although breastfeeding may not be the best choice for every mother it is the best choice for every baby
Hi :)
I’m Emma and I’m an avid breastfeeding supporter. I love breastfeeding, everything about it, I think it is truly beautiful and every mother should give it a go.
Saying that, I do sbelieve that there are NO benefits to Breastfeeding. Breast is NOT best.
I have had this view for a while and recently it has come into light on the news here in the UK (I will post a link at the bottom) so I thought, why not share my views with you lovely people..
Breastfeeding is the biological norm. We ladies were born with a fantastic pair of boobs, not for men to oggle at, but for us to feed our beautiful babies with. I often say “we were born with boobs, not a bottle on one side and a tin of formula on the other”. To say that breastfeeding and breastmilk is “best” or “beneficial” gives off the impression that artificial feeding and formula is the norm. This, in turn, implies that breastfeeding is a great but unusual alternative, when, in fact, it is a case of breastfeeding is normal and formula is risky.
Nobody expects the best in life, but everybody expects average.
If formula is seen as the norm, then I think it increases the chances of women either not attempting breastfeeding, or giving up early.
The following paragraph is written by another lactivist. I made a note of it a while ago and I think it really sums this up perfectly (I do apologise, I cannot for the life of me remember where I read it)…
“If we constantly tell women they have the ability to feed their babies with the ‘optimal, perfect, ideal food’, thats like telling a women she has the ability to send her children to the ‘optimal, perfect, ideal school’. Many a woman would think to herself ‘well that’s great, but I’m okay with a normal school’. And when they hear us talking about the amazing and glorious magical act of breastfeeding is, they hear us talking about something lofty, something they might like to aspire to but its not really a big deal if they opt to feed their babies in ‘the average way’ - using formula”
Wording is essential when talking about breastfeeding.
How often do we read and hear “breastfed babies have less ear infections”, “breastfed babies have better IQs” or “breastfeeding lowers the chance of SIDS/cot-death”
when infact, it should be..
“formula-fed babies have more ear infections”, “formula fed babies have lower IQs” and “formula feeding increases the risk of SIDS/cot-death”
after all, we dont say “not smoking decreases the risk of lung cancer” we say “smoking increases the risk of lung cancer” (just to clarify, I am not in any means likening formula feeding to smoking)
Makes formula seem a lot less ‘average’ doesn’t it? After all, nobody wants less than average for their baby.
Do you think this would make a difference to pregnant women thinking about how to feed their unborn child? I do. Please, let me know your views.
Hopefully, in the near future, breastfeeding will be seen as the norm again, which of course it is. And instead of being given a list of the benefits of breastfeeding, women will be given a list of risks of formula and artificial feeding. Hopefully, breastfeeding will be on the rise and the dirty looks and unnecessary comments a lot of women have endured when feeding their baby in public will disappear.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/10368037.stm
breastfeeding is beautiful
