NPR, why do you disappoint me???

[kdubs_mom]

I just got finished listening to a report on NPR's Day to Day in which a pediatrician said that, based on a recent study, breastfeeding does not have an advantage over FF in the areas of bonding and infant intelligence, and that he has always thought that breastfeeding was "probably better" but now is not so sure.

Here's the link:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=89271759

I'm so mad right now I don't even have the mind to write a letter yet. But I will!

ARRRGGG!!!!!

[Ammaarah]

I was just trying to post this! Grr, it was an awful piece. I could feel lactivists across the land getting bristly!

Again, breastfeeding is asked to prove itself, rather than breastmilk substitutes. And it "only" proves itself as being protective against eczema and digestive illness. Never mind that eczema makes some children incredibly miserable and digestive illnesses kill many many babies in the developing world and no doubt some in the developed world as well.

The doctor in this piece writes for Slate.com, which I've found to be very dismissive of breastfeeding advocacy.

[kdubs_mom]

Originally Posted by Ammaarah

I was just trying to post this! Grr, it was an awful piece. I could feel lactivists across the land getting bristly!

Again, breastfeeding is asked to prove itself, rather than breastmilk substitutes. And it "only" proves itself as being protective against eczema and digestive illness. Never mind that eczema makes some children incredibly miserable and digestive illnesses kill many many babies in the developing world and no doubt some in the developed world as well.

The doctor in this piece writes for Slate.com, which I've found to be very dismissive of breastfeeding advocacy.

I found the tone of the benefits to be woefully understated. Digestive illnesses affect babies and parents alike. I had a coworker whose FF daughter rode the constipation/fussiness roller coaster for her first six months (maybe more). Actually, fussy isn't the right word. Screaming is. Neither parent was getting any sleep, and I can only imagine the helplessness they must have felt.

Shame on NPR. I'm still mad!

[FREEmom1120]

I'm not advocating anything that happened on NPR, but I have been wondering about the benefits they called into question. Not saying I'll believe anything this ped said...

I read an article posted in the Family Bed board against CIO and it was all about Early Brain Development. It doesn't mention breastfeeding at all, but rather things like touch, attention, music and play. I'm a statistics nerd and would be interested to see a study done where the only parenting practice that changed between the two groups was method of feeding, but still no cio, feed on demand, clw healthy solids, etc.

Regardless, anything that questions the benefits of breastfeeding in our culture is very detrimental.

[snowgirl]

I just read about this on Lactnet. I will check it out. I am a big fan of NPR and so sad to hear that they aired this.

I just don't understand why following the natural course of life is not considered normal. Why do we even need to question it? Nobody questions peeing and pooping and that is natural. Throw all the other bf benefits etc. aside, it is what mammals are suppose to do. Breastfeed their young. I can't believe some people are so ignorant and can't see the forest through the trees.

Ah, so much work to be done!

[kdubs_mom]

Moms speak out!

Well, I never did write in but others did:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...oryId=89307926

Yay moms!

[JessasMilkMama]

Yeah, I would like to see someone FF their kids through diarrhea and colds and squirt formula up their nose and put it on their diaper rashes and in their pinkeye and be so thankful its the only thing their kid can keep down when they are vomiting...and then you tell me if it acheives the same result as breastmilk.

[mirlee]

I tried to post about this yesterday, but ran into technical difficulties. I was furious over this story. I have watched the effect breastfeeding has had on children and this "study" didn't seem like good science to me.

[hipmummy]

Listening to that felt as if I was hearing fingernails on a chalkboard : and that Is how I feel about that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[junipermuse]

I think the study that they were referring to on the NPR piece has been discussed here before. It's the one done in Beleruss (sp?) where they had two groups of patients one where the doctors and nurses actively promote breastfeeding and one where they don't. The comparisons that are made are between the two groups though and not actually between exclusively breastfed vs. formula fed babies. Frankly the findings are pretty meaningless. It's so frustrating that NPR has irresponsibly reported the results as if they proved that formula and breastmilk are essentially the same.

[snowgirl]

Oh and one more thing....I wish there were studies about the emotional development of a bf'ing child. I am bf'ing a 3.5 yo, do ya think it is for nourishment at this point? Maybe a little, here and there, but it is helping her get through some hard developmental milestones. It really irks me to see people comment on cases like Emily Gillette's incident. That her 22 month old should learn to wait, etc. blah, blah, blah. I keep thinking, just you wait and see 10, 15 years from now, to see a beautiful, independent and secure child that I have raised.