Breastfeeding
This may come as a shock, but I think breastfeeding is disgusting. J I hope I don’t receive a lot of feedback for that statement alone! Since I was young, I was forced to witness my Aunts pushing their child’s face into their chest to eat and it has made a lasting impression on me. Viewing your elder’s chest each visit to our house was frightfully a reality. Needless to say, in a circumstance when a child needs to be fed in one of our centers and I am assisting I slightly vomit in my mouth a bit, it’s quite a tough task. I double glove and pray to the God’s above that the milk doesn’t spill onto my arm (which on a few instances it has and I almost threw up!) and of course please please please do not let this child spit it back up at me! I’m thankful at those times that I’m in a management role and know for sure that I was not ever intended to be an infant teacher full time (at least for a room of breastfed babies).
With 81.9% of infants being breastfed in the U.S.; I’m not sure why I was surprised, especially since there seems to be a committee for everything, that there is a U.S. Committee for Breastfeeding. The government sponsored program WIC, offers breastfeeding classes to parents and has an area of their website designated to breastfeeding. In birthing areas of hospitals there are lactaid nurses that support mothers with the interest to breastfeed. The level of support is phenomenal for parents that choose breastfeeding! In support for mothers returning to work that breastfeed, child care centers have safety standards and regulations to follow for breast milk compared to formula thus giving the parents a sense of safety and accountability. Also mothers that are working are protected by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that requires “an employer to provide reasonable break time for an employee to express breast milk for her nursing child for one year after the child's birth each time such employee has need to express milk. The employer is not required to compensate an employee receiving reasonable break time for any work time spent for such purpose. The employer must also provide a place, other than a bathroom, for the employee to express breast milk. If these requirements impose undue hardship, an employer that employs fewer than 50 employees is not subject to these requirements” (National Conference State Legistlation, 2011).
Breastfeeding in Zambia, Africa is much different. The AIDS epidemic is ramped throughout the country, the attempt to educate women on other alternatives to feed infants, to not give the virus to their infant is more important than educating women on “how to breastfeed”. It was found that if by chance a mother carrying the virus doesn’t give the virus to their infant, after breastfeeding within 4 months the infant is more likely to contract the virus. Breastfeeding isn’t a matter of giving the best nutrients usually for mothers in Zambia, it is to supply a source of food for another mouth to feed. Having visited this area of the world, modesty when breastfeeding is usually non-existent. It’s a matter of life therefore seeing a mother with her chest fully exposed and a child attached was normal in any circumstance or arena.
I thought that possibly researching breastfeeding in the US and in other countries could change this horrible image I have of it . . . but unfortunately it hasn’t. I am not bothered by a parent that chooses to breastfeed, I am though disturbed by a parent that chooses to inappropriately nurse their child at the uncomfortable setting of another person. Medically I agree that supplying an infant with the nutrients that only a mother can supply is important. I also believe that with technology today and the many formulas and vitamins available that children of parents that do not choose breastfeeding succeed and become successful in their later lives just as much as those that were breastfed.
Resources:
Center for Disease Control (Breastfeeding Report Card): http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/reportcard.htm
National Conference of State Legistlation: http://www.ncsl.org/issues-research/health/breastfeeding-state-laws.aspx
US Committee for Breastfeeding: http://www.usbreastfeeding.org/
WIC breastfeeding information: http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/breastfeeding/mainpage.HTM.
Zambia Exclusive Breastfeeding Study: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00310726
Shelly,
ReplyDeleteBreastfeeding is a normal healthy way for an infant to eat. Your Aunt and mother should have talked to you before making it mandatory for you to set and watch. You did not say how old you were during that time frame. I am comfortable around breast fed babies and their mothers. I prefer that they do not openly feed in front of my son without telling him what they are getting ready to do. I tried breast feeding my son (middle child), but I was not able to produce enough to fill him up. With my oldest I was in the military and did not have enough time to get started, and I did not even try with my youngest.
I was probably 3rd or 4th grade and I understood what was happening. It's just something I thought was gross, maybe because it was my Aunt's chests that I saw and that they did breastfeed into toddler years and I thought that was even worse.
DeleteShelly, I disagree I think breastfeeding is wonderful.It's a happy moment for infants because they are being feed.I wished many days I could have breastfed my child.I've seen many mother breastfeed and sing to their child as well as talk to them while breastfeeding. In the time of feeding the mother has bonded with her baby. Indeed that's "JOY". I do hate you had to sit and watch something you didn't want to be a part of. I think parents who breastfeed made an healthy choice.
ReplyDeleteI agree it can be a wonderful thing between a mother and child. At the same time, that same bond and joy is built with bottle fed children and a father has the opportunity to grow in the bond too. To each their own. I def. don't ever try to tell a parent not to breastfeed, I just prefer it to not be done in front of me. It's a private manner, thus why a lot of places have nursing rooms. Unfortunately, they're not used as well as they can be.
DeleteHey breastfeeding is not disgusting LOL. it is healthy for the infant recieving it. Alot of women feel that way, but everyone has their own opinion about it. I knocked it until I tried it, and didnt like it myself. I encourage women to try it first.
ReplyDeleteMaisey,
ReplyDeleteAfter the birth of each of my children I tried to breast feed but was never successful. There was a physical reason why... but I did try. Each time I felt disappointed in myself. I hated that. Both my sister and my mom of course had no difficulty. There was me... tried and failed. My point is that their was also a reverse stigma in my world for being unsuccessful. I knew that for the health of my babies breast was best. But my kids are grown and there immune systems seem to be just fine. I think wanting to breast feed is such a personal choice. I agree it can be uncomfortable to see women breast feeding. But women who are breast feeding should be discreet and respectful to others. As a young child my mom asked me if I wanted to go in and see a relative breast feeding her new baby? My mom's cousin was discreet. And I believe the way both my mother and cousin handled it had a great to deal with the positive impression it left on me.
Thanks for your post!!
Millie
I breast fed my oldest daughter until she was a year. With my youngest daughter, I had to stop breast feeding her around eleven months old because she would wake up two- to- three times to nurse. I am glad that I had the opportunity to breastfeed both of my daughters as long as I did. Breastfeeding allowed my children and I form attachments and bonds with one another. Breastfeeding my girls is a time during their development, I will always cherish. I agree with you, that breastfeeding should done privately and should not make others feel uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteI had to laugh when I read this. Breastfeeding is either hit or miss with women/men/families and I can see it is a miss with you!
ReplyDeleteWhile I disagree and I am a strong breast feed advocate I appreciate your opinion and insight.
I live in West Virginia and we currently do not have any laws that protect and help working mothers with breast feeding.
I am sure when you are asked to help parents and deal with breast feeding you are professional. Even when you want to run and scream in the other direction.