A high school friend of mine posted a link to a Redbook article on Facebook about breastfeeding and declared that she would be boycotting the magazine for encouraging women not to breastfeed. I'll let you decide if that is what it really said. I posted the following comment and immediately regretted it. If you've ever had a conversation with a "lactivist", you know why.
April Tripp Holmes
April Tripp Holmes
I read the article and it's not about proving a point. It simply gives women permission not to beat themselves up if it doesn't work out. I breastfed both of my kids, but they also got the occasional bottle of formula. I think her point was that we all want the best for our kids and we shouldn't feel bad if the best thing ends up being formula. As someone who has sat sobbing through the pain of a nursing session, sometimes a bottle of formula really is "best" for all involved.
Here is the response of one of her friends (Name withheld to protect the psychotic)
Here is the response of one of her friends (Name withheld to protect the psychotic)
I disagree, April. Feeding children genetically modified ingredients full of corn syrup and certain allergens made by big corporations that discourage breastfeeding by hounding new mothers with their products via hospitals can not be best for all. There are so many better options available. A mother can pump and store excess breastmilk for those times when she needs a break. Also, goat's milk is a healthy option for children, and one can always buy breastmilk from a bank.
Of course, we don't want our children to grow up to have diabetes, obesity, or allergies, do we?
Learning to breastfeed is not easy, that's for certain, but the science proves that despite the challenge, breast really is best!
And that's when I decided that I wouldn't say anything else. But, then my nasty side got the better of me and I said:
Of course, we don't want our children to grow up to have diabetes, obesity, or allergies, do we?
Learning to breastfeed is not easy, that's for certain, but the science proves that despite the challenge, breast really is best!
And that's when I decided that I wouldn't say anything else. But, then my nasty side got the better of me and I said:
April Tripp Holmes
I was formula fed and I am neither obese or diabetic, nor do I have any allergies. I even managed to pull off a Masters degree. But hey, if my mom breastfed me, maybe it would have been a PhD. This is obviously a hot button issue for you. I'll let it go.
And I promise that's what I'll do. But not before I publicly mocked her narrow-minded viewpoint on my blog. Ha!
And I promise that's what I'll do. But not before I publicly mocked her narrow-minded viewpoint on my blog. Ha!
5 comments:
I agree with you - and those crazies make me want to scream. I'm so glad that psychotic woman is perfect in every way. Isn't it nice to know the world is full of them. (PS - I was physically unable to pump, so take that, dumb lactavist.)
I agree too. My kids all start out with a bottle in the hospital. A binky too. And disposable diapers. I'm a terrible mom then, right? Sheesh. Some people have way too big a soap box. I breastfed too, but only until they got sick of me 6-8 months in and would rather have a bottle. I'm sure that lady doesn't eat Oreos either if she doesn't like corn syrup. Something is wrong with that too. Did she nurse until her kids were three? Were the kids all potty-trained at 6 months? Did they sleep through the night? How about all of those questions?
Where to begin? It is about choices and allowing others to make the choice that is best for them and their children. And then not judging them harshly because of their choices.
Wow.
It's frustrating when people on either extreme of an issue think that they are absolutely right and everyone else is absolutely wrong. I tend to think that for most issues, the "truth", or best answer, lies somewhere in the middle ground.
And if this person is going to claim that formula leads to diabetes, obesity, etc, perhaps some scientific papers in reputable journals should be cited. Or else we can just assume it is speculation...
You go girl. You failed to mention that you are 6'0" as well!
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