Skulls, surgery and boobies

For those of you wondering how BD's surgery went, I'm happy to inform that we're back home and doing well. The surgery went remarkably well and BD's recovery is also going well. She's a little cranky -- most likely from lack of sleep, hunger (she really didn't eat much in the hospital) and some pain -- and also gassy as hell. I think that it's her body getting back into the swing of things with being home and the day-to-day living.

BD managed to charm the hell out of her nurses and doctors at the children's hospital. She cooed, talked and did squawk a little bit, but nothing too bad. The one big scare was that she started spitting up at the hospital, which she's never done before. She hasn't really done it at home *knocks wood* so I'm just going to attribute it to her being a little out of sorts.

The most surreal moment for me was when her surgeon came in to take a look at BD's scalp. Instead of undoing her turban of bandages, he just ripped it off, similar to this:



I'm just sad that I couldn't decorate her turban to make it look pretty.

The other thing I wanted to comment about, but didn't really have the time to is the whole Facebook/Bill Maher/boobies contravesey in the momblogosphere (yes, I mashed up a bunch of made up words. Welcome to the Internet.).

Here's my view on the situation (as a breastfeeding mother I feel I have the right to voice my opinion on how my tits are being used):

First off, I find it a tad hypocritical that Maher and Facebook are freaking out about women breastfeeding in public. Especially Maher, who has seen more than his fair share of tits from hanging out in the Playboy Mansion and dating strippers. Apparently boobs are fine in a sexual display (looking at Facebook's pop tarts and the fact that they have pro-ana groups there), but they're not fine to be viewed at as a source of food to children.

I'm amazed by our culture in that we fetishize boobs for sexual use (Girls Gone Wild, MTV, etc.), but when it comes to the biological purpose, people freak the fuck out. I'm not the type of person to whip out the boob in public and breastfeed everywhere (the 42DD and a football hold will give people more of a peep show than what I'm comfortable with, so I do pump and travel with a bottle at times), but there are situations where the breast will only do.

Case in point -- we're at the doctor's office about to consult about BD's upcoming surgery. She's naked (from being weighed), hungry, cold and scared. She wouldn't take the bottle and was crying her complaints. Now, should I have let her cry and wail during the appointment, or should I have undone my bra and fed her? You can guess what I did for my daughter's comfort.

I've also breastfed my daughter at the doctor's office after she's had blood draws and vaccination shots. It comforts her. It soothes her. And really, if that is what she needs, so be it.

I guess my point is that as mothers, we don't do these things for attention. We don't do them expecting people to stand up and shout "Hooray for motherhood!" We do it because it's needed for our children.

I just don't get why people are freaking out about breastfeeding and taking such a Puritan stance when they do want to see boobs all the time. Boobs for beads, Girls Gone Wild, Spring Break -- those are the times people want to see your tits. But if you whip them out to feed your kid? Then you're a pervert!

Somehow that logic makes no sense to me at all.

Also, people say that a mom can breastfeed in the restroom of a restaurant, but really -- who the fuck wants to eat in a bathroom stall? I would love it if someone offered a nice private space for me to nurse when I'm out (and that's happened -- I loved having a doctor's office that was private for me to nurse BD in). But until that happens, a mom's gotta take her chances out in public.

And I have tried once, to nurse my girl in a bathroom stall. You try holding a squawking 12-pound, fidgeting kid in the football hold without support for your arm as you sit on a toilet seat. Let me know how it goes. If you pull it off, let me know how you did it, because I remember my experience ending with a distinctly unhappy baby.

I suppose this is why I'm spreading the word about League of Maternal Justice's virtual nurse-in that's coming up soon. Don't expect to find my boob online or pictures of me breastfeeding online (I'm not comfortable doing that yet). But I do want to offer my support in some small way to this.

People, it's only a boob. It's not that big of a deal.