Pam Wiggins, IBCLC wrote:
"I think sometimes it just boils down to the fact that some mothers are just
too self-centered and selfish to breastfeed their own children. "
Wow!
I felt it was important to respond to this provocative statement. Ms Wiggins words reflect the judgemental attitude that creates a hostile environment for all of us out here on the front lines assisting moms to breastfeed from delivery -48 hours. I see it every day- nurses, doctors, mothers, fathers, family, visitors- they are all tired of the guilt factor!
I care for mothers every day who are kind and loving and care for their babies selflessly, nurturing them at all hours of the night and day- and you know what: many of them bottlefeed.
There is no way that anyone can judge whether a mother is self-centered and/or selfish based on her chosen feeding method. Bottlefeeding mothers are a product of modern western society. Our society promotes bottlefeeding via our culture of capitalism/ media/ consumerism. Mothers are actively discouraged about breastfeeding from friends/ acquaintances and nurses /doctors- especially OBs and pediatricians from their first trimester of pregnancy. Of course when an otherwise intelligent, clear thinking woman chooses to feed her infant in a way that poses real health risks to herself and her baby- certainly one has to ask WHY.
But, I believe the reason is not boiled down to the fact that some women are too selfish to do it-- these are women who have been sold out by the so called experts: their doctors and antepartum clinic nurses. These healthcare professionals (and mainstream media) sell out these moms and their babies to formula company stock holders throughout their pregnancy. Sure, we tell them on one level- its best!!!! and then the next week they get a free goodie bag from Nestle Good Start in the mail- and in the meantime is anyone bothering to actually give practical tips and tools for suscessful- dare I say- even easy breastfeeding- NO- we're too busy making them feel guilty!
I'm sorry to rant- but I just feel this issue is so important in the days of elective primary c-sections and inductions at 37 weeks for "maternal comfort." We are on the brink of major changes in obstetrics and infant feeding is right along with it. We can be agents of change for the better or worse. If a mother wants a feeding method that balances with lifes other demands, we are obligated to provide her with as many practical tools as possible to breastfeed for as long as she chooses- and then respect her decision.
Just last night a G3 P3 was discussing bottlefeeding her baby with me. She had pumped for 3 months for her first- a 33 wk preemie and bottlefed her second. She had considered "trying" breastfeeding this one but finally chose to bottle feed because it scared her to not be able to see how much the baby was getting. She obviously knew how harmful formula can be to preemies but did not make that connection to it also harming full termers. We talked about how we are so used to seeing bottlefeeding and that we(the collective mainstream society) see it as normal and I agreed with her that it certainly is easy to see how much the baby is getting.
This exhausted woman did not send her baby to the nursery to be bottle fed by a stranger all night. I've watched this woman cuddle with her little girl all night, loving close eye contact, skin to skin, really beautiful to see. Would I call her too selfcentered and selfish to bother breastfeeding? NO! I would call her just another misinformed, ignorant consumer of the US healthcare system/US culture. Yes- she is responsible for her choices, but her choices were made out of mis-information NOT out of selfishness.
Mary Herrington, RN
Labor & Delivery
St Lukes CMC
The Woodlands, Texas
LACTNET automatic digest system <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
There are 3 messages totalling 107 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Has Anyone Seen This Article? Opinions? (2)
2. Bad mothers?
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Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 22:33:39 -0400
From: Norma Ritter
Subject: Has Anyone Seen This Article? Opinions?
>I just ran across this and wanted to get the opinions of lactation
professionals.
Thanks-
Heather Davis, RN
http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CACA0.htm =20
"Is Bottle-Feeding a Mark of Bad Motherhood?" <
I think that the last sentence of the article explains a great deal:
>The research was funded by INFORM, an initiative of the Infant and
Dietetic Foods Association<
norma
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Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 23:14:25 -0400
From: Pam Wiggins
Subject: Bad mothers?
Heather wrote:
"I just ran across this and wanted to get the opinions of lactation
professionals.
http://www.spiked-online.com/Articles/0000000CACA0.htm "Is Bottle-
Feeding a Mark of Bad Motherhood?""
Very interesting article. I don't think bottle-feeding is a mark of
bad motherhood - just that many mothers make a very poor choice, even
though they are clearly "informed" of the benefits. I think
sometimes it just boils down to the fact that some mothers are just
too self-centered and selfish to breastfeed their own children. And
certainly, there are breastfeeding mothers who are not "good" mothers
either (but at least their babies are getting optimal nourishment and
immunities.)
Pam Wiggins, IBCLC
www.breastfeedingbooks.com
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Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 22:31:19 -0500
From: Sally Myer
Subject: Re: Has Anyone Seen This Article? Opinions?
Regarding the article "Is Bottle-Feeding a Mark of Bad Motherhood?"
Note who the research was funded by-- INFORM, an initiative of the =
Infant and Dietetic Foods Association. They are the trade association =
representing manufacturers of specialist nutrition products in the UK.
The article sounded like the argument posed by the formula industry =
against the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign in the US. =20
Sally Myer=20
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