Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Everyone should Breastfeed

I heard a report on NPR this morning that trace amounts of melamine has been found in US formula. The FDA is saying that levels are extremely low, and it doesnt cause any concern.

I like to be open minded, I aim to be open minded. But lately I find that I judge people who say No to breastfeeding. I am not talking about years ago. I am talking about today, with what we hear about plastics, and formula, and dishsoap. The information is readily available to us to research and learn why breastmilk is the obvious choice.

It would be so great to change everyone's viewpoint on breastfeeding. Let's have that be the norm, and the use of formula should be rare. It is such the perfect food for infants, and there is no worry about the plastics or the dishsoaps used either. Nursing in public needs to be better accepted too. Come on! We have the most perfect food available to us right now for free, we shouldnt be embarassed about needing to nurse in public.

Seems like I am becoming kind of crunchy lately. I'm loving the cloth diapers, and last night I picked up some new laundry detergent that is much easier on our world (7th generation is the brand). When I think about some of this stuff, the answer seems to be so obvious that it leaves me wondering why I never did it that way before. BTW, I am looking for a new deoderant, anyone with a suggestion? I have been getting rashes from my Secret antiperspirant and want to go with something more natural.

2 comments:

Catie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sarah said...

I say yes, breast is best!

One cannot argue that formula is mostly for convenience. Less that 1% of women have a true milk supply problem, whereas a much higher percentage than that claim they do. The only other thing I can understand is when women are on some sort of drug that is not safe to pass to the baby.

I say, at LEAST give it a try before you rip on it. A few people in DH's family, who NEVER breastfed, told me how much work it is. Um, no it isn't. It's actually EASIER.

Prior to the invention of formula in the 1950s, women didn't have another choice. It has been done for who knows how many centuries; I feel it is a completley natural thing.

At one time (my grandma's generation), the formula companies had women believing that formula was SUPERIOR to breastmilk. Because of this, my grandma formula fed her children, and tried to convince my mom to FF us (she didn't take her advice).

I don't know.

I totally think women can choose. Yet, I know what it's like to be on this side and have people think that breastfeeding is gross or something. Breasts were never considered sexual objects until our society made them so.