The Best Breastfeeding Advocacy Message: A Poll
Is breast milk better than formula, or is formula inferior to breast milk? Is breastfeeding the best, and formula-feeding second choice? Or should we consider breastfeeding the norm, and formula-feeding as substandard? There are lots of ways to frame the debate. Some are aggressive. Some might make formula-feeding mothers feel bad. So what’s the best way to advocate breastfeeding to pregnant women, new mothers, and the public in general?
What is the appropriate/best message for the breastfeeding community to send?
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6 opinions for The Best Breastfeeding Advocacy Message: A Poll
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Dec 28, 2007 at 6:06 pm
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janya
Dec 29, 2007 at 6:29 pm
How about “Formula isn’t normula”?
Actually, I need to resist the urge to be sanctimonious aobut breastmilk and breastfeeding. We never know the reasons a person has chosen not to give their child breastmilk.
I think the best way to get the message across is gently…followed by a loving little slap upside the head! (hee-hee).
Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Dec 29, 2007 at 9:04 pm
It’s tough to strike the right balance isn’t it? I like the idea of using a bit of humor and a catchy phrase though ;)
CaseyB
Dec 29, 2007 at 10:41 pm
I don’t think that running around with a slogan “breast is best” is going to win any converts to the breast feeding side. What I think is the most important thing to do (and what I spend a lot of time doing) is supporting moms who choose to breastfeed but are struggling and considering quitting. I think that there are many many moms out there who would breastfeed but they see others struggle with little or no help and little or no accurate information about breastfeeding. Seeing that, they decide without trying or possibly after struggling themselves to become a formula feeding mom. My thoughts are that we need to first help the moms who *want* to breastfeed. Once we do that, I think we have more credibility in trying to convince those who don’t want to that it is in fact a good thing.
Christine T
Dec 30, 2007 at 7:12 am
The best thing I got from my midwife about breastfeeding was an A4 sheet about “how to survive the first week of breastfeeding” with a day-to-day account of what to expect, what it feels like, including engorgement, toe-curling pain, baby wanting you perhaps as often as every 20 mins, etc. The reassurance that what my baby and I went through that first week was *normal* made all the difference. Before giving birth I was enormously motivated to breastfeed, but without that sheet I might well have given up on day 5! Now, 17 months later, my little Emily eats grown up food, has never been ill, and is still having my milk, at least for breakfast and supper, and more often when the fancy takes her and I’m at home. I’m a student (started my full time degree course when she was only 8 weeks old) but armed with a pump and a cooler bag I could express when I needed to and that way it all worked out wonderfully, with the invaluable support of my partner. But I cannot stress enough how important that one sheet of honest information about the first week has been. When a woman wants to breastfeed but doesn’t get adequate information and support, it is very very hard to persevere.
MomOnTheGo
Dec 30, 2007 at 7:27 am
I have a niece who supplements with formula because a breast reduction has affected her milk supply. She feels guilt at every ounce of formula that she has to give. What bugs me is the women who act as though formula is an easy second choice. I like Dr Jack Newman’s hierarchy that involves breastfeeding at the pump and then pumping and feeding through tubes, cups, etc, and then finally formula. We need to make pumping the second choice - subsidized pumps, places to pump, education, etc.
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