Wolf’s stance is: “It’s time to end the glorification of breast milk and the shaming of mothers who choose formula. For many women, nursing works; for many others, it doesn’t. But accusations of selfishness and bad mothering won’t contribute to anyone’s good health.”
I can agree with the last sentence wholeheartedly.
This is harder to swallow: “[N]ot all women are able to nurse, whether it’s because the baby doesn’t latch, it’s painful for the mother, she doesn’t have time, or she simply doesn’t like it. In those cases, says Wolf, the pro-breast-feeding studies, without appropriate scientific evidence, make the mother feel inadequate.”
Hmm.
At the end of the day this is a choice every mother has to make, and ultimately, she should do what is going to work best for her and her child (and I realize not all women even get to choose; for various reasons this decision is sometimes made for them). However, I have to admit I find it unfortunate when a woman won’t even give breastfeeding a chance, when the decision is made before baby even arrives … especially when it falls under the reasons of time and/or inconvenience.
The breast is best, but that doesn't make formula rat poison. Any mom choosing to formula feed should be comfortable with that. For so long breastfeeding woman have been made to feel lower class, like they should hide it and stop as soon as a child can take regular milk. The breast is best movement helped to bring women out of the [water] closet and into the public arena. That is the main drive behind breastfeeding campaigns, not to make formula feeding moms feel like crap. I am all for giving breastfeeding a whirl even if it's only for a week or so. Lots of women falter at breastfeeding when their support group is against it. Many reasons I've heard was their mother/family member/ friends hounding them that their breasts are too small, that formula is better for daddy to bond with baby, and a lot of other really silly reasons people throw at the breastfeeding mom to not breastfeed. I heard one friend's mom call her selfish for breastfeeding because it meant the newborn wouldn't be able to spend the night at Grandma's house. (Now who is really selfish in that scenario?) *shakes head* Breast is best really gives women the tools to breastfeed against the advice of their misinformed "support" network.
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