Comments on: The Preemptive Strike on Breastfeeding

By: SL

SL — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:53:32 +0000

Thanks to JAi for his sympathy! To those who proclaim Rosin’s article “silly”- shame on you! You are just like those “uber-urban” moms who look down on those of us who can’t or won’t breastfeed. I tried to nurse my newborn- didn’t sleep for 48 straight hours because of the mental anguish and physical pain I was in trying to do this. My loving husband was perfectly fine with switching to formula and it saved all of us I think.

And to all those studies that claim a bit higher IQ and less illness and “better behaved” children because of breastfeeding… I certainly have not seen that in my own experience. I have seen nursed children who were much more sickly than my formula-fed infant, and they are much more clingy crying toddlers!! As far as IQ- as far as I can see in my own reading that really doesn’t predict that your child will be a better student or have a better life. Many more circumstances come into play there.

By: “Myths” of Breastfeeding Researcher Misquoted By The Press: Still Believes in Breastmilk! : Eco Child’s Play

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:26:34 +0000

[...] You may remember the post regarding feminist Joan Wolf, who believes there are very few benefits of breastfeeding, very much in the same style of Hanna Rosin. [...]

By: The Breastmilk Benefits “Myth” : Eco Child’s Play

The Breastmilk Benefits “Myth” : Eco Child’s Play — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:11:12 +0000

[...] you are already aware of these silly arguments, because many of you probably followed the Hanna Rosin controversy, to which we all eventually said, If breastfeeding is worth nothing, you are saying that time spent [...]

By: Breastfeeding Mother Stopped By “No Food Or Drink” Rules : Eco Child’s Play

Wed, 20 May 2009 13:01:11 +0000

[...] more news that sounds like a joke, a UK woman was stopped from breastfeeding her 11-week-old son at a public [...]

By: Women Cross-Nurse Motherless Infant : Eco Child’s Play

Women Cross-Nurse Motherless Infant : Eco Child’s Play — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 12:30:40 +0000

[...] Moses Goodrich was in desperate need after his mom Susan died of a rare amniotic fluid embolism. Breast is best, of course, but the hospital didn’t have any breastmilk available for the little guy. The grieving [...]

By: Cate Nelson

Cate Nelson — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:15:30 +0000

Thanks for the great responses!
I also posted this blog on Nature’s Child, where one of the study authors for the “Formula is Voldemort” blog (http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/03/11/formula-is-voldemort-or-that-which-must-not-be-named/) responded personally. He had much more to say about the differences between formula and breastmilk, and also mentioned other researchers who believed that breastfeeding is a feminist issue.
Of course, I won’t vilify formula to you guys. We ALL must make choices for our families based on what we can handle. But I hope that Rosin and her silly argument won’t be part of your decision!
Check out the great comments here:
http://blog.thenatureschild.com/2009/03/preemptive-attack-on-breastfeeding.html

By: Corey~livingandloving

Corey~livingandloving — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 19:52:21 +0000

Great response to a very silly article.

I really liked what your commenter Jai had to say as well.

Great thoughts for my day.

oh i’m an extended breastfeeder, so you are preaching to the choir here. Love it.

By: Bipasha

Bipasha — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:32:55 +0000

THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE..I read that article after I saw the ridiculous piece on the Today show (NBC).
Her pathetic conclusion in the article is “Well I guess breast feeding on the whole is good for the baby..but it really is a personal choice!” No Duh! Any mother can tell you that..Also I don’t rely on non medical people to read and understand and then explain to me medical articles.
But the really sad part is this..that in order to be equial women must be like men…how about in order to be equal women are celebrated for their unique biological abilities and society works to accomodate them..like a longer paid materinity leave, work provided day care, breast feeding or breast pumping rooms or at least a small pvt area! Just because I am a woman and mother does not mean I am not equal to a man or deserve the same accomodations in this culture..at the end of the day this is the lesson Mrs. Rosin does not ‘get’ and her entire insecurity stems from a petty sense of ‘competition’ at the play ground. How sad to see a woman give up her power to ask for change and to create change for her self and her children.
PS I am a new mom who ‘combo’ feeds because I also work full time. I do have a sense of guilt everytime I feed my child formula but I also know I am doing the best I can in the circumstances I live. I love my son and I do belive he has a happy, confident mom…isn’t that also important?

By: Jai

Jai — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:19:18 +0000

As the 1st time husband of a 1st time mom who is struggling to breastfeed I have to say that it appears to me Mrs. Rosin’s issue isn’t breastfeeding it’s priorities and insecurities. I’m not casting aspersions on her, we all have trouble with priorities and insecurities and I see it on a daily basis with my wife.

She is using “selling points” as reasons. To expand on Ms. Nelson’s point, female humans are mammals which means they have mammaries – oh wait, that’s where the word mammal comes from – in order to produce milk to feed their babies. And equal is nowhere close to same – an illiterate, rural 18 year old and a 90 year old retired corporate CEO are not the same but under the law they are supposed to be treated equally.

As my wife is struggling with the isolation and boredom of being a stay-at-home nursing mom so it appears is Mrs. Rosin but Mrs. Rosin seems to be really conflicted about what the priority is. I’ve had this discussion with my wife on more than one occasion. First, she has a choice – no need to hate the game if you can’t play, or choose not to. If the other moms look down on you that needs to be their issue, its your baby, and your choice. Second, if you observe other mammals, a nursing mother does nothing but. Heck for that matter, if you look at traditional societies nursing mothers do little more. The infant strapped to them at all time and they continue the work the community of women do in that society. There is no shame in that. The problem, as I have discovered it, is that moms of newborns, especially breastfed newborns, are isolated. They don’t participate in the community of woman unless they make an effort. Its sad to see Mrs. Rosin is struggling so much but again, its not breastfeeding that is the issue.

By: MamaWendy

MamaWendy — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:52:58 +0000

You wrote a great article! My son turned two and I am still breastfeeding him. I have noticed that many people feel the need to validate their parenting choices to others, and in many cases that takes the form of putting down the other side in order to make themselves feel better. Sad that it has to be that way.