Strollerderby

I'm over the whole breastmilk vs. formula debate. Both are good ways to feed your baby. Neither will kill them. This debate is becoming a little tiresome.

You misrepresented the vitamin D issue.  Breastmilk doesn't have sufficient vitamin D if mom isn't getting enough vitamin D - if mom is, then baby is.

Here here WTM! No more of these lame formula vs. breastmilk posts. Obvious attempts by bloggers to get debate going in the feedback section, if you as me.

How does a lack of Vitamin D make a kid a pirate?  It looks like living on a ship you would get lots of VitD from the sun but have a lack of Vitamin C that causes scurvy.  Is that what you meant?  

Thanks!  I was hospitalzed for mastitis for three days (IV antibotics) and it was far more painful than childbirth.  I went without the morphine so I could pump for my son.  But then, under my doctor's advice, I weaned him soon after.  He was eight months and a lot of people made me feel so guilty...  The bottom line is: they both work and after week six brestmilk has not been proven to be any better for an infant.  

he is an idiot, but with good excusse. he is doing such a thing because he loves his wife. i hope.

and btw i do agree with next comment, this is big time boring.

I nursed my son for 12 months, but I totally agree with your article. I have a friend who could not breastfeed (absolutely no milk, even after pumping every 2 hours for weeks). She could not even join a moms' group, because they all treated her like a 2nd-class citizen for not breastfeeding.

The funny thing is I'm sure if you asked these "boob nazis", they would say they were "pro-choice". It always amazed me that women say they are pro-choice, but the only choice they want a woman to have is whether or not to keep her baby. (btw, I am totally pro-choice, and I think women should be able to make any choice in regards to her family, including breastfeeding or not.)

Panama, that is not true. Even if the mom has enough vitamin D, it does not get in the breastmilk. A child either needs to be exposed to sunlight, or take vitamin D drops.

I don't think it's cool to refer to lactation activists as "boob nazis." Can't we just call them "boob jerks" or something? "Nazi" seems pretty harsh.

Common sense abounds... elsewhere. Let's see you switch from a diet of raw, fresh living food to a diet of pulverized "vitamin-enriched" canned food, and see what it does to your health. A shake for breakfast, another for lunch, and... another for dinner! I'm not buying it. Obviously a few people commenting on here were raised on the stuff.

I wanted to breast feed my daugther.  I felt like it was the natural choice. 2 days after her birth I had not been releasing any colostrum, nor any breast milk.  For 2 days, my daughter didn't eat.  Why didn't she eat you may ask??  I was still in the hospital at the time and even though I beggged for a bottle to give her so she could eat and not constantly scream the lactation consultant and head nurse refused.  You heard me!  They utterly refused to give me a bottle so that I could feed my child.  I was heart-broken for several reasons.  I felt like less of a woman because I could not feed my daughter.  I also couldn't understand why a registered nurse would refuse to give a child food even when it was blatantly obvious that she was hungry and not getting anything from me.  Finally, after sobbing to a new nurse I was able to get a bottle, only after promising to keep pumping.  Pumping what!!???  Nothing was coming out.  The lactation consultant came in to see me feeding my baby with a bottle of formula and gave me a huge lecture about how I was ruining my child.  Once my breast milk came in ( 3 days later) I decided to just say screw it.  I was fed up!!  Once the time came when they asked me if I wanted to breast feed my son I defiantly said no way.  Guess what??  Both of my children are smart, healthy and happy.  Now, I don't want to knock people who choose to breast feed.  It is almost a spiritual experience from what I hear.  I say as long as the child is healthy and happy, do what you feel you need to do.  BTW...I called my lactation consultant a Breast feeding Nazi to her face after what she put me through and I do not feel one bit bad about it.  I do believe that it is a noble job but this is the real world and they need to understand it to become the best that they can be.

I am doing a paper on how society should be more supportive of women who breastfeeding such as workplaces providing a lactation room and any breaks the woman may be required and how the public should be less discouraging/disgusted with breastfeeding in public and possibly provide lactation rooms in public facilities if too many will be disgusted by it.

I think all women should be encouraged to breastfeed but I did not realize that many actually feel pressure! I think it is a choice and choosing not to breastfeed does not make anyone a bad mother. Mothers of newborns experience enough stress and need support for whatever their decision is. I just wanted my paper to focus on supporting mothers who do want to breastfeed since it was under my impression that many were almost forced to stop once going back to the workforce.

Thanks for the write-up, it was interesting and I will keep it in my thoughts as I continue to write this paper.

(1) Mastitis comes from NOT breastfeeding -- when the milk is not drained and stays in the breast and decays. Yes, the nipples can get infected but so can any other wound on your body and after a childbirth a woman usually has more painful wounds to worry about. Would this be a reason not to give birth at all?

(2) The Psychological Benefits -- this must be personal. I don't really know how important, if at all, the breastfeeding is for the infant. But there are two parties in the breastfeeding. I know the psychological benefits were important for me. It is a kind of bonding that helped me accept my new role as a first-time mother. It is also a kind of bonding that men have always been jealous about, so I am not surprised by your manly opinion.

(3)B-Milk in the Bottle is Just as Good. Yes, in terms of the antibody and allergy benefits. But the bottle does not satisfy the natural sucking instinct in the infants. They are prone to overeating from the bottle because they do not stop when they are full but, rather, when they are tired but doing hard work sucking. Eating too much and not knowing when to stop is a general human problem, I suppose.

(4) Where’s the D? -- It is true that there is not enough vitamin D in the breast milk. But, excuse me, were all our grandparents pirates? Because the formula was invented not that long ago and the human race has been around for hundreds of thousands of years, even before the pirates were invented... There is a simple solution called vitamin D supplement. This is no rocket science. We take supplements for many other reasonable and unreasonable reasons. Oh, and one other thing -- sunlight. A little sunlight for the babies makes a huge difference. In a world where grownups take tanning so seriously, why would they deny sunlight to the babies?

(5) You Should Never Do Anything Just Because of Peer Pressure. -- Well, this the one that I agree with. This is a personal decision and a lady should make it on her own without being ridiculed for either choice. And without being  threatened by rickets or pirates.

You really should do more research before you spout off about things that you can't even begin to understand.  There are no cons to breastfeeding.  A woman can choose not to do it and that is her personal choice.  Some women can't breastfeed and nothing bad will happen to their child.  There are no reasons why you shouldn't breastfeed though if you want to.  I agree with Paula -- You're an idiot.

I don't think mothers should be pressured to do anything they don't feel like it.  

So.. enough with those people who keep judging mother's who don't breast feed.

you, sir, are an ignorant douchebag.  

I'd like to know where you gathered your information. Did you research anything or was this all from your own brain? Next time, before you compose an 'informative' reading, back up your information with evidenced based practice...you know research studies on the subject. Then, when people call you an idiot you have proof to back up your statement.

How do old posts keep getting moved up to the top of the 'Derby? I am really confused.

Breastfeeding is indeed the premium way to assure your child's nutrition. BUT-some women are simply not physically able to breastfeed...these women should be respected and sympathized with as many women did not find out that little tidbit of informantion until they had dedicated themselves to the idea.

Breatsfed infants do bond better with their mothers-it has been proven and re proven time and again.

Breastfed children-however are not more intelligent than bottle fed children-that is a falsehood.

If a mother finds it psychologically uncomfortable to breasft feed her child-she is for one hellacious surprise as the child gets older-because this level of psychological discomfort will be a minor wrinkle in the entire fabric of child rearing.

I strongly recommend brestfeeding for mothers who are able to do it. There are multiple benefits that many expert men could not begin to guess at-not the least of which is the faster retention of pre pregnancy shape.

In conclusion however-if you are not breast feeding your child and your capable of doing so-read a little more about the benefits...before committing yourself to two o'clock bottle sterilizations.

Meanwhile-all of those breastfeeding Nazis-myself included in this desciption-should just bite their tongue when they meet a less Nazi oriented mother..and allow them to raise their own children as they see fit.

Even if it is not the correct way to do it.

I breastfed my daughter for 23 months.She is in perfect health.En guess what?We are very much attached to each other.In fact people mis inteprate it for spoiling her.

If a mom is capable of breastfeeding,then be it.Its rewarding in the long run for both of them;psychollogically and healthwise.

Lame