Fellow Lactnetters:
I am fuming over an article entitled, Breastfeeding or Bust, that
appeared in the Prevention Guide for New Moms that was created for display
purposes in doctors' offices. The cover of the guide says, display until
November 5, 1988, The truth about breastfeeding. At last--some honest
answers.
At the risk of dealing with copyright, I would like to reprint some
highlights. If you are angered as I am by the material that follows, letters
can be written to: Megan Otherson - Managing Editor, New Mom, 33 East Minor
Street, Emmaus, PA 18098. The phone number is (610) 967-5171.
The article begins with the difficulty the author, Annabelle Lee,
experienced with beginning breastfeeding, then she explains that everyone
should be aware of the myths about breastfeeding. Here is ANNABELLE LEE'S
list of myths, and some of the highlights from each section:
Myth #1 - Every woman should try breastfeeding.
Take Maureen Milici, who gave breastfeeding a try for 10 days a couple
years ago. "my baby wouldn't latch on," she says of her son. "I was very
nervous, and so he would get upset and even hungrier." Finally, Milici
switched to the bottle. "The poor little guy was starving," she says.
Since then, Milici says her son has been healthy and happy on the
bottle. An added bonus: Her husband got to help with the feedings.
Bottom line: Breastfeeding is tough....And breast soreness, leaking
and bleeding are common. So if you don't really want to breastfeed, don't
force yourself out of guilt and pressure. Cut yourself a break. The last
thing you need as a new mother is more stress--and the last thing your baby
needs is a stressed out mom.
Myth #2 - Your baby won't get sick.
Bottom line: Breastfeeding definitely helps boost your baby's immunity,
but it's no magic bullet.
Myth #3 - Breastfeeding's instinctive.
Bottom line: Breastfeeding's never a no-brainer. Treat it like you
would any other new activity. Practice regularly. And be patient. You're
only a beginner, for gosh sake.
Myth #4 - You'll lose weight faster.
Not so fast. Fact is, breastfeeding actually preserves body fat. Why?
Your body needs extra energy to produce milk (there's that 500 calories),
and the milk needs to contain a certain amount of milk fat--both of which
require more body fat than usual.
...Of course, some of your breastfeeding friends may not look like they're
carrying any extra fat. But their weight may have more to do with genetics
than breastfeeding. Chances are, they'd look just as good if they
bottle-fed.
Bottom Line: "Breastfeeding itself doesn't help you lose weight," says
Speier. "Active mothers lose weight because they're active, not because they
breastfeed."
Myth #5 - Breastfeeding's convenient.
...when you nurse, no one can whip out the breast at 3 a.m., but you.
Sure, you can have your partner give your baby an occasional bottle. But
then, you'll have to endure the hassle of pumping your breasts to fill those
bottles. And in the early weeks, some doctors warn against giving breastfed
babies even an occasional bottle of expressed breast milk for fear they'll
get confused by the different nipple.
Then there's work. If you're returning to the office you'll have to
pump a few times a day while you're on the job and store the milk in a
refrigerator. Convenient? No way. Do women pull it off? Sure, but make no
mistake: It's tough.
Bottom Line: Breastfeeding's anything but convenient.
Yes, it's healthy. Yes, it's satisfying. Yes, it can be wonderful. No
question about it; I'm living proof. But the fact remains, nursing's not
for everybody. The trick is to breastfeed only if you want to , to learn
everything you can before you try it and give it your best shot for as long
as you comfortably can--no longer. And whatever happens, be good to yourself
and your baby. What really matters is that you give your child love, not
your breasts.
THE ONLY REDEEMING QUALITY OF THIS ARTICLE IS THAT SHE RECOMMENDS LA
LECHE LEAGUE AND LACTATION CONSULTANTS IN THE MYTH #3 SECTION. UUUUUGGGHHHH!
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