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Okay so here's the thing...I am so tired of seeing t.v. shows with babies being bottle fed and hearing people make comments like, "I can't breastfeed because...my breasts are too small, my breasts are spaced too far apart, I don't make enough milk, my baby is allergic to it, my baby isn't gaining enough weight, my baby prefers formula, etc." For those of you that know me, I have *tiny* breasts and I have successfully breastfed all 3 of my children without ever an ounce of formula. Size doesn't matter. I also want to point out that breastfeeding isn't easy and I struggled shortly for all 3 of my children. With Gavin I struggled for 2 months before I went into my OB's office where I was told to stop breastfeeding, that I had done enough. I burst into tears because that's not what I wanted to hear, I wanted support. Instead of support she said, "why are you crying? I think you have post-partum depression." (this is one of the *many* reasons I do not use OB's for my maternity care). Luckily I didn't stop breastfeeding. I went to a lactation consultant who figured out the problem, which was thrush for Gavin and a terrible yeast infection in my milk ducts (thanks to a huge dose of Penicillin during labor which probably wasn't even necessary). After treatment we successfully breastfed for 10 more months! I used a lactation consultant with Brynn and Odie also. A breastfeeding woman needs lots of support, encouragement and help. After all, it takes a village to raise a child. We can't always do it on our own. It's okay to ask for help. It is also okay for a woman to accept help. It is okay for an experienced breastfeeder to offer her help and guidance even though she isn't medically trained. It is okay for a healthy lactating woman to feed another woman's baby if need be.
The World Health Organization says, "Even though it is a natural act, breastfeeding is also a learned behaviour. Virtually all mothers can breastfeed provided they have accurate information, and support within their families and communities and from the health care system. They should also have access to skilled practical help from, for example, trained health care workers, lay and peer counselors, and certified lactation consultants who can help build mothers confidence, improve feeding technique, and prevent or solve breastfeeding problems." (World Health Organization, Fifty-Fifth World Health Assembly, April 2002, paragraph 11).
Women are very, very defensive about the use of formula so I just want to say that I realize that everyone can make their own choices and that everyone's situations are different. I try not to judge BUT I can't stand the excuses. It makes me sad that some women do not breastfeed because they are embarrassed. Some are even embarrassed to breastfeed in front of their husbands or in church. Hey, Jesus was breastfed. Why do we shun this normal, natural part of life? I feel that as a society we need to support women more. Our bodies do magnificent things and we constantly shut ourselves down saying that our bodies don't work the way they were designed to work. Breasts wouldn't make milk if they weren't supposed to feed our babies. Some woman and doctors find comfort in being able to measure how much their babies are eating which you can't do with breatmilk unless you pump. We need to learn to trust that our bodies can almost always do what is asked of them. The more you feed the more milk you will make. Scheduled feedings are bogus. You must feed on demand. I feed my newborns almost around the clock when they are very little...yes, sometimes every 20 minutes or less. They are not spoiled, they are doing what nature intended and finding comfort where it is best given - at the breast. And, no baby needs supplemental formula in the first days of life. Milk doesn't come in for 3-5 days after birth and this is NORMAL. A baby will not starve (mine didn't) and they get everything they need by suckling at the breast even if there isn't milk flowing. There is no reason to give a baby formula in the hospital or at home when waiting for milk to come in. In fact it will hurt the chances of baby and mother being successful!
Please check out http://www.drmomma.org/2009/080101-reasons-to-breastfeed-your-child.html for a list of 101 reasons to breastfeed.
Also, I think it is important that everyone think about formula for a minute. What is formula really? Formula is big business. The sale of formula is making someone VERY rich. They aren't thinking about the health of our children. Rather they are thinking about their pocketbooks. It's absolutely sick to me and it is the reason I do not support formula samples being given out to pregnant and new mothers. Formula companies have it all figured out - give out samples at the OB's offices and at the hospital. Get their names known. Encourage hospitals to use their formula and give these little gift packages to their patients. Even Motherhood Maternity (a maternity clothes store) offers free formula samples to pregnant mamas. When I was pregnant with Odie and I was purchasing something from them I was asked if I would like to receive these samples. When I told that gal that I didn't and I was upset that they were offering formula she promptly responded that her friend couldn't breastfeed so thank goodness for formula....
for more on how formula samples never help women breastfeed.
The World Health Organization recommends the following:
"The vast majority of mothers can and should breastfeed, just as the vast majority of infants can and should be breastfed. Under only exceptional circumstances can a mother's milk be considered unsuitable for her infant. For those few health situations where infants cannot, or should not be breastfed the choice of the best alternative - expressed breastmilk from the infants own mother. Breastmilk from a healthy wet nurse or a human milk bank or a breastmilk substitute fed with a cup, which is a safer method than a feeding bottle and teat - depends on individual circumstances." (Worth Health Organization, Fifty-Fifth World Health Assembly, April 2002, paragraph 18). Aaron and I have talked before about what we should do if I was to be unable to feed one of our children due to illness or death. What we decided is that Aaron is to refuse formula but rather seek out a lactating woman to nurse our baby. And if that isn't possible he is to use human milk from a breast milk bank. Under no circumstances is one of our baby's to receive formula. That is how strongly we feel about it and we feel confident that several of our friends would jump into action to feed our baby. I know I would do the same and I actually look forward to the day when I can give life-giving milk to a baby that isn't my own. I have a very good friend who pumped her milk while breastfeeding her own newborn to give to one of her friends that had trouble producing enough milk. She has a very strong connection with this other child and has even nursed him from time to time. Some feel this is gross - I think giving a baby a bottle of fake milk from a cow is gross... oh, and then there is soy formula which is just plain dangerous. Maybe I'll have to write a whole post on that someday!
So what is the percentage of women who truly can't breastfeed? Is it 80%? Because 80% is the number of babies that aren't breastfeed. The real number is closer to 3%. That's a huge difference. I don't necessarily blame mothers for not breastfeeding. I blame our society as a whole for not supporting breastfeeding. I blame big business. I blame medical doctors. I think it is every woman's duty to educate herself on the risks of formula because there are a lot of them.
To tell you the truth, when I see a picture of a baby being bottle fed it makes me sick to my stomach. I try to make myself feel better by rationalizing that it must be pumped breastmilk.
Just call me a LACTIVIST because that is what I am. I feel a huge duty to stand up for the babies of the world. I mean, that formula fed baby could be my child's husband or wife someday. And the health effects of that formula could make my child suffer. And, our mamas risk health effects from not breastfeeding too. This is a huge deal and I feel that it is taken far too lightly. It just makes me want to cry sometimes.
In conclusion, I want to acknowledge a few people. Mom, thank you for breastfeeding me in the 70's when formula was making a boom. Aaron, thank you for always supporting me as a breastfeeding mama. Thank you for also supporting women around you who do the same. Colleen, thank you for breastfeeding Aaron and allowing him to be fed by your lactating friends when you couldn't feed him. And thank you to Aaron's sisters for breastfeeding in front of me before I had children. You showed me how normal, beautiful and amazing it is to feed a baby and watch it grow due to it's life giving properties.
Here are a few other intriguing sources of information:
Books - "The Politics of Breastfeeding, When Breasts are Bad for Business" by Gabrielle Palmer and
"Milk, Money and Madness: The Culture and Politics of Breastfeeding" by Naomi Baumslag, M.D.
Shocking video: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?v=431323798054&ref=mf
"We cannot withhold facts for fear of offending because the importance of the information outweighs people's rights to not be challenged in their beliefs." Maddy Reid
