High School Lactivist

[zibster321]

Hello ladies! I'm a high school student and I'm looking for advice on something. Several times the issue of breastfeeding has come up among my friends and I, and I was wondering what types of things I can say to help promote breastfeeding and breastfeeding full term. (I'm not a mother or in any sort of relationship, just really passionate on this issue and I wish to do something in the future with LLL). I've casually mentioned stuff like it's better for moms and babies, and the WHO recommends nursing until at least two years of age, but most people seemed shocked and disgusted. Also, I boycott Nestle and I was wondering how I could spread the word on that.

Thanks so much (I admire you so much for what you're doing, and aspire to be a fellow nursing mom and lactivist someday!)

[Meiri]

Just make sure you're passing on accurate information and keep setting a good example. I suspect that most HS students haven't given this much thought at all.

When someone asks why you're passing on having that Crunch bar, just tell them. I find that framing it in terms of the company's lack of ethics and the harm their lies do to babies is the best way to approach the issue, rather than implying that the other person is less aware or bad or anything like that.

[mom2snugbugs]

WOW!! First of all, kudos to you. When I was in high school breastfeeding was the furthest thing from my mind. You know more about it then when I was a first time mom.

Second, you already are a lactavist. I think one thing to do is to normalize breastfeeding. That breasts are not sexual objects. That breastfeeding is not *gross*

Good luck in all you do. Thanks for getting the message out!

[dkapdblack]

Welcome to Mothering! It's so great that you're already passionate about breastfeeding! (I, like the PP, was nowhere near as enlightened or thoughtful in high school.) I agree that one of the best things to do is normalize breastfeeding- just let people know that it's natural and wonderful! When people bring up that they think extended nursing is "gross," empathize with them. Honestly, when I was pregnant the thought of nursing a walking, talking toddler icked me out a little- and now we've been nursing 20 months and I'm hoping for a few more years! You're going to face some ridicule and rejection as a lactivist, but the bond between a nursing mother and her baby is worth so much more than that!

[jessica_lizette]

Like the previous posters, I hadn't really even thought about breastfeeding until I got pregnant! I'm glad to see that you're already learning what you can about it, that's awesome!

Just let them know that that is what breasts are FOR, and that is how babies are SUPPOSED to be fed. Yes, there is formula, but it is way overused in our society. It is for mothers who cannot breastfeed, and it is way too inadequate to be given to babies as a first choice.

And they probably just think it's "gross" because chances are they haven't given it as much thought yet. Hopefully when it's time for them to have babies you'll have left an impression on them and they'll come around.

[aaronsmom]

Kudos to you for doing this!
I recommend this article.

[FREEmom1120]

It's awesome that you are doing your best to influence your friends now.

I'm curious as to how the subject of bf comes up between you and your friends. My advice is to bring in personal experience if you have any, such as the story of you being nursed past a year, siblings, etc. Otherwise I'm afraid you might not find a lot of HSers interested in your views without having experience. It'd be nice if they were interested, but it would kind of be like my 20-something peers talking to me about retirement or AARP or something that is not even in my mind right now, kwim?

If you have an opportunity, do a project on the issue, maybe for a history or speech class? You'll have a captive audience of females AND males, and it may spark a lot more conversation. I remember projects done by my peers in HS about issues I would have otherwise not paid attention to.

Encourage people to do their own research too, before they turn their nose up at what you're saying.

Good luck and rock on!

[mrsdocmartin]

Also, remember that they may change their minds. I was very lukewarm about breastfeeding in HS. Now I'm a major lactivist. You are a great example to other girls your age!

[ErinsJuneBug]

Good for you!

However, I think a lot of it comes with age and having the actual experience of being a mother. Obviously your mother was very pro-breastfeeding and raised you to think of breastfeeding as normal and natural (which it is). It’s funny how children/teenagers pick things up - and even the casual mention of "ewww I saw someone nursing in that restaurant" can quickly create disgust in a child who really doesn’t understand what they suddenly don’t like, kwim?

Anyway - even though my mother nursed my sister until she was 2 1/2 I STILL always thought it was gross....but currently I am breastfeeding my almost 3 year old! Things change - your perception of the world changes and people grow and mature.

Absolutely any exposure to breastfeeding information is AWESOME and may plant that seed that in the future creates a support of breastfeeding mothers.

[FREEmom1120]

I just thought of this. One thing that might be working against you in s the shortsightedness,in general, of teenagers. For some, it might seem like a decision about breastfeeding is a billion years away.

[St. Margaret]

At the high school where I taught, most students were very into social justice, human rights, environmentalism, etc. I bet they would be very open to learning about how BFing is "green" and how Nestle hurts babies.

You never know where lactivism comes up-- people kept nursing babies/others (Grapes of Wrath) in the literature I've taught! It was a great chance to simply treat BFing as the norm.

Welcome to MDC, btw. There's a lot to learn here for everyone, not just moms/soon-to-be-moms. And you'll be informed ahead of time, too!

[kimbersdawnly]

Definitely check out that article linked by a previous poster - it is great! Also, these might help for a crash course in the stats and some of the crucial reasons for breastfeeding:
http://www.womenshealth.gov/breastfe...x.cfm?page=519
http://www.4woman.gov/Breastfeeding/index.cfm?page=home
http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_abo...st_cancer.html
http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_abo...t_disease.html
http://www.promom.org/101/index.html
Because, to quote GI Joe, "knowing is half the battle."

Good luck!

[earthmommy2]

I don't have naything to add, but the previous poster have given you some awesome resources.

One thing that I recently heard done by a daughter of a friend. When her class had to take on the programmed babies, she was handed a bottle. She refused it, saying, "I want to breastfeed my baby." THe school had to fumble and find a resource to do this...but she did end up getting to breastfeed her computerized baby!!

A small stand can make a huge difference!!

[slymamato3]

Good job!!! And good luck in all that you do!

[elanorh]

In terms of Nestle - I think there's a Youtube video about their practices (It might be the old movie from the 70's but then again, it's not like they've changed anything they do at this point ).

I'd approach the Nestle issue from the perspective of, "Their business practices are killing babies; they take advantage of their customers knowing that they are drastically increasing the risk that those families' children will die." The social justice aspect of it, I think, will hook people in.

And I think the environmental aspects of breastfeeding might 'play' with your peers ... if you have friends who eat organic, or are vegetarian or vegan, or concerned about eating healthily --- or worried about global warming .... Breastfeeding burns about 3-500 calories/day, it produces no byproducts (other than baby poop ). No carbon is used to transport it or to create its "packaging" (nor are any other materials used) .... it's about as low-impact as you can get. And on a selfish level - if a woman doesn't breastfeed her infant, she and her infant are both going to have greater risks of many health issues (long and short-term).

I know I was talking with my sister's niece awhile ago, and she was completely sold on bfing based on how quickly my sister and I lost our "pregnancy weight" (and then some) while breastfeeding ... she wondered why everyone didn't do it, if it was so great for losing weight.

[julie128]

does your school have a sex ed (or abstinence) class? you might present the teachers with the idea of adding a unit on breast feeding. it could even be a short 1/2 period class.

[weliveintheforest]

Originally Posted by julie128

does your school have a sex ed (or abstinence) class? you might present the teachers with the idea of adding a unit on breast feeding. it could even be a short 1/2 period class.

This is a great idea. If all schools did this it could really clear up some misconceptions, and lead to more women breastfeeding.

[momtokimari]

That's great that you're getting started early on your lactivism. I didn't think about breastfeeding for quite some time... although in HS a few of my friends were breastfeeding. One of them even had a home birth. More of the teenage moms I knew were not.

Like I said in another post... I didn't even realize babies could be breastfed until I got to high school! I'd never even thought about it. Me (and all 9 of my younger siblings) were formula fed so I just thought that that was the only way to feed a baby. Despite the fact that my mom told me stories of how my older sister (my dad's first kid, not from my mom) would always stick her hand down my mom's shirt. lol.

My sister was actually the first person I ever knew who breastfed, besides my grandma who didn't talk about it. She had her son at 17, I was 14. I was there for the birth, cut his cord, and had my first encounter with breastfeeding that day as well.