Do breastfeeding campaigns stigmatize bottle-feeding moms?

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  Posted by Katja C Tue Oct 21, 2008 7:06pm PDT

  For far too many generations, bottlefeeding was the rule. Mothers that breastfed had to fight hard to be worked with in hospitals (feeding babies on demand, not the arbitrary every 4 hours that's more convenient for nursing staff), fight to pump on the job, fight to pass legislation protecting our right to breastfeed in public. Baby bottles are still everywhere, hospitals pass out formula and formula coupons to every new mom...so, I really can't understand why bottlefeeding mothers are feeling marginalized or stigmatized.

  There's nothing wrong with formula--most of us were bottlefed. I was. However, thanks to these breastfeeding campaigns, I felt supported and educated enough to choose to breastfeed my own son. Breast is best--there's no denying it. Thanks to these campaigns, 75% of new mothers try to nurse their babies. The percentages go down the older the babies get--I think only 15% nurse through to the first year--but even a few days of breastfeeding benefits babies. I'm sorry if bottlefeeding mothers feel stigmatized, but these campaigns are very important.

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  Posted by C Wed Oct 22, 2008 4:55am PDT

  It doesn't stigmatize bottle-feeders? Really?

  So why did some nosy woman tut-tut my sister for feeding her son (breastmilk, by the way) from a bottle at an orchard?

  I plan on attempting to breastfeed my own - but sometimes things don't work out the way we plan. I can have all the information in the world, with poor results...or good results. We shall see.

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  Posted by KONSTANCE H Wed Oct 22, 2008 6:07am PDT

  nope i was bottle fed and i have seen moms flip the top up and let there little nest egg latch on. this type of thing needs a clear mind if a woman can breast feed then important imunisation and loads of milky goodies get absorbed, if not artificial is no problem.

  and bottle sometimes some mums have to do that.

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  Posted by Amanda Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:11am PDT

  I believe that yes they do, I tried to breastfeed but was unable to, and I get down on myself when I see the demeaning things people have to say about formula fed children and their mothers. Then I have to remind myself, it was either formula feed or starve my children, so obviously I went for formula. Both my children are healthy and very smart. Yes breastfeeding is best, but STOP trying to make mothers that formula feed, for any reason, feel guilty, it doesnt help the cause.

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  Posted by Erin Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:25am PDT

  I was asked several times throughout my pregnancy and even right after my baby was born if I was planning to breastfeed. My initial response, sort of a knee-jerk reaction, was to be appalled at being asked and wanting to yell "It's none of you're d*mn business!", but later I felt like I would be considered a terrible mother if I didn't choose to breastfeed. I nursed her for the first four months, and once she refused to latch on, at about the same time she started teething, I switched to the bottle.

  Since then, I've stopped seeing my chiropractor because I can't stand the way she constantly judges me for not nursing when she's been able to maintain it all this time (her son was born right after my daughter).

  I don't know that there's exactly a stigma against bottle-feeding moms, but there are definitly some very judgemental people out there who don't know how to be particularly tactful.

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  Posted by roosmom Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:03am PDT

  I wanted to breatfeed my son so badly. I dreamed about it, read about it and yearned to do it. It was something I was going to do.....but, my body didn't let me. My milk didn't come if for days, I tried to pump and ended up very ill with constant bleeding when I pumped. The pain was unbearable and I became afraid of attachment problems. I spoke to my doctor and was told to stop, let it go, it is okay. I became depressed and felt like I had already failed as a mother. I took me about a year to let go of the guilt. I ended up making my son's babyfood. I made all his food from scratch, I mean ALL of it. It was my way of breastfeeding when I could not. I see the billboard signs and ads, they do ignite guilty emotions in me. They seem to portray that if you don't breastfeed your baby will not be healthy and you are not a good mom. Please remember it does not work for everyone. If I have another child I will try again, but if I cannot then that is okay too. If you don't want to, then that is okay too. Please women let us be there for one another! To educate is one thing and I agree with educating all mothers, but lets leave the guilt out of it.

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  Posted by Beth Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:34am PDT

  I say no. Breastfeeding is hands-down better, and there's no denying that. If bottle-feeding mothers feel stigmatized, then it's their inner guilt causing that. I'm a big breastfeeding advocate, but I know it can be tough for some. If you gave it your best shot, then it's fine. The kid will be ok. But, if you didn't even try, that's a decision you just have to deal with.

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  Posted by Beth Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:36am PDT

  she with the little feet--it's not breastfeeding campaigns doing it, it's that woman and other women like her. It's other people's personalities shining through if that happens. Just tell them to MYOB and move on with your life. There will always be judgy people wherever you go. If your sister had decided to breastfeed at that moment, I'm sure there'd have been someone there complaining about that.

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  Posted by Arora Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:42am PDT

  I'm currently pregnant with my first child and I do not plan to breast-feed. Somehow this came up with my thirteen year old brother in law and he insisted since it was his nephew/niece he had a say and I was either going to breastfeed or feed the baby goat milk. In the end I told him it was a decision between me, God and my husband, and none of us three have a problem with formula. I know that I'm going to face a lot of resistance for my decision from my family, but my husband and I agree that it is our decision and everybody else can mind their own business.

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  Posted by dragnflygrrl Wed Oct 22, 2008 8:43am PDT

  if your unable to that's one thing, but if you choose not to out of vanity and weirdness, i.e. sexuality of the breasts and not able to separate the function, that's quite a different story. a lot of young mothers choose not to breastfeed for that reason. some who are unable may have been pumped up with a lot of drugs during labor and then the stress dries up the milk. some fear that they will either gain too much breast or lose what they have after breastfeeding. I worked in a bra store and one woman went from a C to a B, she also was a on a healthy diet. then there was the 16 y/o who was a DD told she had to wait till after having a baby to get reduction, the breast fat changes with age and hormone levels.

  breastfeeding is best, if you can.

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