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Breastfeeding Advocay

2002-06-05 11:07 a.m.

I am VERY pro breastfeeding! I believe all women should educate themselves and realize how important it is for the baby to have breastmilk. I espouse bfing wherever I go and if I have a pregnant friend I help educate her on bfing with books, numbers of LC's, LLL meetings and the like. I plan to nurse my twins when they are born.

But sometimes some of the "friendly" bfing advocates around me REALLY piss me off. I consider myself a bf advocate. I will ALWAYS be a BF advocate. But some of the "militant" views on BFing amaze me. I find it impossible to believe that a "militant" bfer really thinks that calling someone names, telling a FFeeding mom they don't love their child, that they are lazy, etc...that things of this nature will help them make a different choice if presented to them again. How on earth can we think this will help? By making the FF mom think all bfer's are crazed lunatics?

What about these scenarios:

1. The women who had to ff because of breast reconstruction surgery and the failure to produce any milk. She went through 3 LC's and barely produced colostrum much less milk. She pumped she pumped and she pumped. Her body was too badly damaged.

2. The woman who pumps because she works fulltime so it's given in a bottle. It's still EBM but it's assumed it's formula by the world at large. Why because it's in the bottle?

3. And what about the woman whose child was born premature and placed in NICU? He was fed EBM through a feeding tube for 6 weeks. She pumped 10 times a day for 6 weeks and now continues to pump as the baby still has a problem latching.

I know the ladies with the above scenarios. It's real. And it's ALWAYS assumed that they don't give a damn about their child, blah blah blah blah blah.

We BF advocates talk about educating the forumla feeding world. Well do it! Educate! Don't be a part of the breakdown in the communication process. And educate yourselves while you're at it. Don't assume. Don't belittle. Do you really think any one will listen to what you have to say with that kind of attitude? I wouldn't. You probably wouldn't. So why should they? Be supportive. Listen to their reasons and them combat their reasons with education and alternatives.

I do have to say that I am REALLY bothered by a woman who won't consider BFing. It does happen. But can we really say they don't love their child or deserve to be parents? Couldn't we do this woman a lot better good by educating her. Helping her. She still may formula feed. But at least now it's not based on a lack of knowledge. And maybe if there is a next time she will think twice and make a different decision.

BTW - I do TOTALLY agree with Mia here though!!! And be sure to click the back button. I did have another entry today before I decided to rant.

October 11, 2006 - 2006-10-11
Back from Vacation - 2006-07-18
July 3, 2006 - 2006-07-04
Parenting is Hard - 2006-06-30
Update June 23, 2006 - 2006-06-23


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