For my PTBD peeps
And anyone else who's interested, from the April 2009 issue of The Atlantic:
The Case Against Breastfeeding
"In certain overachieving circles, breast-feeding is no longer a choice—it’s a no-exceptions requirement, the ultimate badge of responsible parenting. Yet the actual health benefits of breast-feeding are surprisingly thin, far thinner than most popular literature indicates. Is breast-feeding right for every family? Or is it this generation’s vacuum cleaner—an instrument of misery that mostly just keeps women down?"
Interesting to chew on, no matter what your opinions and experience of breastfeeding. (Link via The Juggle.)
The Case Against Breastfeeding
"In certain overachieving circles, breast-feeding is no longer a choice—it’s a no-exceptions requirement, the ultimate badge of responsible parenting. Yet the actual health benefits of breast-feeding are surprisingly thin, far thinner than most popular literature indicates. Is breast-feeding right for every family? Or is it this generation’s vacuum cleaner—an instrument of misery that mostly just keeps women down?"
Interesting to chew on, no matter what your opinions and experience of breastfeeding. (Link via The Juggle.)
Labels: in the news, lactation
posted by electriclady at 8:22 PM
9 Comments:
I've come to realize that with both sides, usually, it's a pack mentality thing. I formula fed the Mini for personal reasons. He's a healthy kid. He's been sick so rarely, that I can count it on one hand. He's happy and healthy.
And jesus, well, BG? That kid is super smart. She makes the Mini look like a paste eater (which I was, and I defend the paste. IT TASTED GOOD, ALRIGHT?)
I may give breastfeeding a shot with this one, but really, that's no one's business, you know?
Anyway, my whole point is: parenting is hard enough. The whole judgement thing for every little thing we do or don't do is getting old. So long as you're not putting your baby in danger, then I don't really care how you parent. It might not be up my alley, so I'll keep my mouth shut about it, but parenting should be one of those things where you're not criticized for every little thing you do "wrong." That's what your mother is for.
Yes, I enjoyed that. :) I was disappointed there was no discussion of the purported health benefits to the mother of breastfeeding.
If it doesn't work out this time, I hope I will not be crazy about it.
Well, it's about bloody time an article like that was written. Amen, amen, amen.
I read it and nearly cried. What an awesome article. Really needed to be said.
And what's PTBD?
Really, I seem to be the only mother who's read this article (ok, sample size not so big) that has a lot of issues with it.
Good thing I have a blog for that shit.
Or really maybe I am setting the feminists back a couple of generations.
I posted this article on Twitter earlier. I really like this article, if only to assuage the guilt of women who dare to put their own sanity in front of the dubious my-baby-will-be-a-genius-if-I-breastfeed connection.
I read the article. It pissed me off. We are fortunate that we have the formula as an option to us, and I don't have a problem with women who decide for any reason that they will use formula.
However, I truly take exception to statements the author made like this one: "It is a serious time commitment that pretty much guarantees that you will not work in any meaningful way." I nursed and pumped while at work and did not give my child any formula. Yet my husband and I were still able to equally share the childcare and housework and both work full time, in meaningful ways. We even both shared nighttime duties in a way that worked for us!
Ah, I could go on, but I already did on One Tired Ema's blog. It was there that another commenter made the statement: "IF motherhood is part of the reason why women aren’t breaking through the glass ceiling, the problem is with the ceiling, not with motherhood." I agree with that, and that the problem isn't just with the ceiling but other areas of inequality too.
I'm breastfeeding Brynn...but my husband and I were both formula fed kids and I know what fine specimens we are, LOL! Personally, I think it's such a personal topic...for any woman to judge another or her choices would be dreadful. We need to all be here for each other, no matter what we choose. My sister formula fed all four of her kids and they are wonderful little ones...in fact it would have destroyed her to try to breastfeed (single mom, needing to go back to work, having other little ones at home...you get my drift) But also my friend who had a great support system was just unable to due to low supply...her trying nearly wrecked her marriage. You can't say that all women should or shouldn't...the world doesn't work that way. So thanks for always showing both sides. You do a great job!
What's PTBD? Is it post traumatic breast disorder? IF not I just made that up :-) THere really should be such a thing if there isn't, don't you think? For some lame ass reason I still have issues internally that I couldn't provide for Brynn in utero because I had that silly reverse perastalis that made me lose all that weight near the end. I feel like I undernourished her while I carried her near the end. Some days I feel like that gave me post traumatic stress...as lame as that sounds.
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