I love this!

[bicrim]

WHY I CHOOSE NOT TO USE A CAR SEAT
Author unknown

I refuse to feel guilty for making an educated choice to not put my baby in a car seat. There are so many militant car seat users in our society and I am tired of them pushing their beliefs on me. There are lots of reasons I have made this choice. First of all, I want my husband to be able to drive him around in his car. He can just sit him on his lap when they go for a ride. This will help him bond and be closer with our son. I don't want to be the only one that drives him around. It makes my husband, mother and friends feel special when they can take him for rides. I will be returning to work in 6 weeks and I don't want a big old car seat in the back of our luxury
car. I never put my first son in a car seat and he is just fine. I was never in a car seat, neither was my mother and we are both as healthy as can be. On the other hand, my sister in law's cousin used a car seat and her child was seriously injured in a car wreck. My aunt tried to use a car seat and wasn't able to. She was never able to latch the baby in the seat properly. In fact, my car is too small for a car seat anyway. What matters most is that my baby ishealthy and happy.

When I left the hospital, they told me that I should try to use the car seat, but if it didn't work out that it was all right to not use it. In fact, in the diaper bag that I received from the hospital, it has some information for how to safely ride in the car with my son without a car seat. I tried for 1 week to use a car seat with my first son and it made both of us miserable. I told my pediatrician about it, and he said it would probably be best to not use a car seat anymore. Now he is happy and content sitting on my lap as we drive. Using a car seat is just so inconvenient! My privacy is also an issue.
Do I want everyone to know when they see my car that I have a child???
Besides, my children need to learn how to ride in the car without being in the car seat. I don't want a 3 year old still wanting to get in his seat! \I know that using a car seat has some benefits, but there are a lot of people out there who don't use them and their kids are just fine! There are people
there that cannot use a car seat (can't latch baby in properly, car is too small, doesn't match with the interior). Using a car seat is a personal choice and nobody's business. As a parent I have made the decision for what is best for my child. It works best for us and our child.....and that is all that is important. It's my choice after all, isn't it??

Comments

[the-leh.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately it almost NEVER gets the point across to people who choose to formula feed. They just get infuriated, think you're militant, and think it's ridiculous. I almost think hyperbole like this works against us. I've NEVER seen something like this change someone's mind. Too bad, because it's such a great point.

[pinkgerbil.livejournal.com]

Unless they see the effects first hand, I don't think they will truely get it.

[the-leh.livejournal.com]

Even when you say "so and so was formula fed and they have x problem" they will say something like "how do you know that's from the formula?"

I think even if their baby were to have a formula related problem, they'd atrribute it to something else. I used to see all sorts of posts in the parenting communities about fussy babies who are on formula or babies with reflux who are on formula, ect...:(

[pinkgerbil.livejournal.com]

My duaghter had to be put on formula for medical reasons, and we have been working back to the boob ever since. Shes had the runs from starting it, and we recently tried to switch to soy, at her doctors sugesstion.

And we have found out the hard way she is allergic to soy, which is why she only had the runs with the regular, but the soy caused swelling, vomting, the runs and rash.

Which presents the problem, what the hell do we feed her now? I was scared of doing donor milk beacuse my duaghter caught an infection from me, my breast milk, but now it looks like that may bethe only soultion.
So I guess I can least say "well this is how I know".

[the-leh.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry to hear that :(

Your story is totally different from someone who deliberately chose to formula feed, you know? Someone who had a baby and then oodles of milk in their breasts that they pumped out and threw away or just let it dry up.

Have you tried any of the prescription formulas? Sometimes those are easier on the tummy.

[pinkgerbil.livejournal.com]

I still have that mom guilt for it. Its that whole "well what if I had done x y or z?" Its stupid and self defeating.

We are talking to her doctor about it again tomorrow, to revisit the problem and see what can do. :/

[the-leh.livejournal.com]

That's understandable. I don't think you have anything to feel guilty about, fwiw.

Jan Andrea wrote a really great article about breastfeeding, formula feeding, and guilt. She basically says that guilt implies choice. If there was no choice, there should be no guilt.

But we moms beat ourselves over the head for things beyond our control. It comes with the territory.

[bicrim.livejournal.com]

oh love, I'm so sorry that she is not reacting well! You both have been through so much! I'm sure you could get donor milk for her--have you tried milkshare, or asked in the breastfeeding community?

[g0ldenr0ad.livejournal.com]

formula <333

Totally joking, BTW.

[bicrim.livejournal.com]

lol

[pinkgerbil.livejournal.com]

I read this at first, and I was really confused, beacuse, you know, I am slow like that.

[skuf.livejournal.com]

Dude, for a while there, I thought the article was serious, and I was about to Have Words, *g*!

(I don't think carseats/breastfeeding is a 100% correct metaphor, but as far as making a statement, it's powerful/funny.)

[misocrunchy.livejournal.com]

I absolutely love this and will probably have to steal it. Mind if I add you?