Feminism and breastfeeding

[SnuggyBuggy]

Just curious as to people's opinions here as I haven't seen these two things discussed a lot. Is promoting breastfeeding compatible with being a feminist?

Mothers benefit from breastfeeding too

Do they? Again what benefit would a nice, middle class, non- smoking, non- drinking, healthy, eating her 5 a day mother like me have missed out on? By the time I gave up I was veering into depression and resenting my son. Mental health is as important as physical health.

I think the absence of breastfeeding support is a feminist issue - I am a volunteer in this area and the demands (in terms of training and time) on volunteers is completely absurd. If it was an area that had such an impact on men’s health and well-being these would be paid positions."

Totally agree. It’s also crazy that we are taught nothing about breasts /lactation in school biology. It should be like learning about the function of any other organ.

This discussion is clearly veering into the personal/defensive!

Obviously whether or not the benefits (to mother and baby) outweigh the negatives (for both) depend on individual circumstances.

Pointing out the benefits does not (or should not) equal saying that breastfeeding is best for everyone or that everyone should breastfeed.

Cross post. Agree that human lactation should be on the biology curriculum.

It’s an interesting debate because depending on how you look at it breastfeeding can be considered a very feminist act or completely unfeminist. For me it was the former, but I can see both sides. I do think as a women’s health issue it’s largely ignored though,

Completely disagree. Breastfeeding is not "unfeminist".

This discussion is clearly veering into the personal/defensive!

I wonder why that would be? I'm sceptical about this being what's best for the mother.

Why is it "unfeminist"? Because men can't do it?

It could certainly be considered unfeminist in the world as it is constructed today- it restricts a woman’s ability to engage in life outside the home, and puts the onus of childcare firmly on her shoulders. It also legitimises men absenting themselves from the home and from childcare-“someone has to earn the money”

Agree that human lactation should be on the biology curriculum.

Yes!

Its absense is part of the general erasure of women from textbook "standard" models of humans.

Compare the "standard" (male) model of muscular anatomy with a female one that shows the muscular tissue wrapping milk ducts. I had no idea...

absence*

"I'm sceptical about this being what's best for the mother."

Exactly. Based on your personal experience, in which breastfeeding wasn't best for you, you seem to be refusing to accept that breastfeeding is - or can be - beneficial to many mothers.

The benefits of bf are pretty marginal -apart, I think, from the reduction in the risk of breast cancer. But none of the benefits outweigh the potential mental health implications of a woman feeling obliged to bf when she doesn't want to.

I love the idea of lactation being taught in schools.

I think the providing of information on feeding methods should go both ways. I sometimes wonder if the position of only providing information on breastfeeding makes some people inherently suspicious and I do sometimes get the vibe of a lack of trust about information on breastfeeding. A honest breakdownof the pros and cons of both methods would be more helpful.

Anyway- there is an interesting discussion to be had about the politics and philosophy of bf. Shall we try to move away from the personal?

Well, it can be seen as unfeminist in that the b/feeding mother does do a lot more childcare/night wakings/work in the early days. Women exclusively b/feeding are tied to their babies in a way that men aren’t which can make working/having hobbies trickier.

On the other hand, For me it felt like the only time in my life I saw my body for what it was and that was something amazing. I had created and sustained life for 6 whole months. I found it empowering, I love my body now. I won’t hide the basic function of my breasts away from public view, I’m more confident. Plus I didn’t want to rely on buying a product from companies whose profit went into the pockets of powerful men and lobbyists to feed my baby. Plus it’s what I wanted to do. Totally accept not all women do but I wish more that did were able to get to the point where b/feeding is a positive thing for them.

Breastfeeding lowers your risk of:

breast cancer
ovarian cancer
osteoporosis (weak bones)
cardiovascular disease
obesity

For all of these there a significant number of factors which will reduce the risk.

I'm interested, as I think some others here are, in breastfeeding (and motherhood) from a social and cultural perspective, as well as a public health issue at a population level

Are you interested in the intense pressure put on middle class mothers to breast feed?

Bertrand and Tiny
Yes, I see your points about why breastfeeding could be "unfeminist" in terms of the division of labour in a couple/family.
DH and I have friends with young children and we are all pretty feminist/egalitarian couples - the experience of having children has put challenges on those relationships and most of us have recalibrated the division of labour somewhat, albeit temporarily in some cases.

Nottonight
Are you saying breastfeeding could be considered "anti-woman"? What do you mean by that?