To Breastfeed or Not???
Catching little bits and pieces of the Today Show in the mornings seems to be the everyday norm. I hear the updates on Iraq, and for the most part what’s not being done over there (which is a whole different entry), and mostly just the informational “stuff” that usually doesn’t make me stop getting ready and sit and watch a particular segment.
This morning, however, one little bit caught my attention to the point where I had to rewind it to get to the beginning to make sure that I had heard the reporter correctly.
There are apparently news ads, (I haven’t had the pleasure of seeing them) that take aim at breastfeeding. They show women doing some pretty daredevil things while they are pregnant, and the saying that you wouldn’t do anything to put your baby in harm before they are born, why do it after by not breastfeeding them.
Now I breastfed my daughter, but to scare someone into feeling like they “have” to or you’re a bad mother or to guilt them into it just doesn’t make any sense to me. Becoming a mother is hard enough without having someone else making you feel guilty for one of the first choices that you have made. And let me add to that; that it’s just what it is, a choice, and a personal one at that. It’s a choice that you make concerning you and your child. YOU, no one else.
The piece went on to say that there was even a possibility of putting warning labels on formula in the future warning mothers that hey you can give this to your baby, but don’t you feel so guilty for buying this and not breastfeeding. At least that’s the way it came across. They likened it to the warning that is put on cigarettes. Any takers on how the label on the formula should read? Hey you horrible mother, put down this formula and go breastfeed.
posted by Linda @ 11:49 AM
3 Comments:
Well... the state of our children's health and diets are at an all time low. Breastfeeding is one guarantee at giving them a healthy start. I personally think the ads and the label might be overkill... but I wholeheartedly agree that more emphasis should be put on the good that breastfeeding can do. It's benefits are innumerable, both for mother and baby. Now tell me you're not surprised at this coming from me :)
I will agree that the state of our childrens health is at risk, but I believe that involves a lot more than getting mothers to feel guilty about the choices they make, especially when it just adds more stress to an already stressful situation.
I do agree that everyone should try it even if its just for a little while, but there are a number of women that just can't for whatever reason, and they shouldn't be made to feel that they aren't good mothers because of it.
I mean if its all about the health, then some would begin in on the immunization debate also, but you don't see commercials about that on television, even though most experts agree on immunizing children.
As a breastfeeding mom, I agree that it is best for your child. However, I also believe that it is a womans right to make her own choices on how she wants to feed her child whether it is breastmilk or formula. Either way, the child is getting the nutrition that it needs and is growing.
Becoming a parent and having a child thrown into your lifestyle and trying to figure out the needs and wants of your child is stressfull. To be made to feel guilty about not wanting to breastfeed, I think is horrible! To put pressure on top of pressure will lead to more post-pardum depression, and these women will begin to think of themselves as failures as a mohter. Who needs that pressure? I for one do not.
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