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The "case" against breastfeeding

Ramona - posted on 03/13/2011 ( 3 moms have responded )

258

50

I was on Work It Mom last night and came across this article:



http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arch...



I was hoping we could have a respectful debate about the issues presented.



She left out some other research, done in 2004, which says that yes, instances of obesity ARE less in breastfed children. The LARGEST factor is, of COURSE, activity level, but it does, in fact make a difference.



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14754...



She also left out the fact that, since human milk is easier for babies to digest for human babies, digestion in a breastfed infant is more efficient. Since formula takes longer to digest and the respiratory systems of infants under 6 months, infants are harder to wake in active sleep who are formula fed, since their bellies are full because they take longer to digest the formula than the breastmilk. SIDS risk is, therefore, increased.



http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14709...



Also, there is a component in breastmilk which kills cancer cells.



http://www.drmomma.org/2009/08/breastmil...



I take no issue with anyone who formula feeds. It is a personal choice and I understand that some women try very hard to nurse and just can't, or their lifestyle does not allow for it. However, discounting the benefits of nursing, in my opinion, is just grasping at straws. Yes, formula is a godsend. Yes, formula fed babies turn out FINE and there are breastfed babies who do not.



What bothers ME about this article is this woman's suggestions based on narrow information and her obvious displeasure with motherhood and scorn for other women. She claims to be anti-judgmental but clearly isn't.



(Personally, I breastfed exclusively the first 6 months and now she nurses when she is with me and gets formula at daycare. She also eats plenty of solids. I do not have an issue with her having formula and am grateful breastfeeding came so easy for us, despite a bout with mastitis and trouble getting a deep enough latch as a newborn.)



So, ready, set, GO.

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3 Comments

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Chasity - posted on 10/05/2011

7

0

I have to agree with Aimee.

Aimee - posted on 07/14/2011

6

21

Well, I got about halfway through the article and had to stop because all I kept hearing in my head is that this woman (the author) is looking for any and all reasons she can to justify her desire to stop breastfeeding. Honestly, the article annoyed the crap out of me (what I read of it anyway). I'm pro-breastfeeding if at all possible, but I do not sit in judgement of those who don't. The fact that the author cares so much about what the other moms on the playground think and how they react, and how she feels "held down" by breastfeeding just sounds like she's being juvenile and selfish to me. If she doesn't want to breastfeed, then stop already and quit trying to justify to the rest of the world why it's okay, or that formula is just as good. IMO, there's reason(s) why we have the remarkable ability to feed our babies...if they were meant to drink something else, we wouldn't produce breastmilk to begin with. :)

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