It is a simple question.
Should breastfeeding for at least 6 months be mandated by law?
Giselle Bundchen, the gorgeous supermodel with the hunky husband and the glamorous career just became a mom. Apparently, pregnancy and childbirth (at home...good for her) were a breeze which is great. Glad it was problem free for someone. She has embraced motherhood full on which is also wonderful. And, with the passion of the converted, she has taken on breastfeeding. In a comment she recently made that has gotten a ton of press she stated that there should be a world wide law mandating breastfeeding for the first 6 months of a child's life.
It was recently World Breastfeeding Week and so I thought this was a good topic to bring up in our Cloth Diaper Retailer Blog. What do you think? Should it be mandated? Should women who choose not to breastfeed or are unable to breastfeed be prosecuted? Who should stand in judgement of these moms?
Obviously, we should support breastfeeding women wherever they are. At least I think so. There are so many ways to do this. Provide long maternity leaves for working women. Make breastfeeding more acceptable by providing places for women to quietly breastfeed their children in public (breastfeeding room at Target!). Spaces for women to pump at work for those who choose that path. Destigmatizing the entire process.....
My own experience with breastfeeding is long and tortured. Prior to becoming a mom, I was a Maternal and Child Health Policy professional. I even sat on Federal Breastfeeding Support review panels. As crazy as it sounds, one topic of conversation I had with my future husband on our very first date was breastfeeding. When I was pregnant with our first, we attended child birth classes, infant CPR classes and breastfeeding support classes. Both of us. I was ALL about it. WE were all about it. Then, my precious little guy arrived and he would not latch. Just wouldn't do it. How can this be? Breastfeeding was what I was supposed to do. We hired lactation consultants. I drank the teas. I pumped 14 times a day in order to supply him breast milk. We did everything to make this happen and spent a FORTUNE in the process. And, in the end, he still would not latch. Finally, my wise and wonderful OB told me that "There are many ways to be a good mom. You don't need to check every box. Stop trying." Ultimately, reluctantly, with tears and regret, I did stop trying.
I shared this story on a very active and dynamic message board populated by other like minded, natural parenting moms. Within 30 minutes of posting, I got a very nice, but direct, note from the moderator stating that they were deleting my post as they do not allow postings that discuss a path other than breastfeeding. Huh? Like I was somehow no longer a member of the club because of the one thing I could not do. It kinda pissed me off.
Under the gorgeous Giselle's law, I would be what? Thrown in jail (and removed from my child)? Fined? Given probation?
At Cottontail Baby, we sell a lot of products that assist moms in breastfeeding. In addition to all the nursing pads we sell, we also sell some wonderful nursing necklaces, both in stock and customized. Even though we were never able to join their ranks, we at Cottontail Baby support breastfeeding moms. We just don't think those who can't breastfeed, for whatever rason, should be prosecuted. There are LOTS of ways to be a good mom.
Giveaway details....
We will giveaway one custom nursing necklace to a randomly selected winner. Enter by August 25, 2010.
Mandatory entry: Give us your opinion on the whole mandated breastfeeding debate.
Additional entry: Fan Cottontail Baby on Facebook
Additional entry: Join the Cottontail Baby newsletter
