Ban The Breast Pump--NY Times - Page 6

[proudmomof4]

As a German, I can assure you that a higher percentage of SAHMs doesn't automatically lead to a higher rate of BF. A lot depends on BF support, education, environment, etc.. And the sole existence of our "Mutterschutzgesetz" ("maternal protection law") doesn't always result in mothers claiming their right to BF / pumping breaks.
About a year ago, the German government introduced the so-called "Elterngeld" ("parental money") to support young families. However, this was coupled with the aim of getting more mothers back in the workforce sooner after the birth. So, we are getting more day-care centers where the staff sometimes still have to be trained on how to handle breastmilk (or formula).
The whole issue is obviously a complex one and not one for quick fixes. (Sorry, I hope I didn't steer us off-topic now. )

[A&A]

Originally Posted by jmmom

I know that what I've said is controversial, both factually and obviously politically, but I find it very interesting and think it deserves to be part of the conversation.

I respectfully disagree. When we engage in the Mommy Wars, we're no better than Judith Warner. She not only slams pumping, but also breastfeeding, by extension. Hopefully that's something that unites us and we don't get sidetracked by what could potentially divide us.

[MommyDOK]

If the argument for state mandated paid maternity is improvement for mothers and babies health, then it only stands to reason that moms should be forced to stay at home, even if they don't want to. If it's a public health issue, then it's a public health issue and we have to treat it as such. When the govt gets involved, it gets messy. I don't think any of us would advocate for that.

The govt already forces us to pay for so many things that many of us question. Medicaid covers half the births in my state (and close to that in the US) and a third of those are c/s. How many unnecessary? Medicaid won't even cover hb w/ a doctor in my state! Good grief.

In a free society, people can create their own solutions. I think we could start a co-op, much like KIVA, where we provide low interest loans for sahm, who are committed to our parenting philosophy. There are enough of us here at mdc to make it happen. For those that a loan is still too much, we could offer scholarships. We could make it work and be far more effective than the govt. I heard somewhere, that of all welfare dollars, only .20 cents go to a family. I don't have that documented, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were the percentage.

[Breeder]

Wow, reading that my husband won't find me attractive anymore because I am sacrificing time I could be spending doing anything else is really HELPFUL to me.

It's awesome if you're totally okay with giving your baby formula just because you don't like the pump but Rosin's snide assertions on my sex life because I do pump so that I can work are just effing mean. No way around it. That article is written in a very catty tone.

[Phoenix~Mama]

I can't beleive that article. It was pretty shocking to me.

I'm another that is not in love with pumping... I'd much rather be home nursing my DD. But I do love that it helps me continue my nursing relationship with her when I am not working, and allows me to not have to FF. I'm another that is also fascinated with the superpower of milk and feel so proud looking at the milk bottles in the fridge and my lovely freezer stash. Yes it was work, but well worth it. My DD is a total boob girl. lol She gets a funny look on her face when she has to take the bottle. I work hard and am working on sleep deprivation some to ensure more hours she can actually nurse and I don't have to pump. I changed my work schedule to come in earlier, so even though I'm gone from her for nearly 10 hours a day with commute time, she is asleep during a good part of that.

Of course I am all for extended maternity leave. It should be at least 3-4 months paid. 6 weeks is just ridiculous. Some mothers are still estalishing a good breastfeeding relationship during that time. I know so many people here who gave up BF because they simply didn't have the energy having to return to work so soon, still recovering and processing their birth, and figuring out their BR routine, add in a pump and bottles... I can see why it is hard for some and why they give up.

American culture expects women to be superwomen and I hate it! Men have no idea what some of us have to go through and I cannot picture a single one doing what some of us have to, such as having to work through morning sickness, puking in the ladies room and returning to your desk like you don't feel like death warmed over. Or lugging a pump around with you daily...

But I still do it all gladly to provide the best I can for my DD... I wish the culture of this country would change to be more family oriented, but I doubt I will ever see it.

In the other article linked, I did like the part about when did women's rights become a women's right to work? I wish there was a way to protect our rights all around for anything we chose to do, wether it be working and wanting to BF, so companies had on site daycare; or to be a SAHM if that is your calling.

[proudmomof4]

"American culture expects women to be superwomen and I hate it! Men have no idea what some of us have to go through and I cannot picture a single one doing what some of us have to, such as having to work through morning sickness, puking in the ladies room and returning to your desk like you don't feel like death warmed over. Or lugging a pump around with you daily..."


Here we go again - women only working "in a meaningful way" when they function in a workplace with male standards. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are not really compatible with that, are they?

[velcromom]

Originally Posted by proudmomof4

Here we go again - women only working "in a meaningful way" when they function in a workplace with male standards. Pregnancy and breastfeeding are not really compatible with that, are they?

I think you've hit on a real root of the problem, that women are only valuable when they function as much like men as possible, and I've been saying for years that American culture is systematically burying any reminders that women have unique lives that contribute just as much value as men, by doing that which is uniquely feminine. We see women striving to be less feminine by rejecting the work that is biologically unique to them: birth is the responsibility of medical "professionals", breastfeeding is replaced by industrial formula, pharmaceutical companies offer drugs that eliminate other aspects of femaleness: eliminate your monthly cycle! Eradicate menopause! Get rid of all that pesky hormonal stuff so you can get out into society and contribute in the way that is approved by modern culture - breadwinning.

I can't think of one single purely biological female quality that isn't being routed out of the life of a woman. Already girls will grow up thinking it normal to accept technological help in every phase of life to take away some of the pivotal experiences of femaleness, in the name of some twisted version of "feminism" that instead of honoring the truly feminine, only values a woman who can perform as much like a male as possible (oh, except in the bedroom, never mind that taking away all the normal biology might really mess with a woman's libido...).

The author and the woman who wrote the article she quotes, are both symptoms of this skewed anti-woman feminism and proponents of it. And she hands it to us with a sneer, unaware of the flaw she makes with her black-and-white thinking. I'm disgusted with her for both her snide attitude and the lack of critical thinking that went into her writing. I'm also sad that women feel so much revulsion about any of the normal experiences of womanhood.

[mamabadger]

[proudmomof4]

Thank you - I am in tears here. It feels so good to know there are some sisters around!

[yogafeet]

Originally Posted by krystyn33

:

"That a mother’s need for some semblance of physical dignity is perhaps a right worth respecting?"

Breastfeeding my son gave me more dignity with regard to my body and my sexuality than anything ever did. I make milk--what's your superpower? And I would hope that the moms who work so hard to pump for their little ones feel more pride and accomplishment than anything.

I agree with the author that we need paid maternity leave in this country. Absolutely! For breastfeeding success and attachment in general. But the "formula's just fine" line is bunk. Not that I think FF moms should feel guilty--not at all. How often is it a choice when the lack of social support & misinformation & negative public attitudes (like these articles) so often sabotage nursing efforts. But there is no comparison between formula and breastmilk. These women remind me of children covering their ears and shaking their heads and whining to shut out what they don't want to hear or accept--the truth that breastmilk is what babies should be fed--are made to be fed, and formula feeding carries risks and disadvantages.

[yogafeet]

Originally Posted by fairejour

As a mother with a NICU baby who never learned to latch on, I am horrified! I worked my @$$ off pumping 12 times a day and I can proudly say that DD made it to 13 months with exclusivly pumped milk. I even donated some to the NICU. I had a real love/hate relatonship my the pump, but I knew it was for my girl and that is what mattered.

::::

[Frootloop]

Originally Posted by velcromom

I think you've hit on a real root of the problem, that women are only valuable when they function as much like men as possible, and I've been saying for years that American culture is systematically burying any reminders that women have unique lives that contribute just as much value as men, by doing that which is uniquely feminine. We see women striving to be less feminine by rejecting the work that is biologically unique to them: birth is the responsibility of medical "professionals", breastfeeding is replaced by industrial formula, pharmaceutical companies offer drugs that eliminate other aspects of femaleness: eliminate your monthly cycle! Eradicate menopause! Get rid of all that pesky hormonal stuff so you can get out into society and contribute in the way that is approved by modern culture - breadwinning.

I can't think of one single purely biological female quality that isn't being routed out of the life of a woman. Already girls will grow up thinking it normal to accept technological help in every phase of life to take away some of the pivotal experiences of femaleness, in the name of some twisted version of "feminism" that instead of honoring the truly feminine, only values a woman who can perform as much like a male as possible (oh, except in the bedroom, never mind that taking away all the normal biology might really mess with a woman's libido...).

The author and the woman who wrote the article she quotes, are both symptoms of this skewed anti-woman feminism and proponents of it. And she hands it to us with a sneer, unaware of the flaw she makes with her black-and-white thinking. I'm disgusted with her for both her snide attitude and the lack of critical thinking that went into her writing. I'm also sad that women feel so much revulsion about any of the normal experiences of womanhood.

Just so you know, that.was.awesome.
It was seriously very eye-opening. I mean, I didn't even realize a lot of what you wrote until I read what you wrote.. and I really think that you're dead-on.

[SpiderMum]

Originally Posted by velcromom

I think you've hit on a real root of the problem, that women are only valuable when they function as much like men as possible, and I've been saying for years that American culture is systematically burying any reminders that women have unique lives that contribute just as much value as men, by doing that which is uniquely feminine. We see women striving to be less feminine by rejecting the work that is biologically unique to them: birth is the responsibility of medical "professionals", breastfeeding is replaced by industrial formula, pharmaceutical companies offer drugs that eliminate other aspects of femaleness: eliminate your monthly cycle! Eradicate menopause! Get rid of all that pesky hormonal stuff so you can get out into society and contribute in the way that is approved by modern culture - breadwinning.

I can't think of one single purely biological female quality that isn't being routed out of the life of a woman. Already girls will grow up thinking it normal to accept technological help in every phase of life to take away some of the pivotal experiences of femaleness, in the name of some twisted version of "feminism" that instead of honoring the truly feminine, only values a woman who can perform as much like a male as possible (oh, except in the bedroom, never mind that taking away all the normal biology might really mess with a woman's libido...).

The author and the woman who wrote the article she quotes, are both symptoms of this skewed anti-woman feminism and proponents of it. And she hands it to us with a sneer, unaware of the flaw she makes with her black-and-white thinking. I'm disgusted with her for both her snide attitude and the lack of critical thinking that went into her writing. I'm also sad that women feel so much revulsion about any of the normal experiences of womanhood.

Thank you for putting that into words!