I expect this article will make some people very angry

[GinaFjord]

the case against breastfeeding

Same old, same old. Loads of 'poisioning the well'comments and other unlogical points.

FFS,Of course babies do well on formula, why shouldn't they. Talk about objecting to nothing.

'Is Breat Feeding Worth It?'

Nah sod it, give them a froot shoot and a sausage roll and let them get on with it while you go down the pub.

yada yada yada.

Is she a scientist? It's one thing to read the research, it's a completely different thing to be able to critically evaluate it and work out what is good quality research and what isn't.

I'd be surprised if she was really qualified to contradict the WHO, the AAP and countless other organisations.

I quite related o a few of her points.

She doesn't say anything new does she? Of course babies do well on formula. BF babies do slightly better WRT immunity etc and BFing mums do slightly better WRT future health.

My DH was bottle-fed - who cares now he is 35?

The tragedy about BFing is that some people don't even consider BFing because FFing is the norm (I hate to say it but in the lower socio-economic groups). My sister's DSD just had a baby and BFing was never in the picture. Her DD will do just fine on FF but it makes me sad that she never even considered BFing. In her world no one BFs.

But for mums who desperately want to BF but for some reason cannot, it is nice to know that FF is such a close second that it barely makes a difference.

People are bound to question aren't they when every day we are seemingly presented with new contradictory medical 'evidence' about something or another. The critical evaluation point is true but from my own experience of academic research in my field it is possible to find valid evidence to support the point you want to make.

I don't think she does contradict it anyway, she says breast is best but that women who don't manage to live up to the ideal shouldn't be stigmatised. The 'is it worth it' part was just the title.

I think what I find interesting about the article (although I do find a lot of it quite patchy) is the fact that she mentions the toll breastfeeding can take on the mother.

Can't remember the exact wording, but she basically says breastfeeding is presented as being purely about how the baby is fed and it's not, it's a lot more than that.

Not every woman who breastfeeds enjoys it, and some actively resent it and I like the fact that she explores that here.

I just personally think that it is important to read and consider alternative views whether or not you agree with what they are saying. Breastfeeding is no different to anything else from that pov, so I can't see what the issue is.

Lol @ mrs nestle.

It's about more than just breastfeeding and working. As much as I think it's not great to live in a culture that sees ff as the norm I don't think it's particularly nice to live in a culture (well, sub-culture) that makes women feel like pariah's for choosing or having to ff.

I worked full time and still breast fed. I had to compromise with formula and bottles during the day but it wasn't difficult at all.

I'm relating her article SM - she doesn't say it's the 'hippies' that make her feel like a pariah, it's the other mother's.

Frankly, I know what she's talking about, I've seen it myself - you can deny it til you're blue in the face if you wish but there are some mother's who look down on women who breastfeed.

women who don't breastfeed.

Well who cares TBH. If you are happy with ff why does it matter?

Exactly, it doesn't matter. But there's no harm in acknowledging that people do experience small-minded bitchery for that choice.

In much the same way as b/fs experience it for their choice.

What damage?

I'm perplexed by your point.

It seemed a balanced article to me. Neither for nor against breast feeding.

She sums up the state of the debate quite nicely I think.

?Breast-feeding does not belong in the realm of facts and hard numbers; it is much too intimate and elemental,? she concluded in her article. ?It contains all of my awe about motherhood, and also my ambivalence. Right now, even part-time, it's a strain. But I also know that this is probably my last chance to feel warm baby skin up against mine, and one day I will miss it.?

I agree with both GinaFjord and brettgirl2.

Sadly I think the debate on MN gets too polarised with some people who see themselves as breast feeding advocates often refusing to accept even moderately different or questioning views. Nevertheless, those advocates' views are, rightly and largely, respected but I do wonder how someone would get treated on MN who came on as an equally ardent FF advocate. Would they be equally respected?

"Snyderman said that breast-feeding is best. ?Every woman should be encouraged to try breast-feeding,? she said. But, she added, women who either don?t or can?t breast-feed should not be stigmatized."

From the thread title I was expecting something very anti-BFing. Actually it seemed fine. Neenztwinz has an interesting point, that in some worlds no-one BFs whereas on MN (and in the world of the woman in the article) nearly everyone does, or at least thinks they should be.

"there are some mothers who look down on women who don't breastfeed."

Yep GinaFjord - like my MIL. I know quite a few peole on here have trouble with MILs asking 'are you still breastfeeding him', I'm going to have the opposite, asking why I'm not still doing it (even if I kept on until hypothetical child started school). She seems to think that anyone who can't or doesn't BF just isn't trying hard enough.

SM you are being disingenuous and you know you are.

Who said it's only exclusive breastfeeders who have that attitude? A couple of the women in my NCT group were very disparaging of the only member who didn't b/feed.

They still switched to formula at 4 months though, believing they had done their time.

IMO the health benefits probably not worth it if the whole thing is making you stressed and miserable. I bf both mine for a year, but I found it enjoyable and above all convenient. Far too much emotion is tied up with the whole issue. We should be free to make an informed choice based on our own circumstances.

Oh, and my FIL was very rude when my SIL decided not to b/f and I'm fairly certain he wasn't an exclusive breastfeeder either.

How does the 'pressure' on women to breastfeed get applied. What is the mechanism?

I am interested because I was heavily involved in a similar debate in climate change and I saw the phenomenon there with political actors, academics and the broader society being 'captured' by militant advocates. Typically those that questioned the idea were branded as 'deniers' and the rest of society began to be 'pressured' into accepting the idea. As with breast feeding all this is predicated on scientific findings which remain disputed by many.