For some insane reason i still read parents magazine. (ok it shows up at my house and I have no idea why. ) I am often angered by their articles, but this time i just had to speak out. They have an article telling women how to deal with your baby on the go, and as you can imagine breastfeeding comes up not only do they offer that you can nurse in private rooms, in dressing rooms, or somewhere with a blanket, they mention that "if all else fails you can retreat to your car."
I am outraged so I wrote them, and I would love if others would join in. This is the September 2008 issue in the as we grow 0-12 month section.
mailbag@parentsmag.com
here is my letter
I am outraged so I wrote them, and I would love if others would join in. This is the September 2008 issue in the as we grow 0-12 month section.
mailbag@parentsmag.com
here is my letter
Quote:
| I am writing in response to your as they grow article aimed at 0-12 months. The subject being "On the go!". I have not even finished the article and I feel the need to write you. In your advice on feeding your child in the mall you do offer many suggestions for breastfeeding that are good for moms. Many new mothers are too shy to breastfeed in public or they have children who need a low key environment to eat which is fine, I respect that a woman has a choice about how she feeds in public. That choice should include nursing on the go, while shopping, sitting in the food court, whatever. Some mothers are not bothered by this, and many babies have no trouble eating in a busy environment. I was sad and shocked to see two things: The first was that you never offered up the option that they just nurse where they are without a cover. There is no reason a woman can not just nurse her baby without covering up, in fact in many states it is illegal to tell a woman she can not breastfeed, hopefully this will become a nation wide law. It's time to encourage mothers to breastfeed and show that it is not something shameful that we need to be hiding. Secondly I am appalled that you would suggest "if all else fails, retreat to your car". The last thing a mother needs is to feel isolated from society, our lives have already changed so much and all this is doing is making a mother feel worse. I thought you were supposed to help build up a mothers confidence? On top of treating the mother like a leper of society you are helping to keep breastfeeding rates in this country appallingly low. Let's try to work together to help mothers catch up to the rest of the world and to scientific evidence that breast feeding is far superior to any other kind of feeding. Let's normalize breastfeeding, it has been taboo in this country far too long. |
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Outstanding Letter!!
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