart sank. A "friend" from high school apparently was having a bad night and she decided that something in my Facebook feed pissed her off. This is what I saw:
"And while I'm at it...can I bitch about how breast feeding nazis are up there with politicians, etc... hey, been there done that but you don't need to shove it down everyone's throats!! #thatsallyoupostabout!!!#sickandtiredofseeingtitts!!!
#itspersonalandyourtakingawaythebeautyofit!!!#thisiswhyiunfreind#thisiswhyiavoidfacebook!#bythewayinever####!!!"
Now do you see why my heart sank? I was so sad. I have spent the last 16 years of my life trying to build women up. Working to empower them in their choices as mothers and working with partners to aid in that empowerment. I hope that I can support the family as it grows and changes. I LOVE what I do. I have worked with thousands of families in my roles as a La Leche League Leader, Birth Doula, Childbirth Instructor and Lactation Consultant. This is my life.
Why did I choose to do this work? Quite simply because of the impact that those who worked with me had on my choices and the way that I have parented. Our Bradley Instructor in Austin, Chan McDermott taught us to be proactive, intuitive, involved and informed. My La Leche League Leaders, Beverly and Laurie Ann, showed me how to be gentle in my parenting. I learned so much about breastfeeding but more so I learned so much about myself. I still to this day quote things that they said to me. I can not thank them enough. Over the years there have been others who have influenced and assisted me in this journey. I enjoy being the supportive educator to the young families that I now work with.
I want to encourage everyone who knows me to happily unfriend me if I offend you. If my posts are bothersome you do not have to be my friend on Facebook. It will not hurt my feelings. I am so blessed to have friends who support my career and passion. I get so many positive comments from old friends. Surprisingly my most supportive friends are often men who I have known since high school. My own partner Matthew often sends me articles, etc. on topics related to breastfeeding, childbirth, etc. that he sees on BBC online.
Oh and just for the record....I support each and every one of you in the choices that you have made in parenting/mothering/fathering. I do not like you any less because you chose not to breastfeed or you asked for an elective cesarean or you considered your epidural the best decision you ever made. You don't have to defend those choices to me. Those choices were yours and as long as you made them after being given good evidence-based information, I truly don't care. I made my choices for me and not for anyone else and expect the same of you.
"And while I'm at it...can I bitch about how breast feeding nazis are up there with politicians, etc... hey, been there done that but you don't need to shove it down everyone's throats!! #thatsallyoupostabout!!!#sickandtiredofseeingtitts!!!
#itspersonalandyourtakingawaythebeautyofit!!!#thisiswhyiunfreind#thisiswhyiavoidfacebook!#bythewayinever####!!!"
Now do you see why my heart sank? I was so sad. I have spent the last 16 years of my life trying to build women up. Working to empower them in their choices as mothers and working with partners to aid in that empowerment. I hope that I can support the family as it grows and changes. I LOVE what I do. I have worked with thousands of families in my roles as a La Leche League Leader, Birth Doula, Childbirth Instructor and Lactation Consultant. This is my life.
Why did I choose to do this work? Quite simply because of the impact that those who worked with me had on my choices and the way that I have parented. Our Bradley Instructor in Austin, Chan McDermott taught us to be proactive, intuitive, involved and informed. My La Leche League Leaders, Beverly and Laurie Ann, showed me how to be gentle in my parenting. I learned so much about breastfeeding but more so I learned so much about myself. I still to this day quote things that they said to me. I can not thank them enough. Over the years there have been others who have influenced and assisted me in this journey. I enjoy being the supportive educator to the young families that I now work with.
I want to encourage everyone who knows me to happily unfriend me if I offend you. If my posts are bothersome you do not have to be my friend on Facebook. It will not hurt my feelings. I am so blessed to have friends who support my career and passion. I get so many positive comments from old friends. Surprisingly my most supportive friends are often men who I have known since high school. My own partner Matthew often sends me articles, etc. on topics related to breastfeeding, childbirth, etc. that he sees on BBC online.
Oh and just for the record....I support each and every one of you in the choices that you have made in parenting/mothering/fathering. I do not like you any less because you chose not to breastfeed or you asked for an elective cesarean or you considered your epidural the best decision you ever made. You don't have to defend those choices to me. Those choices were yours and as long as you made them after being given good evidence-based information, I truly don't care. I made my choices for me and not for anyone else and expect the same of you.
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