You know what, I have been putting off doing a doodle about breastfeeding for so long, and despite many requests. Why, I hear you cry? Because, dear reader, along with the whole fandango/sunroof birth thing (also not doodled as yet), it’s just so bloody contentious. Whatever you say, and whatever angle you take, the nutcases crawl out of the woodwork and think it’s ok to start hurling accusations, guilt-trips and insults around. So I’ll say it from the off – I won’t stand for it, it is just not cool.
The main concern I had about talking about breastfeeding was that I had a sneaky suspicious that people might assume something really quite awful really: that Alpha Mummy would breastfeed, and that Beta Mummy would bottle feed. I hate the idea that people would equate Beta Mummy’s bumblings with “failure” – which is a term so often (sadly, and inaccurately) lumped together with bottle feeding.
I make no secret of being a Beta Mum myself, and I freely admit to being a) a bit shit sometimes, b) not enjoying being a mum some of the time, and c) feeling guilty about a and b, and everything else.
However, I did breastfeed, as it happens. I’m not going to go into details of my “breastfeeding journey” as I don’t think the majority of you are remotely interested, and I’m not sure I can make it particularly funny, but over the course of my two children, I have breastfed for a total of over 3 years (gasp!). I have no idea how that happened, to be honest – I looked down one day and my teeny tiny youngest baby was a toddler! (Actually I’ll give you a clue – it got to the stage, after my fair share of struggles, where it was totally the easy option).
So, because my doodles and my ramblings are based on MY life and MY experiences, I have done doodles about what happens when an Alpha Mummy and a Beta Mummy breastfeed in public for the first time…enjoy, and let me know which one you can relate to most…
p.s. These doodles were first doodled for the gorgeous Lucy from Occupation: (M)other for her Breastfeeding Bites series – please check out her lovely blog.
p.p.s. If you’re new to this breastfeeding malarkey I just wanted to say that it really and truly does get easier, you will feel less self-conscious in time, you are totally doing awesomely and should never ever let anything get between you and your favourite coffee-and-cake shop!
Love this Beth!
Spot on. In my first baby group, I was Beta Mummy amongst a sea of Alpha Mummies, clipping their babies onto their boobs like magnets coming together. For me it was more like trying to get a wild fox to drink from a straw.
Ha ha this comment made me laugh out loud, thank you!
I’m totally a breastfeeding beta mummy all 3 of my girls were breastfed and all mastered the ‘letdown unlatch, spray’ where they would feed until I letdown (I have a very strong letdown) and then they would unlatch so that my breast would spray anyone in a 5mile radius! But they only ever did this if they were in public or if there was an audience. And it didn’t matter if I covered them because I could guarantee that when the unlatched any covering would be disguarded!
Ha ha sounds familiar! I had a mad letdown too, could get embarrassing! X
That was totally my first breastfeeding in public experience (beta style) although I was so nervous and scared that someone would say something I cried before I even started! Bloody hormones.
Oh bless you! It’s so nerve-wracking at first but after a while I think most of us stop caring who sees our boobs…!
Haha love this!! I’m definitely a beta breastfeeding mummy – sicky muslins are my life now 🙄