THere is a NY Times article today by Alissa Quart on breastfeeding that is
sure to engender discussion. Instead of fighting bitterly amongst
ourselves, feeling superior  about how many days or months  we breastfed,
or making others feeling badly about not breastfeeding for as long as
whatever mark is set by society, how about working together on a
legislative level to support parents rights to be at home with their babies
for long enough to parent and breastfeed and get a relationship firmly and
gently formed between mom, dad and baby....so that mothers don't have to go
back to work at 6 weeks while they are still bleeding, still exhausted, and
still unsure about how breastfeeding is going?

Instead of pointing fingers and feeling superior, as some women seem to do,
we should work together to change the Western world's idea of making
"employed" mothers into men... returning to work as soon as they can as if
nothing earthshattering, life changing and absolutely magnificent has
happened.?

 Attacking our peers, ignoring the facts or the science about
breastfeeding, and the risks of not breastfeeding, and minimizing the
benefits of breastfeeding in the equation of the first year of a baby's
life is missing the mark entirely, and is a sign that the author has not
been able to view this subject with a balanced eye herself, and why should
she, when she has been dragged into a  situation where she had no choice
but to choose formula and was unable to do her job and breastfeed
comfortably. We are leaving out those of the equation the society powers,
the lawmakers, the congressional power brokers, and others who set our
social agenda and who create the unfortunate scenario where it is
impossible for new parents to include breastfeeding in their early lives.
 I challenge all of us to ignore the invite to a pissing contest here about
who breastfed longer and who is a better mother, as that leads nowhere
except to division and depression and feelings of self worthlessness.
 INstead, we should look at  social forces that shape what the corporate
setting is for execs, and for women who punch the time clock, all
breastfeeding mothers at some time, and let's look at how to reshape this
so that mothers everywhere can include breastfeeding if they choose to, can
get time and help and support around parenting, and can get educated about
what is important for children in the first year of life.

And, let us not forget. When women do not breastfeed it costs us all,
financially, emotionally, and as a society.  It's a health care powerhouse
that we have neglected to tap into.  Imagine the savings if we gave
insurance discounts for those who breastfed, for those who don't smoke or
drink, or engage in dangerous risky behaviors. People who cannot stomach
the discussion on a social level certainly might find the financial
argument more palatable, as not only does it cost them a bucketload to
formula feed, we all end up paying as the health of our population degrades
over time because of the inferior nutritional start that many children get.
It is, after all, a health care issue, among other things. And that is
sad.....as we want our kids to be as healthy as possible and enjoy long
active healthy lives.

Lastly I find it interesting that in no other issue can I find a parallel.
For smokers, we would never want to be accused of not laying it on the line
about the dangers of smoking, and the benefits of exercise. Would we give
out a sample of a low tar cigarette to those being discharged from a
cardiac floor just so that the cardiac patients won't feel guilty about
smoking? Smoking is a big industry, but do we bow down to it just so that
we can make ourselves feel better about using the products, lying to
ourselves about the risks of doing so?

Why is this so different?

An excerpt of the article is below:

"

By ALISSA QUARTPublished: July 14, 2012

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My daughter was 2 days old, and dropping weight. I had been trying to feed
her, but for some reason she wasn’t yet getting the liquid gold of
colostrum, the earliest mother’s milk. When the hospital’s doctor paid his
daily visit and mentioned her weight, my husband asked whether we should
supplement with formula, gesturing at the little Similac bottles of
hospital swag with the desperation of a business traveler eyeing vodka in
the minibar — and with much of the same shame. The pediatrician swiftly
confirmed our fears, intoning, “Formula is evil.” He was implying we were
quasi-negligent for even considering it...."

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