Has anyone else seen this, "Breast Isn't Always Best?" - Page 2

[joliebebe]

Amongst all the rubbish she spouted, she did mention something interesting, that I also agree with. From the tone of her article, it sounds like she was not well informed and the whole experience had left a bitter taste in her mouth. Only makes me want to work harder at promoting breastfeeding with honest, cut the cr*p info, from real life experiences.


"If society is going to promote breastfeeding, women ought to start talking about it far more. Instead of breezing into breastfeeding without grasping the strains involved, women should receive unbiased information during pregnancy"


ETA: I saw a t-shirt once saying: Breast isnt best.... its NORMAL.

[sdm1024]

I can't even

finish reading articles like that.

The human species survived for a few million years before formula, doctors, etc. According to pro-formula, it's amazing that we got by. head:

[prettypixels]

She definitely has a right to her opinion, and a right to share her less than positive bf'ing experience... however, you'd think a journalist would understand that she has a RESPONSIBILITY to do more thorough research. I mean seriously, the world's most basic searches for breastfeeding benefits turns up thousands upon thousands of articles from scientific and medical organizations exploring all the different benefits of breastfeeding. To be fair, she should include the information that formula is made with CORN SYRUP SOLIDS and then try to convince women that feeding babies corn syrup is the future, move on sister!

This makes me so sad for all the women who will read it and make the decision NOT to even try breastfeeding, because according to this author it doesn't have any benefits anyways. Seriously just irresponsible journalism, no matter how you look at it. (Yes, it is an opinion piece, but she includes professional citations.)

[croleRN]

Velveeta: I like your letter! (wink)

[curly_mommy]

Wow.

This article absolutely shocked me. I was absolutely in her same boat for those first few weeks - up until the formula part. But I kept up, and I just love my bf relationship with my baby.

I think this is just another example of how *little* new moms know about bf'ing. I had absolutely no clue that it involved nursing my baby every 2 hours, or that it wouldn't be easy, that we would both have to learn how to do it. It sounds like the author didn't know any of these things either, and she didn't take the time to try to learn them. I realize now that so much more education needs to be done.

It's so sad that she still harbors so much bitterness about her experience, and that she has an outlet to express it to so many people.

[Mrs.PhD]

Originally Posted by curly_mommy

Wow.

This article absolutely shocked me. I was absolutely in her same boat for those first few weeks - up until the formula part. But I kept up, and I just love my bf relationship with my baby.

I think this is just another example of how *little* new moms know about bf'ing. I had absolutely no clue that it involved nursing my baby every 2 hours, or that it wouldn't be easy, that we would both have to learn how to do it. It sounds like the author didn't know any of these things either, and she didn't take the time to try to learn them. I realize now that so much more education needs to be done.

It's so sad that she still harbors so much bitterness about her experience, and that she has an outlet to express it to so many people.

Good for you! In the words of Indigo Girls "that's what seperates me from you" (or in your case you from her.)

I must admit I had simlar pit falls for my 1st DD. (not the same, and I had great support from my own mother and DH. I also have natural instint to find out more about something if I need help instead of just giving up. I agree with prettypixels and think that as a journalist she should of written a more blanced article with research.

Being able to work through your problems, do you feel that you have bitterness towards the subject now? (My guess is no from your post.) Maybe that is her inner drive, she is still really dispaointed in herself for quiting and really wants vaidlation in it? I don't know, but I just wanted to say good for you for NOT giving up when it got hard.

[elelvee]

This title reminded me that I was going to post about Minnesota Parent and forgot to do it. It started exactly the same way.

This is the good one, about hospitals:
http://www.mnparent.com/articles/200...aby/baby06.txt
Title - Even the best breast might need some help
Minnnesota hospitals are cutting back, but still offer some lactation services

Now for the annoying one:
http://www.mnparent.com/articles/200...aby/baby05.txt
IT ISN'T ALWAYS EASY AND IT DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK.
Two mothers gave breastfeeding "the old college try."

[treemom2]

Articles like this really make me so angry. Heather: Your letter was awesome, have you received a response yet?

[Carma]

This must be a very guilty feeling frustrated person. I also had a hard time the first 8 weeks, very sore nipples. New Moms should be aware of the negatives of supplementing, that's the only way to be strong when you want to give up.

Carma

[Blue Dragonfly]

Well it is The National Post. Pretty much every time I read it my head does this: . Not surprising they would publish this.

[moonfirefaery]

As a follow up... just to let you know... she hasn't responded back to my letter, which I'm glad you all thought was well-written. I hope I gave her something to think about. Maybe I will write her editor, too.

[ericswifey27]

Originally Posted by blsilva

OMG, that's horrible! And WTF was this-" not just a hungry baby whose needs I had to attend to 24/7." Isn't that the definition of parenthood? :

exactly... :


The article is really making me :

[shanagirl]

It was hard to read through the article because of the woman's rigidity and underlying anger. I would guess she is a very competitive person and this article is deep sour grapes on her part-- I couldn't nurse so nursing must not be that valuable.

Her focus on a baby nursing "up to 12 times a day" for "up to 45 minutes" each time was so revealing. Babies can nurse as many times a day as their mothers let them. Her need to quantify says it all. That is the opposite of what nursing is all about, which is responding, not controlling.

But weirdest of all was when she equated breastfeeding with unprotected sex and maternal death. I've never read a more ridiculous statement in my life, and I read a lot. That made me feel really sorry for her child in terms of the logic he is going to be subject to when mom isn't happy.

Different strokes, I guess, but she's got major sour grapes.

[julie128]

Originally Posted by velveeta

I loved Heather's letter, too. Great job! I hope that the article writer considers what Heather wrote.

All that "turn back the clock stuff" and describing BF as feeling like "tyranny" is really too much. Here is a NEWSFLASH: Babies *do* need their mothers 24/7 when they are just a few weeks old.

Here is what I am thinking about writing to her:

Dear Writer,

Are you smoking crack?

Sincerely,
Jean

(just kidding. I wouldn't send that. But, I *will* think it)

If she were smoking crack, that would be a good reason to use formula, or rather, for a foster parent to use formula.