Tuesday, June 13, 2006

4 out of 5 Doctors Agree: You're a Crappy Mom

Hey moms, just in case you're not insecure and scared enough about that new tiny human you're supposed to keep alive, here's a little more pressure!

Now public health officials are joining the breastfeeding dogma-pile and telling moms that not breastfeeding until six months of age can be harmful to your children. Bottle-fed babes are more susceptible to colds, flu, ear infections, obesity, and serious chronic diseases later in life. That's right ladies, you just didn't try hard enough. It all goes back to something you did. As you can see, the DHH is dedicated to providing even-handed information to new moms:

"A two-year national breast-feeding awareness campaign that culminated this spring ran television announcements showing a pregnant woman clutching her belly as she was thrown off a mechanical bull during ladies' night at a bar — and compared the behavior to failing to breast-feed.

"You wouldn't take risks before your baby's born," the advertisement says. "Why start after?"

This just in! Baby formula is made of half Jack Daniels, and half ground puppies! I mean, jeezus, people. How about a little subtlety?

Let me be clear here: I breastfed both of my kids, each one for a year. Breastfeeding is great. But it can also be a pain in the ass, and undoable for some people. And let's not forget that I was at home, unlike the millions of women who go back to work early because family benefits suck ass in this country. If we care so damned much about health in this country, how about we start by supporting our moms, 99 percent of whom are doing the best they can with what they've got?

Put that on a warning label, Tom Harkin.

NY Times: Breast-Feed or Else

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