Monday, April 26, 2010
Before you go and start bashing me and telling me how wrong I am, I urge to relax and keep reading.
I come from Peru and in my country breastfeeding is as normal as holding hands or sneezing. Women everywhere do it all the time wherever they are, be it in the bus, in a park bench or while having breakfast on an outdoor setting. I grew up around this environment seeing my mother breastfeed both my sisters.
Now why is breastfeeding so over rated for me? It isn't, I think it's the most superb thing there is and I can't keep talking about it. I talk about it on facebook, I talk about it on yahoo answers, I even talk about it at home, so much so that my boyfriend is fed up with it.
So that's where the title of this post comes from, it is him who is so over the breastfeeding "phenomenon." Like me, he also grew up seeing breastfeeding mothers do their thing wherever and whenever so when he hears about all the support groups and public breastfeeding sittings he laughs and says it's all ridiculous.
"Why do you need support groups for?" he would ask.
"So that women can be supported when they can't do it on their own," I would say.
"Don't they have their mothers for that?"
"Sometimes their mothers are as clueless as they are."
"Aunts maybe?"
"Nope"
"Neighbor?"
"Errr, no..."
So I have to explain to him that our culture is different from this one when it comes to breastfeeding. Not everyone here grew up around breastfeeding, not everyone here has a mother, aunt, or friendly neighbor who can help them. Sometimes everyone around them don't have a clue since they didn't have that environment either. That's why is such a big deal, that's why support groups exist, that is why people breastfeed in public sometimes, to encourage, to educate, to promote this wonderful thing women can do. Yes, it's wonderful, it's miraculous.
Not only did we conceive and carried a child for nine months, but we also produce the food that will sustain them for a years. Yes years! What more of a miracle do you want.
That's why I write about it, that's why I share what I do. I'm not the "flash your boob in yo' face" kind of gal, but just because I'm in a crowded subway car filled with strangers doesn't mean I'm going to let my baby cry out of hunger. If I have to show skin then let the show begin!
Well that last part is besides the point, the point is that even though my boyfriend fully supports me and even though he knows of all the benefits of breastfeeding, he is still up to his nose with all the drama as he calls it.
"Why can't women just breastfeed without making a fuss, they act like they're saving the world and they're not, they're just feeding their children, what's the big deal?"
That's what he said to me today and he's right. I made an argument about how my breastfeeding in public would encourage other mothers to do it, and discourage sourpusses to stay away if they don't like it, but he shrugged it off and said to simply breastfeed, that is all. So today I decided that I would do just that. Simply breastfeed, minus the drama.
I come from Peru and in my country breastfeeding is as normal as holding hands or sneezing. Women everywhere do it all the time wherever they are, be it in the bus, in a park bench or while having breakfast on an outdoor setting. I grew up around this environment seeing my mother breastfeed both my sisters.
Now why is breastfeeding so over rated for me? It isn't, I think it's the most superb thing there is and I can't keep talking about it. I talk about it on facebook, I talk about it on yahoo answers, I even talk about it at home, so much so that my boyfriend is fed up with it.
So that's where the title of this post comes from, it is him who is so over the breastfeeding "phenomenon." Like me, he also grew up seeing breastfeeding mothers do their thing wherever and whenever so when he hears about all the support groups and public breastfeeding sittings he laughs and says it's all ridiculous.
"Why do you need support groups for?" he would ask.
"So that women can be supported when they can't do it on their own," I would say.
"Don't they have their mothers for that?"
"Sometimes their mothers are as clueless as they are."
"Aunts maybe?"
"Nope"
"Neighbor?"
"Errr, no..."
So I have to explain to him that our culture is different from this one when it comes to breastfeeding. Not everyone here grew up around breastfeeding, not everyone here has a mother, aunt, or friendly neighbor who can help them. Sometimes everyone around them don't have a clue since they didn't have that environment either. That's why is such a big deal, that's why support groups exist, that is why people breastfeed in public sometimes, to encourage, to educate, to promote this wonderful thing women can do. Yes, it's wonderful, it's miraculous.
Not only did we conceive and carried a child for nine months, but we also produce the food that will sustain them for a years. Yes years! What more of a miracle do you want.
That's why I write about it, that's why I share what I do. I'm not the "flash your boob in yo' face" kind of gal, but just because I'm in a crowded subway car filled with strangers doesn't mean I'm going to let my baby cry out of hunger. If I have to show skin then let the show begin!
Well that last part is besides the point, the point is that even though my boyfriend fully supports me and even though he knows of all the benefits of breastfeeding, he is still up to his nose with all the drama as he calls it.
"Why can't women just breastfeed without making a fuss, they act like they're saving the world and they're not, they're just feeding their children, what's the big deal?"
That's what he said to me today and he's right. I made an argument about how my breastfeeding in public would encourage other mothers to do it, and discourage sourpusses to stay away if they don't like it, but he shrugged it off and said to simply breastfeed, that is all. So today I decided that I would do just that. Simply breastfeed, minus the drama.
Friday, April 16, 2010
Since the birth of Luka, my son, I've had a big issue with self esteem. I love that I carried my son for nine months and that I delivered a healthy baby, but what I don't love is the fact that my body has become a big ball of saggy skin over barely toned muscle. Now I've never been the thin type but I did have some curves that I loved. Now all that is gone.
So, the issue with me was that I was feeling less than attractive and nothing seemed to cheer me up. That is until I discovered make-up.
Ah yes make-up. Some of you must think I'm being superficial or that make-up is just a cover up for imperfections, and I think you are somewhat right. The difference for me is that I'm not a big make-up wearer, never have been.
Nonetheless, as the girl that I am, I have owned a few make-up products that I applied once in a while for an outing, but now...
I've become obsessed with make-up videos on youtube. A lot of talented people like petrilude, Marlena from MakeupGeekTV, and MichellePhan among others are video sensations when it comes to the tutorials. They are good at what they do and they have inspired me to broaden my make-up knowledge.
Since then I've watched hundreds of videos, tutorials, I've searched for many products online and joined several make-up forums.
One of my favorite things to do is play one of the tutorials while I apply the make-up and try out a look. Sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I don't lol.
Now, everything is good I suppose, no harm done right?
Not! I've become so obsessed that I literally want to shop for make-up everyday! But not being impressed with drugstore brands, I like to shop at Sephora. Yes, Sephora, it's like crack, not that I would know, but I hear it's very addicting.
Sephora is filled with make-up brands of all kinds at a somewhat pricey range but the quality cannot be beat.
My favorite brand? Urban Decay of course. They have pretty shimmery high pigmented colors and fun stuff that will make anybody squeal.
I used to believe that you could only put one color of eyeshadow on your lid and that was it. Boy was I wrong, I've learned about blending, and highlighting, brushes to use to achiever that perfect smokey eye and whatnot.
Now, I'm not an expert, I'm far from it, but prettying myself up and trying on new looks has raised my self esteem tons. I just believe that even though I still look like a flappy mess, I can feel pretty by playing around with my make-up.
Tomorrow is a big day, well today actually because it's already Friday. There is a Sephora store opening at 97th and Columbus and I can't wait! I'll be sure to write about my experience and posts pics.
Bye now.
So, the issue with me was that I was feeling less than attractive and nothing seemed to cheer me up. That is until I discovered make-up.
Ah yes make-up. Some of you must think I'm being superficial or that make-up is just a cover up for imperfections, and I think you are somewhat right. The difference for me is that I'm not a big make-up wearer, never have been.
Nonetheless, as the girl that I am, I have owned a few make-up products that I applied once in a while for an outing, but now...
I've become obsessed with make-up videos on youtube. A lot of talented people like petrilude, Marlena from MakeupGeekTV, and MichellePhan among others are video sensations when it comes to the tutorials. They are good at what they do and they have inspired me to broaden my make-up knowledge.
Since then I've watched hundreds of videos, tutorials, I've searched for many products online and joined several make-up forums.
One of my favorite things to do is play one of the tutorials while I apply the make-up and try out a look. Sometimes I get it right, and sometimes I don't lol.
Now, everything is good I suppose, no harm done right?
Not! I've become so obsessed that I literally want to shop for make-up everyday! But not being impressed with drugstore brands, I like to shop at Sephora. Yes, Sephora, it's like crack, not that I would know, but I hear it's very addicting.
Sephora is filled with make-up brands of all kinds at a somewhat pricey range but the quality cannot be beat.
My favorite brand? Urban Decay of course. They have pretty shimmery high pigmented colors and fun stuff that will make anybody squeal.
I used to believe that you could only put one color of eyeshadow on your lid and that was it. Boy was I wrong, I've learned about blending, and highlighting, brushes to use to achiever that perfect smokey eye and whatnot.
Now, I'm not an expert, I'm far from it, but prettying myself up and trying on new looks has raised my self esteem tons. I just believe that even though I still look like a flappy mess, I can feel pretty by playing around with my make-up.
Tomorrow is a big day, well today actually because it's already Friday. There is a Sephora store opening at 97th and Columbus and I can't wait! I'll be sure to write about my experience and posts pics.
Bye now.
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