Comments on: Salma Hayek ‘Can’t Stop’ Nursing Valentina

By: Skybear

Skybear — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:35:27 +0000

I am now in my mid 60s, and though my own mother attempted to nurse her three daughters, she had legitimate reasons she could not successfully do so.
Both my older as well as my younger sisters were born with, “Hare Lip,” And neither was physically able to nurse either of them.
I was the middle child, and had no physical abnormalities, and by all signs, I should have been able to nurse.
Mom said that she tried, and tried, but I would refuse to nurse. finally, she said I bit her until she bled.
So, we all three were bottle fed.
HOWEVER:
When I was growing up, we always had some type of animals, and it had just always made sense to me, that if cows nurse their young, ditto with cats, dogs, goats, pigs, and well, all mammals, including whale nurse their young.
God had to have had good reason for such a program. I was very determined that when we had children, I would nurse them as long as they wanted to nurse.
My oldest daughter, who is now in her mid forties, was only able to nurse for a week or two.
I had been passing out constantly, and my doctor had to put me on medication that would have not been good for my baby.
However, nine years later, when we decided to have our second child, she actually nursed for a full two years.
I have always been so grateful that I was able to stick with it.
When my youngest daughter began Kindergarten, all of the students were given a TB skin test, and she as well as my husband tested positive.
First my daughter was tested, along with her well-baby vaccinations, etc. Well, let me tell you, I thought for sure I was going to lose my beloved child to TB. Then, the Heath Dept. had all of the rest of our family tested. Only my husband tested positive, though he and my youngest daughter nearly never went anyplace together, without the rest of the family.
Just prior to her beginning Kindergarten, we returned from a month long trip to Mexico City, and Acapulco.
Still, my youngest was just Mama’s girl, and it really did not make any sense to me, how they both could be affected, without neither our eldest daughter, or myself, showing positive also.
Anyway, they put my daughter on a medication to help prevent the TB from becoming active, but she had very negative response to the medication. They said my husband was too old to take the medication, since he was in his later thirties, so he should only get annual chest x-rays, just to be on the safe side, as should our daughter.
This daughter also nursed her two children after marriage, and having a family.
My eldest daughter just plain did not have sufficient milk for her first child, and the baby was allergic to ever single formula the doctors tried her, on.
Well, I certainly was not able to nurse by then, so I bought a registered Dairy Goat, and milked her twice daily, and the baby did just great on the raw goat’s milk, for two years.
Don’t let anyone push you around. You are the parent, and it is your responsibility to do what is best for your child.
If others think they are doing well to only nurse a short while, well, it is the loss for their child, as well as a loss of the special times a mother spends bonding with her little ones.
They grow up so fast, as it is. Don’t waste such precious such as this special diet, as well as the special moments with your child.

By: Maggie M

Maggie M — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:28:12 +0000

Nursing is a private thing between a mother and baby.
I believe it helps in the bonding process from the first moment
after delivery.
Moms have to take cues from her baby.
I had all the intentions to nurse until my daughter was 12 months.
She rejected me at 10 months not wanting to lay and cuddle but observe her world. I pumped what I could for bottles and sippy cups until my body gave out. I think it helped my loose some weight, but that is different for everyone.

By: Lacey

Lacey — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:31:25 +0000

I know that to my knowledge of having breastfed my son and now I will breastfeed my daughter when she is born, that breastfeeding helps your uterus contract faster back to it's regular size, but no one should really breastfeed just to get back into shape faster and lose the weight. They should do it for the reason of how well it helps your child grow, helps with your child brain growth and stimulation. So instead of wonering about if breastfeeding really helps you weight or not, just know that one day everything will go back to "Normal" for you.

By: plankbob

plankbob — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:31:03 +0000

I have read that Pu-Yi, the last emperor of China, still had wet nurses when he was 10.

By: Jackie

Jackie — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:00:30 +0000

I too am currently a nursing mom. I'm 23 and my daughter is 6 months and even the idea of someday not breastfeeding her gets me emotional. It's a bonding experience that can't ever be explained until experienced yourself. As far as the weight, I was a tiny girl pre-pregnancy, lost 15 lbs in the 1st trimester and then packed on the lbs. By the end of pregnancy i gained back the 15 lbs and an additional 44 lbs and it is coming off extremly slow. But it's worth it.

By: Dina

Dina — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:28:25 +0000

Good for Hayek!

I'm so happy for her and her baby.

I wish more celebrity moms refrained from weaning their babies at unnaturally early ages.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:36:28 +0000

I nursed my son for 2 years and 1 month til I found out I was pregnant again. I nursed my daughter for 2 years and 7 months. Of course they started with solids as well at 4 months! I didn't lose that much weight either. I enjoyed eating well and nursing wholeheartedly! Good for you Salma; do whatever makes you feel most comfortable!

By: Judy

Judy — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:31:30 +0000

I think it is great that Salma is doing what is best for her and her baby. She looks fabulous and her baby is one lucky baby!

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 10:47:40 +0000

Oooh I had the stomach contractions and all that jazz but STILL didn't lose weight the entire time I breastfed! It's not a guarantee...some women's bodies resist losing the weight and some just have it all fall off like a miracle.

I was chubby til I stopped BFing and then I lost the weight.

I wanted to die of shame everyone said "are you breastfeeding? the weight just falls off..." it felt so judgemental and as if I was doing it wrong! Made a beautiful experience really emotionally tough for me.

THANK YOU SALMA for saying that!!! Yes she looks wonderful, but if SHE isn't happy with her body, she probably has a good reason for it. She's always been curvy and self-assured...not a hollywood skinny nutjob!!

By: megan

megan — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 08:10:46 +0000

I bf for 8 weeks and I'm still pumping now at 5 mos. I did not get the help I needed in the beginning to really succeed but I make plenty of milk and pumping is a breeze for me compared to nursing. As for weight, I am stalled at the same place even with diet and cardio at the gym 2x a week plus a walk every night. I expect it will come off slowly and eventually- maybe weaning completely will do that. I agree that it is a myth. It may work for some women, but you don't know until you try. BTW, dieting hasn't lessened my supply at all, so I wish I started reducing my calories sooner after birth. I went way overboard on food because I thought I needed to. But again, that's a whole other myth. I ate because my doctor told me to. Now I know with my next child it can be different.