Each week while pregnant, I skimmed through the “August 2012” forum on thebump.com but I hadn’t been back since Emma was born. The other night, my internet surfing took me back over there for the first time in a month. The posts have evolved from pregnancy topics to life life with a newborn, obviously. And I quickly learned that being a new mom myself and figuring things out as I go still doesn’t stop me from silently judging other new moms.
I know! I’m a horrible person!
Whatevs, Mom, whatevs.
Still, there are two big things that will inevitably make me roll my eyes and decide you are a little crazy:
First? If you post about how there’s absolutely nothing in the world that you can imagine that would make you want to leave your baby, even for an hour, and you haven’t left her alone with anyone else despite the fact that she’s already several months old. Because hello, even if you are exclusively breast feeding (otherwise known as “EBF” on the message boards), you can leave the baby for an hour. Seriously. It is good for you.
And second? If you post that it is “very dangerous to feed your baby formula” and that “an occasional formula bottle can have terribly negative consequences.” Because that is just plain wrong, and it’s attitudes like that make even otherwise rational people like me feel guilty that when breastfeeding doesn’t come naturally.
However, I will say that after reading some of the complaints other new moms have about their husbands, boyfriends, and/or baby daddies? Jose is a saint by comparison! But of course I knew that all along. That’s why I married him!
I should probably quit reading message boards.
Not to be judgmental, but doesn’t the preferred spelling of the word lack an e?
I judge people who let their babies watch Baby Einstein or other TV. And who put their babies to sleep on their tummies (so dangerous). Otherwise – live and let live!
I used to joke with Jonathan about how the men on those message boards make him look like a saint. 😉
Ouch! 😉 I don’t actually know. I think both with and with an e are accepted but it looks like you are right, judgmental is the more common one so I changed the title.