Like Renee, I have often thought of the five-a-day analogy. Unfortunately, like the car seat
analogy, I think this one is insensitive to the real barriers to breastfeeding that women, especially
women in the US, experience.
Most people know that if they don't put their babies in a car seat, or if they don't eat enough fruits
and veggies, they have no one to blame but themselves. Even if a family cannot afford to buy
groceries or a car seat, there are programs to get them these things for free or at a reduced cost.
Why? Because we have a cultural consensus that putting babies in carseats is essential. And,
while we do, scandalously, have hungry and malnourished people in the US, the vast majority of us
agree that people should be nourished.
But what about breastfeeding? Women hear from the AAP and the breastfeeding ad campaign and
many other sources that not breastfeeding their babies amounts to risky, unacceptable behavior.
But then they hear from their employers that they should come back to work six weeks after giving
birth or not come back at all. They hear from all too many of their health care providers that, at
the first sign of trouble, they should quit or reduce breastfeeding and give formula. And they hear
from family, friends and, well, the ladies on The View, that breastfeeding isn't really worth it
anyway.
As long as we lack cultural consensus about the necessity of breastfeeding, and as long as we
force women to choose between being with their babies and being employed, these analogies
don't work, and, worse, insult and potentially alienate many American women.
Kerry Ose, US citizen, UK resident
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