Can you believe breastfeeding has to be advocated for?

[stretchmark]

I sure can't!!

[velcromom]

Nope. It's crazy, huh. :

[IdentityCrisisMama]

Sad, ha?

[soccerchic21]

It drives me nuts but if I have to be the one to do it I will.

[Colorful~Mama]

it is really a sad commentary on the state of our world

[lauraess]

It makes me wonder sometimes from an evolutionary point of view, If you think how many things have apparently evolved for the better, and some things that evolve that seem to be more harm than good- depending on ones perspective, and then with the history and politics involved with bfing.... well, uh..... hmmmm... what the Heck am i getting at??????????
Yeah, I can believe it. It's all about faster, better, money, and beauty.
Bfiing is or is not faster??? some think it's not when they want to go,go ,and do it without the hindrance of a baby--- hey pop in the bottle, go to work, let someone else do it and pay them.
Bfing is better than formula???? hmmmmm. the scientists are soooo smart, this stuff is just as good.
bfing is cheaper???? oh well, I'll go to work and that'll cover it, plus we get lots of coupons and samples and hey, everyone else does it.
bfing is not beautiful..... who wants a pair of droopy breasts? plus, That kid on me is not appealing to my hubby and then i couldnt wear my regular clothes!!!!!

yes. advocating is the sad truth but necesary.
~Laura

[JaneS]

That's capitalism for ya.

[Icequeen_in_ak]

Yep... I find it repulsive that I'm looked at like some sort of freak for "pimping to boob" (my LLL leader jokingly said that to me the other day and I about pee'd my pants).

I just think it's so sad that so many babies are getting second rate because society pumps their mothers full of b.s.

[Sustainer]

Ridiculous, isn't it?

To me, it's another sign of the disdain that this culture has for women.

[rareimer]

it is ridiculous. of course the milk of the human species should be better than the milk from a different species. of course there will be problems if you deny a baby what their nature expects, and give them a chemically-altered fake milk...why is this a shock to some people? how can people think there is no difference?

[velcromom]

Originally Posted by sbf

To me, it's another sign of the disdain that this culture has for women.

I woke up this morning with this on my mind. It made me think about how, in my experience, having children and nourishing them with my body has been tremendously empowering. Pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding can give you a sense of respect for your own body and its wisdom.

I also believe that they help women develop a great confidence in themselves by seeing the power of their gender, as well as their own personal strength as a woman. To be able to produce and nourish a child is a powerful thing, and shows that the old idea of the 'weaker sex' is a bunch of bull, even if you knew that intellectually before you had kids, once you've gone through it there is a quiet knowing and strength that you didn't have before.

I think this culture is afraid of women who are respectful of their own bodies and comfortable in them. I think discouraging women from giving birth and breastfeeding is to undermine women's confidence and power in being female. Why does society, supposedly having made great strides for women through feminism etc., still discourage us from discovering the strength of our own bodies and minds by telling us we can't birth and feed our babies without help?

A society full of women who respect their own femaleness and the female bodies they live in would be a financial disaster for all the industries who prey on and encourage our insecurities.

I really think feminism has dropped the ball here. Now that we have come to see women in all careers as normal, what about the other aspects of being female that are still being oppressed?

[BlueStateMama]

It's insanity and it enrages me. I've found my family glazing over lately on more than one occasion when I "go off" about it...but I find myself surrounded by more and more women who chose to FF (disclaimer - I am in no way impuning those women who had to FF, please understand) The lack of education and awareness is frustrating. The OB (who was THE head guy at my practice who delivered ME) said "There's nothing wrong with giving a bottle you know" when he walked into my hospital room after I had given birth and was struggling with the LC to get my son to latch on. (and so it starts - not even 24 hours after having given birth) I'm frustrated that it apparently isn't the norm - it just seems backwards.

[lauraess]

Originally Posted by velcromom

I
I really think feminism has dropped the ball here. Now that we have come to see women in all careers as normal, what about the other aspects of being female that are still being oppressed?

I agree. It seems sometimes to me that humans overall have a difficult time accepting the Yin and Yang of things at the same time. It's always black and white, all or nothing. Therefore when women who choose to go to work and not bf or pump talk to women who sah and bf there is often the tendency to be defensive and judgemental because they are feeling unsure about what they do since society has not helped them to really "do it all"
laura

[loving-my-babies]

you know what upsets me? It's how so many people look down at "3rd world countries" or "under-developed nations" (like my country, chile) and THEY are the ones that have great bf'ing rates. They are the ones that ,while, are not the most 'developed' or modern, they trust nature more than man, they know some things don't need to "develop" more, some thigs are ok left natural. like, feeding a baby. so many doctors here claim to be gods and strive every day to make a formula better than breastmilk just so they can say it was man-made and that they are better. but they can't. just face it... darn labs & scientists and docs.

it's sad to see where this culture is going...

[loving-my-babies]

Originally Posted by lauraess

I agree. It seems sometimes to me that humans overall have a difficult time accepting the Yin and Yang of things at the same time. It's always black and white, all or nothing. Therefore when women who choose to go to work and not bf or pump talk to women who sah and bf there is often the tendency to be defensive and judgemental because they are feeling unsure about what they do since society has not helped them to really "do it all"
laura

also, I think there is no point in women wanting to be "equal". because women and men by nature are different. why try to be like each other. it just doesn't work that way. what's the point in wanting to be something we are not meant to be. I mean, I don't think women HAVE TO be at home and men HAVE TO be the ones who provide, but women for ages have been the primary caregiver of her children, and the man the provider. I don't see anything wrong with that or anything that makes me less of a person or less important than my husband just because he's out there making money 9 to 5 and I'm at home breastfeeding my child and caring for my children. I think in this society there is a huge misconception on who should be who. let's just be ourselves and not try to be better than the other (men, in this case)

Just my honest opinion,

[lauraess]

It is my understanding that the mistreatment of women and children, the undervalued jobs of women, and the closed-mindedness of men that often comes from their D$%^ egos put together with the womens' rights movements, the industrial age, and the media/t.v. age played a huge part in "where" bfing and mothering as an art stand today.
I dont think our culture is "going" anywhere worse than we are now. WE'RE ALREADY THERE
i LIKE to think that due to the bfing movement, the holistic movement, and that pendulum we've always watched,( the one that brings back fashions and trends and sometimes more important things)And the strong and beautiful womens movement that i think is happening at times... well, maybe there is hope for the culture.
Laura

[bec]

It is apalling that we need to advocate BF, but think of this and be heartened. My almost 15 year old BIL was visiting for a short period today. I took him out to lunch. While we were discussing where we would go, I mentioned that Olive Garden was off the list (see the other thread about the nurse in for my reasons). When I mentioned this to him, he got very up in arms and indignant about it. He started going into all the reasons women should NIP, and BF in general.

I figure if I can reach a teenage boy, there might be hope for our future!


Bec

[lauraess]

bec, thanks you reminded me of something that happened a few yrs back when i was talking with a mom to be about bfing and a young man was there listening. He was really surprised that there was such an issue over it and about a yr later he mentioned to me how he had a lactation class while studying nursing and that a lot of great benefits were mentioned ... so fwiw, an impression was made on this young man.
Laura