The many, many costs of breastfeeding - VOX

[Helleofabore]

This has been rather eye opening to read..

www.vox.com/the-highlight/23076305/breastfeeding-costs-baby-formula-shortage

Following Strangio’s recent tweets as well, I am rather surprised to see this back lash against breastfeeding. Yes, it is hard. It is excruciatingly painful sometimes. I also don’t believe anyone should be shamed for their choices in this.

However, this could be said to be propaganda for formula companies surely? And not a woman to be seen. Just lactating parents!

The only reasonable motivation for writing about breast v formula milk is concern for women and babies. I don’t think (from that) that Vox has this in mind. It seems to be part of the ‘separate reproductive function from woman’ agenda.

Janice Turner's been tweeting about it. I can't get it to screenshot but here's the link:
twitter.com/VictoriaPeckham/status/1527236125898719233

As Butch Cassidey would have said: Who are those guys?

I do agree that telling women to "just breastfeed" if there's a shortage of infant formula is offensive and stupid - it's far too late for the babies that are getting fed formula right now for a start, and while it's technically possible for some women to relactate it takes a huge committment and effort which no-one should ever feel pressured to attempt.

I'm not sure why they had to have a massive "breastfeeding - it's so rubbish" infographic though. And fuck the fuck off with the gender neutral shite.

God. That was a horrible read. I bf 1 dc and ff the other, no agenda from me on this btw. But I found that really uncomfortable and quite shocking to read (the whole "birthing parent" thing aside). Made worse by the cutesy cartoons.

And the screen implying it's all a waste of a 'lactating parents' time.
twitter.com/VictoriaPeckham/status/1527239026964672514/photo/2
Get to fuck.

What a load of crap. You don't need half that stuff to breastfeed.

God, what a horrible, negative 'cartoon'. It's very American though. Most American women have to return to work after 12 weeks (if they're lucky - for some it's even less), so they do need to pump and store their milk in a way that British mothers typically don't.

I BF both my children and apart from nursing bras I'm struggling to think of any additional costs tbh. But it's a woman's choice what she does and it really isn't anyone else's business.

I used to follow Vox on YouTube until they posted a TRA video for which they disabled commenting (which I had never seen them do on a video before). I unfollowed them after that, because it was such a one-sided presentation of information how could I trust any of the other topics they covered?

That was awful! I've both exclusively breastfed and combi fed.

It's a very clear anti breastfeeding message. I'm also not sure I want to be referred to as a birthing parent or a lactating parent. What is so wrong about saying mother?

Grim cartoons, factual errors and a perspective that reduces the woman it can’t mention to a unit with no value other than economic.

No evidence that feminism was ever a thing.

I breastfed, and the only thing I needed to pay out for was a couple of nursing bras (I did buy some bottles and a Haaka, but never actually used that milk, so I didn't need those!). And tbh, I'd have needed new bras whatever!

And I personally find the, "mother's time" argument a bit redundant, unless these people have bottles that make themselves and then feed themselves to baby. I suppose the argument is that bottle feeding can be done by anyone, which is true, but surely whoever it is, it's going to take up their time!

I'm not rabidly pro bf, I take the view that the benefits are pretty minimal, so it depends if you want to, your baby will be fine whatever really. But it's silly to pretend it costs more than it does.

I have to say I completely agree with that article. And I say that as someone who breastfed two children for well over a year each. It took an enormous amount of time and effort, and it’s important to acknowledge that investment.

Anything that encourages any sort of separation between mothers and their babies is leapt upon nowadays.

A feminist perspective would surely be to support a mother for whatever decision she makes after that mother has all the information she needs? And if breastfeeding requires a breast pump, organise ones for loan or hire at an affordable price.

And also to create and sustain more charity organisations for breastfeeding 'cafes' similar to the NHS breastfeeding 'cafes' I used extensively to learn how to bf.

It also simply doesn't make sense to then post the comparative price for formula. Or is formula free in the US? I had not heard this, but happy to be corrected.

The negative messaging here is very aggressive and regressive.

But after Strangio's tweets about how irresponsible it was that hospitals 'banned' formula and how this was so discriminatory for trans people, I was not surprised see this pop up. I mean.... what hospital would ban formula to feed infants. That would be a very irresponsible hospital considering how many infants need formula while milk comes in or the mother learns the correct techniques. Or infants who due to so many different circumstances haven't got access to their mother's milk.

Or... did Strangio simply focus on formula company representatives who had perhaps lost access to entering the maternity wards?

Either way, this Vox article's cartoons are truly concerning.

I've seen that argument before and I don't get it. It's never applied to other situations eg "parents working different shifts doesn't save on childcare costs unless you consider your time worthless".

Like many women I feel that the guilt and pressure on women to breastfeed is unacceptable and anti feminist. It made me feel awful and I observed that very frequently in my mum friends. It’s understandable that there is a backlash.

Theres nothing wrong with breastfeeding but nothing wrong with formula feeding either. Ultimately as it’s our breasts, it should be our choice and that should be respected. Like many women I am sick of the breastfeeding propaganda and making me feel like a bad mother for formula feeding. It makes no difference. We should be supporting mothers not bashing them repeatedly.

I've never experienced pressure to breastfeed, but tons to formula feed.

Of course, baby milk is really expensive and baby milk manufacturers get fuck all if you breastfeed. I was given samples of formula milk in hospital, despite saying and following through with my plan to EBF (US hospital).

The hospital I gave birth to dd1 in London refused to give me formula even though I couldn’t breastfeed. I was pretty ill after the birth and had several blood transfusions. Yet they woke me up every 2 hours to try to get me to breastfeed although I was exhausted and refused to give me formula although I was there for 6 days. They said that was their policy.

Ex had to go out and get it several times during my stay (the ready made formula). If he hadn’t dd1 would have been five days with nothing.

at the time I just felt awful because I couldn’t breastfeed like it was my fault. Now I am really angry at the atrocious care that I (and many other women) receive from the NHS due to dogma and nonsense.

The breastfeeding is free mantra ignores womens time and mental health. It’s not free and doesn’t work for many women (or they just don’t want to which is fine too). Breastfeeding is fine but women should be supported in the decision they make about their body- not told they’re wrong and somehow being bamboozled by “formula companies”.

@Helleofabore just to make clear it was a large NHS teaching hospital in London which refused to give me formula to feed my newborn when I was in the high dependency unit and this too unwell to leave. I don’t know if it’s universal NHS policy but I wouldn’t be surprised if it is.

@zafferana I got absolutely loads of pressure to breastfeed and so did the vast majority of my mum friends (dds are primary school age). It’s a huge thing in the NHS. I know one friend who went private to avoid it.

God what vile language- lactating people, birthing parent. Like women is such an offensive term.

I spent money breastfeeding my first but barely anything on the second two. And I slept like a 'baby' which is more than my first baby ever did!

There's no money to be made from mothers breastfeeding instead of formula feeding.
there's no money to be made from teenage girls becoming lesbians instead of trans boys.
Does "follow the money" apply here??

The point is that women matter. Our time matters. Our mental health matters. Our lives matter. If breastfeeding takes days upon days alone in bed with no proper sleep to establish (as the health visitor suggested with dd2) it’s not free. Because then how do we look after our other children? Or god forbid, eat or sleep?

stop attacking women. If we want to formula feed that’s up to us. Many women don’t have any other choice and many women also find it so much easier, quicker and for some, cheaper.

There’s a massive breastfeeding industry and plenty of people making money from it. Including that “lactation consultant” who woke me every 2 hours in the high dependency unit of the hospital.