...or maybe it is an intelligent rant, I dunno lol...I am pregnant with our first child and I am already a lactivist, praying all goes well!! However, my mom, unfortunately is one of these "it's unnatural" people who really @#$@#$@ me off....so I was getting together a big folder of info on everything, AP, breastfeeding, all of it, just to give her if she is willing to read, so I wouldn't feel I had to constantly argue my opinion/position and maybe, just maybe squeeze open that mind of hers a bit...Anyway, I wrote this essay this morning to throw in there, thought you women (or men!) might be interested!
Breastfeeding is as old as humankind itself, and up until the last century, was the only way a baby could achieve any kind of adequate nutrition. Why do breastfeeding Mothers appear to be so rare though? The obvious answer would seem to lie with the formula corporations and their aggressive, often destructive form of advertising and marketing that is nonetheless, effective. It is thrust upon new Mothers who are often mislead, exhausted, misguided by formula-using family and friends, and disappointed when their attempts at breastfeeding prove harder than envisioned or expected. It is marketed like heroin from a dealer in an alley with promises of “more energy”, “less hassle”, “no different from the ‘other stuff’”, and other cleverly contrived one-liners that help a woman justify to herself that there is no difference in formula over breast milk.
While that is one factor, along with many other minor factors at play, unsupportive family or friends, uninformed medical personnel, medical reasons such as a women having to take certain medications, or like about 2-4% of the population of women, the simple inability to produce breast milk. Women will often cite many of these reasons, along with the blanket phrase of “I wish I could have breastfed, but I just couldn’t”, while often times averting their eyes, not ever really explaining how or why they couldn’t, and most people are too polite to ask.
Personally, I believe the root of most of the problem, the reason women stop breastfeeding sooner than recommended, all the way to women feeling forced to breastfeed in back rooms and bathroom stalls is the sexualization of breasts. In a world that is to this day still largely male dominated and where men are still the first class of people given credence to, and more importantly, marketed to, breasts have deviated far from their intended use. Rather than being seen as how God and nature intended breasts to be seen, as beautiful tools of nourishment for a growing baby, breasts are now more accepted in beer commercials and at boat shows, or as a backdrop as one places their order for hot wings at chain restaurants named after a derogatory word for breasts (the owl ain’t fooling anyone people). There is no argument that breasts can’t be erogenous, or that a woman can’t enjoy her breasts in a sexual situation, however, when society has sexualized breasts to such an extreme to which their biological, organic, and practical purpose is dismissed, impeded, even shunned and found offensive, there his a huge problem within a society.
While women in general are made to feel embarrassed (at the very least) when breastfeeding, the disapproval doesn’t often begin until a baby becomes sentient. It is somewhat accepted that a woman nurse a newborn, as society generally accepts that newborns aren’t aware of their surroundings and don’t even realize they are suckling at a breast. However, it is shortly after a baby becomes aware of what he or she is eating from that people begin to encourage weaning, as early as 4 or 5 months even. People get more embarrassed, they avert their eyes, women are rudely asked to feed their babies in bathroom stalls, some people even begin to feel breastfeeding is gross or “unnatural.”
Why is this? How can it be that a society who not even a century ago promoted breastfeeding both for health and practical reasons as a sole form of nutrition for a baby, have such a change of heart? As mentioned earlier, intense and ruthless marketing by formula corporations are partially to blame, but taking into consideration their relative newness in society, all fingers point to a male dominated world and the idea that breasts are for their explicit pleasure as opposed to a baby’s nutritional and psychological needs.
Another issue along these same lines is the fact that many women are shamed into not enjoying the breastfeeding relationship, if they do choose to pursue it. The fact that breasts are only seen as sexual objects forces women to feel embarrassed or to be the object of societal scrutiny if she professes love of breastfeeding or of the relationship it provides with her child. Many people automatically place a sexual connotation to it, whether consciously or not, leaving a Mother to feel the need to defend not only her choice, but the pleasure she derives from the breastfeeding relationship.
Many times, the shame of body and all the beauty and magic it possesses begins early in life. A curious toddler reaches for her Mother’s breast and is swatted away with a slap on the hand, teaching her it is shameful and inappropriate to explore. A mother feverishly grabs for a robe to cover herself if her young son happens to wander in her bedroom while she is changing clothes. A father begins distancing himself out of embarrassment and helplessness when his daughter is beginning puberty and the development of breasts. All these instance, coupled with the bombardment by the media from every angle that breasts are for the enjoyment of men, the selling of cars, the tools of a temptress, the magazine under a teenage boy’s bed is what promotes an otherwise logical adult to grimace when they see a breastfeeding Mother and proclaim to themselves, their companions, or even the Mothers themselves, “that is inappropriate, why don’t you cover up!”
I would urge anyone who is embarrassed, offended and even disgusted by breastfeeding to look within themselves for the answers as opposed to at the Mothers, who, according to every legitimate organization in the world, are providing the best for their babies and children. I would urge everyone who is even uncomfortable at the sight, or at the thought of breastfeeding themselves, to explore the deeper psychological reasons as to why you would find something so pure, natural, and beneficial, both nutritionally and psychologically to both Mother and child, to be tainted, or wrong. Similarly, I would encourage Mothers to not only make the choice to breastfeed, but to breastfeed with honor and with pride. I would encourage the breastfeeding Mothers of the world to unite in a common cause: to not only provide a loving, secure, nutritionally superior environment for your child, but to also demand a loving, secure, accepted environment for yourselves. Your child deserves it. You deserve it.
By Tara Hill
Feel free to pass to whoever, just don't claim it as your own, pleeeease...(arrogant much? LOL)
:
Why Don’t More Women Breastfeed?
Breastfeeding is as old as humankind itself, and up until the last century, was the only way a baby could achieve any kind of adequate nutrition. Why do breastfeeding Mothers appear to be so rare though? The obvious answer would seem to lie with the formula corporations and their aggressive, often destructive form of advertising and marketing that is nonetheless, effective. It is thrust upon new Mothers who are often mislead, exhausted, misguided by formula-using family and friends, and disappointed when their attempts at breastfeeding prove harder than envisioned or expected. It is marketed like heroin from a dealer in an alley with promises of “more energy”, “less hassle”, “no different from the ‘other stuff’”, and other cleverly contrived one-liners that help a woman justify to herself that there is no difference in formula over breast milk.
While that is one factor, along with many other minor factors at play, unsupportive family or friends, uninformed medical personnel, medical reasons such as a women having to take certain medications, or like about 2-4% of the population of women, the simple inability to produce breast milk. Women will often cite many of these reasons, along with the blanket phrase of “I wish I could have breastfed, but I just couldn’t”, while often times averting their eyes, not ever really explaining how or why they couldn’t, and most people are too polite to ask.
Personally, I believe the root of most of the problem, the reason women stop breastfeeding sooner than recommended, all the way to women feeling forced to breastfeed in back rooms and bathroom stalls is the sexualization of breasts. In a world that is to this day still largely male dominated and where men are still the first class of people given credence to, and more importantly, marketed to, breasts have deviated far from their intended use. Rather than being seen as how God and nature intended breasts to be seen, as beautiful tools of nourishment for a growing baby, breasts are now more accepted in beer commercials and at boat shows, or as a backdrop as one places their order for hot wings at chain restaurants named after a derogatory word for breasts (the owl ain’t fooling anyone people). There is no argument that breasts can’t be erogenous, or that a woman can’t enjoy her breasts in a sexual situation, however, when society has sexualized breasts to such an extreme to which their biological, organic, and practical purpose is dismissed, impeded, even shunned and found offensive, there his a huge problem within a society.
While women in general are made to feel embarrassed (at the very least) when breastfeeding, the disapproval doesn’t often begin until a baby becomes sentient. It is somewhat accepted that a woman nurse a newborn, as society generally accepts that newborns aren’t aware of their surroundings and don’t even realize they are suckling at a breast. However, it is shortly after a baby becomes aware of what he or she is eating from that people begin to encourage weaning, as early as 4 or 5 months even. People get more embarrassed, they avert their eyes, women are rudely asked to feed their babies in bathroom stalls, some people even begin to feel breastfeeding is gross or “unnatural.”
Why is this? How can it be that a society who not even a century ago promoted breastfeeding both for health and practical reasons as a sole form of nutrition for a baby, have such a change of heart? As mentioned earlier, intense and ruthless marketing by formula corporations are partially to blame, but taking into consideration their relative newness in society, all fingers point to a male dominated world and the idea that breasts are for their explicit pleasure as opposed to a baby’s nutritional and psychological needs.
Another issue along these same lines is the fact that many women are shamed into not enjoying the breastfeeding relationship, if they do choose to pursue it. The fact that breasts are only seen as sexual objects forces women to feel embarrassed or to be the object of societal scrutiny if she professes love of breastfeeding or of the relationship it provides with her child. Many people automatically place a sexual connotation to it, whether consciously or not, leaving a Mother to feel the need to defend not only her choice, but the pleasure she derives from the breastfeeding relationship.
Many times, the shame of body and all the beauty and magic it possesses begins early in life. A curious toddler reaches for her Mother’s breast and is swatted away with a slap on the hand, teaching her it is shameful and inappropriate to explore. A mother feverishly grabs for a robe to cover herself if her young son happens to wander in her bedroom while she is changing clothes. A father begins distancing himself out of embarrassment and helplessness when his daughter is beginning puberty and the development of breasts. All these instance, coupled with the bombardment by the media from every angle that breasts are for the enjoyment of men, the selling of cars, the tools of a temptress, the magazine under a teenage boy’s bed is what promotes an otherwise logical adult to grimace when they see a breastfeeding Mother and proclaim to themselves, their companions, or even the Mothers themselves, “that is inappropriate, why don’t you cover up!”
I would urge anyone who is embarrassed, offended and even disgusted by breastfeeding to look within themselves for the answers as opposed to at the Mothers, who, according to every legitimate organization in the world, are providing the best for their babies and children. I would urge everyone who is even uncomfortable at the sight, or at the thought of breastfeeding themselves, to explore the deeper psychological reasons as to why you would find something so pure, natural, and beneficial, both nutritionally and psychologically to both Mother and child, to be tainted, or wrong. Similarly, I would encourage Mothers to not only make the choice to breastfeed, but to breastfeed with honor and with pride. I would encourage the breastfeeding Mothers of the world to unite in a common cause: to not only provide a loving, secure, nutritionally superior environment for your child, but to also demand a loving, secure, accepted environment for yourselves. Your child deserves it. You deserve it.
By Tara Hill
Feel free to pass to whoever, just don't claim it as your own, pleeeease...(arrogant much? LOL)
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