Marsha commented,

> the defensive bottle-feeding moms are
> defensive because they know, they KNOW, in their heart of hearts or in their
> heads or somewhere, that breastfeeding is better for their children, but to
> admit that would be to admit that they hadn't done the best thing for them.
>
And it's quite possible that the reason they are defensive is because when
women choose bottle feeding over breastfeeding, they do so because of
"mother-reasons" -- "It's not for me." "It's too time consuming."  "I want my
body back."  "Ugh, it's gross."  "I don't want to be one of those women who
is (pick one) tied to my baby; just whips it out (Tim is STILL waiting in
vain to see some woman just "whip it out"), has to pump -- yadda yadda."

I'm not, repeat, NOT referring to women who choose to bottle feed because
perhaps there has been a history of sexual abuse and they simply can't bear
it -- or who started off breastfeeding and changed to bottles for some reason
-- I'm talking about the women who choose bottle feeding right up front
because "I've decided it's best for me."

Breastfeeding moms, especially first time ones who haven't had the wonderful
part of nursing their babies yet and only understand the breastfeeding part
of it, choose breastfeeding because it is best for their babies.  A few
choose it because it is cheaper, or because they've heard that it is good for
them too, but if you ask them why, it's basically because it is better for
the baby.

Boils down to:

Bottle feeding mothers choose bottle feeding because they want to do what
they perceive is best for them regardless of what is best for the baby.

Breastfeeding mothers choose breastfeeding because they want to do what they
perceive is best for their babies, regardless of the inconvenience for
themselves.

And we wonder why bottle feeding mothers are defensive?

Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC -- Wheaton IL
Lactation Education Consultants
www.lactationeducationconsultants.com

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