A lactivist in training

No, that’s not me and no, that’s not Katrina. It is the cover of the August issue of Baby Talk magazine, whose pages espoused the benefits of breastfeeding. For those of you unfamiliar with the topic, breastmilk is optimal for babies – it provides immunological protection during the time when a newborn’s immune system is immature, it has been shown to reduce ear infections, decrease childhood (and by extention adult) obesity, and through poorly conducted research it has also been linked to increased self confidence, less stress, and higher intelligence. If that weren’t enough, breastfeeding decreases a woman’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer. And its cheaper than formula and portable to boot.

Yet even though the American Association of Pediatrics recommends exclusively breastfeeding your child until 6 months and then continuing breastfeeding at least until the age of 1, only 40% and 20% of children reach those milestones respectively, with only 8% of children being exclusively breastfed until 6 months. Research shows that women who breastfeed are more likely to have a higher education and come from middle to upper class (with the exception of the Hispanic population, in which breastfeeding is much more mainstream). What gives?

Well first of all, you don’t need to look far to see that breastfeeding (which incidentally involves breasts), elicits all sorts of gasps. That cover up top sparked outrage. Is it any surprise that women who nurse in public (or NiP) who are pulled from airplanes, have no desire to breastfeed their child? I have seen more cleavage in the streets of State College on Thursday drunk night or on the covers of tabloids in the supermarket then I have among my friends who breastfeed. Its called breastfeeding, not freeshow. I would be happy to cover up Katrina with blankets while she nurses if you cover up your face while you eat. Deal?

Secondly, instead of making women who aren’t breastfeeding feel guilty by running advertisements that equate formula with risky behaviors, there needs to be a concerted effort to help working moms pump – educate employers, provide space for mothers to pump, and allow them to arrange their work schedules in such a way that they can take at least two half hour breaks. There also needs to be real support. If I didn’t have the wonderful lactation consultant to see, I might very well have given up on breastfeeding. Luckily for me, it didn’t cost me anything to see her after Katrina was born. In major cities, it can cost upwards of $100 per hour visit. Since I haven’t seen many women breastfeed and didn’t have a host of them to support me with advice, having access to help was paramount. Guess which segments of the population can’t afford $100/hour?

And one more major quip about the whole bf’ing vs formula debate – stop making it a “versus.” As a mom I often feel pitted against other moms. The media makes stay-at-home moms the enemy of "career-moms," and likewise those of us who nurse our children need not be called lactation-nazis (I kid you not). At the end of the day, it is all about feeding your child. If you see a mom breastfeeding, you should encourage her behavior and be supportive. If you see a mom giving a child a bottle, you should not assume that it is because she chose not to breastfeed - perhaps she is unable to breastfeed, does not have a good supply, or perhaps has adopted the infant.

As with most social issues a lot of good can be done via education, support, and finding common ground. I'll try to make a much more coherent argument after this crazy semester ends, but for now, that's my introduction to soapbox issue number one.