Hi All,
While I sit here knowing I should go to bed since it is very late and I have
not yet recovered from sleep deprivation caused by my 2 yr old, I have to
respond to Maureen :


>>any warm fuzzy feelings I get while BF are just that.  Those "Normal"
>>feelings of motherly love.  (Now there are times while BF, that I really
>>wish my hubby was home, for "playtime", but that is related to wanting
>>HIM, not the baby!)
Jay, for  me warm fuzzy feelings were the dominant feelings most of the
time. But sometimes breastfeding made me want my husband home, just as for
you. Those times were times when breastfeeding was arousing as well as warm
fuzzy. Can you honestly say that you never felt aroused, that foreplay with
him wasn't really needed- or not as much- before you leapt upon your guy
for "playtime"? If so, you're with me: someone who sometimes experienced
breastfeding as sexual and not just sensual. Let's be honest about this!


Oh, yes, I felt arousal as a result of the breastfeeding.  Won't deny that.
 My point was that while my beginning intentions for breastfeeding my first
son were the result of an "unbalanced"  ;) woman (19yrs old and messed up
because of abuse) with a need for a sexual thrill, the results of
breastfeeding now that I am a "Balanced" ;) woman without those desires are
different.  Now the feelings that I get from Breastfeeding are in the
"healthy" range of "normal".  Breastfeeding is not a "sexual thrill", it is
an enjoyable experience (except for these darn tender form pregnancy
nipples!) that brings with it many ranges of emotions and reactions.
You also asked about lesbians reactions to breasts and brestfeeding.  I have
a few friends who are lesbian and bi-sexual...I will ask them and get back to
you!  I am sure that they will have an interesting point of view.

So, now off to bed.  Look forward to more of this discussion!  I must say one
thing though...I was a bit put off by the "ugh" in Maureens statement about
women who breastfeed in order to get a sexual response.  Having been there
done that, I think that we need to realize that not all women who are in this
place and doing this are nasty nasty. We need to realize that they are doing
this for a reason, that while it is not a healthy response, it is a response
that cannot always be helped.  At 19, and really a basket case, I was lucky
to have not committed suicide (though I will admit I tried many times).
 Having that baby was the ONLY thing that saved my life, and breastfeeding
him was something that started out for maybe the wrong reasons, but it sure
ended up being the best thing for him and for me!  It made me realize that I
COULD do something worthwhile (something my family didn't believe), and that
I could keep a baby alive and help him grow all by myself.  My inappropriate
reasons soon gave way to appropriate ones, and I grew up.  I also gained the
strength to get help for my emotional wastebasket and became the strong,
healthy person you all know and love!  :)  So let's remember to be a bit
gentler in our comments about those of us who have breastfed for the "wrong"
reasons, please?  There are more of us out there than one might realize, and
not all of us are strong enough to "come out of the closet" yet.  Just a
gentle request....

Love to all!
Jay

The stubborn little brat who refused to be kept down...