On Fb - Your baby won't starve w/o WIC whip out the boobs

[Verin Sedai]

It's interesting how some women who would be outraged at slut shaming or criticizing a woman over an abortion, have no problem criticizing women who do not or cannot breast feed. And yes, quoting statistics at women, basically saying, "everyone can do this but you, stats show you are wrong" is criticizing. It also interesting how women's stories of difficulties are dismissed as a lack of education or support. If it's not your boob or your baby, keep out of it.

I don't see anyone quoting statistics AT women here (please correct if I'm wrong). Breastfeeding is a public health issue, especially for women and babies in places where it is unsafe or unsanitary to use formula. We can have a discussion about the public health and statistics side of breastfeeding without grinding down individual women who have for whatever personal reason not been able or chosen not to breastfeed.

Can I just say that again, so people hear me?

It is not okay to criticize individual mother's choices of infant feeding (within reason; if I find out you're feeding your newborn a suspension of Cheeto dust and Bud Light, I think I will have to risk your wrath and speak up).

It is vital for societies and their members to talk about the facts and statistics about breastfeeding within their societies and discuss strategies that help mothers to make informed, supported decisions about how to feed their babies.

The previous two ideas are not mutually exclusive.

And my heart goes out to women who wanted to breastfeed their children but can't. It's one of my dreams to (if my luck holds next pregnancy) pump and donate excess milk to babies who struggle on formula.

[halfheartedheroine]

I don't see anyone quoting statistics AT women here (please correct if I'm wrong). Breastfeeding is a public health issue, especially for women and babies in places where it is unsafe or unsanitary to use formula. We can have a discussion about the public health and statistics side of breastfeeding without grinding down individual women who have for whatever personal reason not been able or chosen not to breastfeed.

Can I just say that again, so people hear me?

It is not okay to criticize individual mother's choices of infant feeding (within reason; if I find out you're feeding your newborn a suspension of Cheeto dust and Bud Light, I think I will have to risk your wrath and speak up).

It is vital for societies and their members to talk about the facts and statistics about breastfeeding within their societies and discuss strategies that help mothers to make informed, supported decisions about how to feed their babies.

The previous two ideas are not mutually exclusive.

And my heart goes out to women who wanted to breastfeed their children but can't. It's one of my dreams to (if my luck holds next pregnancy) pump and donate excess milk to babies who struggle on formula.

Sorry, I'm trying to stay out of it, but this made me giggle a lot :)

[Feberin]

It's interesting how some women who would be outraged at slut shaming or criticizing a woman over an abortion, have no problem criticizing women who do not or cannot breast feed. And yes, quoting statistics at women, basically saying, "everyone can do this but you, stats show you are wrong" is criticizing. It also interesting how women's stories of difficulties are dismissed as a lack of education or support. If it's not your boob or your baby, keep out of it.

We are constantly picking apart parenting decisions on here. I don't see how breastfeeding is something that should not be talked about but homeschooling, nutrition of children eating solid foods and how many children people have is fair game. And in SOME cases women do struggle because of lack of education or support. If you're being told that your milk should already be in the day after your baby is born or being discouraged from nursing in public those are going to affect your success with breastfeeding. Other times it's for different reasons but I don't think you can say that in SOME cases more knowledgeable support wouldn't be helpful. The discussion about statistics is mostly why the statistics vary so much place to place. I do think it's interesting why one country has a very high rate of breastfeeding and another a very low rate. One of my friends once suggested that perhaps lower breastfeeding rates may be connected to breastfeeding not being something viewed in daily life. Her theory is if you grew up seeing women breastfeeding uncovered then you would have a better idea of how things worked and it would be easier then having grown up in a world where you rarely see somebody breastfeeding without a cover.

[LilMissMetaphor]

Oh, the grand old topics of doom

They rear their ugly heads,

It's better by far not to post at all

In any of such threads...

[Arete]

Oh, the grand old topics of doom

They rear their ugly heads,

It's better by far not to post at all

In any of such threads...

I nominate LilMissMetaphor for FJ Poet Laureate. :mrgreen:

[dawbs]

there's also a helluva lot of privilege in even being able to discuss this as a choice for a lot of women.

I work in sci-education and I have a boss who went through hell to BF her own kids 30 years ago--I work in a place that has (albiet in another building, halfway across campus--so not helpful) a lactation room. I had a boss who was willing to let me take my lunches and breaks locked in my office pumping and who didn't freak about me missing mandatory meetings while listening in on a mtued speaker phone so I could pump.

Compare that to any of the more blue-collar jobs I've had and it's a world of difference. If I were still working retail, it wouldn't have been a possibility. If I were still working IT, I'd have been 'mommy tracked'. if I were still working as a CSR, it would have been hellish (to put it mildly) and people I know still in that field had to threaten lawsuits to get what was legal.

[Adrienne83]

Adrienne, these days there are pumps which you could use to pump your milk for him.

I know. I have a breast pump. :)

[Adrienne83]

No, I wasn't breech. (I also wasn't a boy or a firstborn, both of which are supposed to be risk factors). I had extremely loose ligaments in my hips, and my right hip socket wasn't completely formed.

Gotcha. My son was stuck breech early on because of a fibroid in my uterus. Plus it blocked him from being able to come out vaginally.