Study: Breast Feeding No Better Than Bottle Feeding For Kids’ Health

[laundry_queen]

61. yeah.

I'll start out here with a preface - I was once upon a time a 'militant' breastfeeding advocate. I breastfed all 4 of my kids in terms of years. And although their dad has allergies, as do I (and I have asthma too) our kids are insanely health and no asthma in any of them, even though statistically with 2 parents with allergies, there should be something with allergies of some kind in at least half of them. But nothing. I think breastfeeding babies is one of the best decisions you can make for your kids - and I had to work hard at it too, it didn't come easy for me, that's for sure. Name the breastfeeding problem, I had it. But I was determined. I think too many women give up too easily.

That said - what you say is also true. 6 weeks away from work is fucking pitiful. I live in Canada where mat leave is a whole YEAR. Honestly, if I had a baby and knew I had to get back to work in 6 weeks, I'm not sure I'd bother with breastfeeding. At 6 weeks we were JUST getting 'in the groove' of breastfeeding. Going to work at that point would've destroyed the 'relationship' anyway. It would've been beyond stressful to try to keep it up. Also, my kids ALL refused a bottle at that point...I can't imagine having to switch them to a bottle while I was at work...there would've been a week or 2 of total, all out screaming 'round the clock while they starved themselves. No, if I knew I had to go back to work that early, I would've pumped but started them on a bottle right away and probably supplemented. I cannot see, even myself, a 'militant', trying to breastfeed in those circumstances.

To me, I think the problem is a lot of women, as you said, don't really HAVE a 'choice'. Breastfeeding should be a 'choice' but if, like you said, a woman has to go back to work before the breastfeeding relationship is solidified, a woman isn't accommodated at work, works shift work, isn't getting paid enough for a proper breastpump, has no where to store breastmilk, etc then it's no longer a 'choice'...she's being forced to do things a certain way as a means of survival and in this day and age, I see it as a woman's rights issue. Women should at least have the choice.