Hi all, I'm a CLE and new to LACTNET, so I hope this
is an appropriate message. Is anyone out there a
reader of the national women's magazine Real Simple?
I got my August issue in the mail and was terribly
disappointed at what I interpret to be a very negative
reference to breastfeeding (p. 138). I plan to write
the editors a letter, and if anyone else wants to
check out a copy and see if they agree, please do! I
just could not believe this, and wanted to share it
with those who care (or might tell me not to
overreact?)...
On the cover of the August '03 issue is this teaser
headline (referring to an inside article): "20
time-wasting rules to break now." Inside, the article
is called "Breaking the Rules: What's the Worst Thing
that Could Happen If You...?" Some of the broken
rules include: "have red wine with fish or white wine
with steak," "don't match your shoes to your handbag,"
and "jaywalk."
Number four on the list is "What's the worst thing
that could happen if you don't breastfeed your child?"
Answer: "Most likely: 'In the long run, nothing,'
says (a NY ob/gyn). ... 'There is absolutely no
conclusive data on breast milk's effects on brain
development.'" The ob/gyn does mention that in the
"worst case" scenario, the mother "misses out on
some of the bonding" and "babies who are breast-fed
are more likely to have a strong immune system and be
sick less than formula-fed infants." The graph also
lists two (assumed, not accurate, imo) benefits of
bottlefeeding to the parents!
It's the old "don't make a bottlefeeding mother feel
guilty" thing, I know, but I just can't believe
they've included breastfeeding in a list of
"time-wasting rules to break"! Anyone want to help me
educate the editorial staff about the hazards of ABM?!
Unless they print some kind of retraction, I'm sad to
say I'll have to cancel my subscription.
Thanks for listening,
Amanda Gauthier-Parker, CLE
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