Shalom in the Home Rabbi and Breastfeeding

[elanorh]

haven't watched Shalom in the Home (dh watched it once and said it wasn't that great) but I think it's been going over pretty well with people ....

He has an article on his site about breastfeeding, which I thought was surprising. I expected that a rabbi would be more supportive of bfing and recognize its benefits, and also that as someone who purportedly specializes in helping families be healthy, he would recognize that the issues he's blaming bf upon are completely separate (and in some cases, shouldn't be considered "issues" anyway ).

http://www.shmuley.com/articles.php?id=277

There is a comment function and I note that only one comment thus far supports his reasoning.

[sapphire_chan]

I really loved this comment

"So why we must always glorify the benefits of breast-feeding" Indeed, I think part of hte problem is that we do glorify it, rather than simply see it as a normal part of childrearing. Rabbi Shmuley points out elsewhere that too many options can harm rather than help -- they make us too picky. If you see breastfeeding as a special thing you do to give the baby extra benefits, it is easy to resent it as an interference. If you take it for granted, it might not occur to you to resent it, unless you resent having to take of the baby to begin with. Their are people who feel that their healthy mariage and sex life is dependent on handing the children over to nannies and spending their lives on a perpetual date. Does Shmuley recommend that this option should also be considered? If breastfeeding is a danger to the marraige, something else is wrong. Using a bottle as the solution is no more than a band-aid. --MiriamJD


Bolding mine

[Danielle283]

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[Joannarachel]

No I didn't get that comment. How disturbing. Hopefully it's a system error rather than a personal statement...my comment was pretty pointed.

[ExuberantDaffodil]

The article was kind of yuck, and I am surprised a rabi would respond that way since to my understanding extended breastfeeding is largely supported in the Old Testiment/Torah, but I was glad to see the positive comments (except that one one that was completely off topic about breastfeeding vs formula feeding).

[REDBREAST]

What a pack of sexist lies!!! The article has no real facts in it! If what he wrote was true, then my dh would have not found BF such a turn-on, that I could not keep his hands off of me!!! As for BF ruining a marriage, well it wasn't that strong to begin with, if the way a mama feeds her baby "destroys" it. He is an idiot!

[Momtwice]

Straight from the Heart by Tehilla Abramov

is a book by an Orthodox Jewish woman I believe, and very suuportive of bf. Might have some rebuttals.

[babyomom]

That has got to be one of the dumbest things I have ever read. If the marriage is crumbling over bf-ing a baby, then the marriage was is trouble along before the baby came along. Couple's need to understand the life changing demands of a baby. And think before they have children. As the baby get's older things do get easier but will still never be like it was before whether you bf or bottle feed.

[Janice in Canada]

Thanks for the link. I watched his show once, and I rather liked his approach (as opposed to Nanny 911, Supernanny, etc).

This however, ain't so great.

I emailed the link to a friend of mine who is Jewish (I don't know many Jewish people here in rural Saskatchewan, she's in Toronto!) and she is just completing her Phd on lactation and psychology, and I think she has a focus on this kind of thing (bfing and sexuality).

Janice

[Dido]

Oy vey! Just a quick note to say I hope no one takes this obnoxious and stupid article as any kind of indicator of Jewish attitudes to breastfeeding. Traditional Jewish values are so much about supporting family and nurturing children. I don't know what this schmuck's background is, but "America's Rabbi"?? Uh-uh.

[MaryJaneLouise]

Originally Posted by BrklynMama

Oy vey! Just a quick note to say I hope no one takes this obnoxious and stupid article as any kind of indicator of Jewish attitudes to breastfeeding. Traditional Jewish values are so much about supporting family and nurturing children. I don't know what this schmuck's background is, but "America's Rabbi"?? Uh-uh.

Thank G-d.

[thismama]

Yuck. I commented.

[bri276]

better go back in time to yell at Sarah and all the other BC mamas! guess they should have been bottlefeeding with goat's milk or something

[neverdoingitagain]

I had to add a comment. Mine is the one with the grandmother and her 20 children. Seriously, if it de-erotized her so much, why was grandpa always knocking her up? Unless she went by the knickname "Virgin Mary", there was definately sex involved.
My Grandma is rolling in her grave now

[Joannarachel]

:

Originally Posted by neverdoingitagain

I had to add a comment. Mine is the one with the grandmother and her 20 children. Seriously, if it de-erotized her so much, why was grandpa always knocking her up? Unless she went by the knickname "Virgin Mary", there was definately sex involved.
My Grandma is rolling in her grave now

:

[snowbunny]

GRRR!

I just hate the idea that a woman can't be erotic and nurturing at the same time. The rabbi would have you believe that a woman can be a mother OR a wife: her sexuality can't be used for eroticism and reproduction silmultaneously. These roles are not mutually exclusive.

There's an intense, and astounding beauty that our bodies are so awesome as to compound these roles into one. My hubby thinks that's very erotic! :P

[Mama8]

I commented. Just plain wrong!

[TigerTail]

Hrumph. It took me half the day to dare read it (I made sure my blood pressure was in a good place & the kids were napping, I kbew it would piss me off .) I'm there.

[Lisoula]

It iritates me when regular everyday people belittle breastfeeding. But I get IRATE when it comes from someone who is supposed to be respected for giving good advice! That article was beyond terrible...I'm disgusted.

[frenchie]

What a sad article....I left a comment too.