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Breastfeeding billboard
Filed under: Your Pregnancy, Development/Milestones: Babies
I saw a billboard the other day that read: Babies are made to be breastfed. My first response was "Babies are made to poop and pee everywhere too!" and the second thought was "What a stupid billboard."
How is a giant visual guilt trip next to an interstate going to change things for the women with a low milk supply? Show the overly self-conscious mother the error of her formula feeding ways? Is bullying women by telling them how selfish they are for not spending their lunch hours in the supply closet with their breast pump really the best way to inspire woman to nurse their babies?
Formula isn't evil. Women who opt not to breastfeed aren't bad parents. Educating people on the benefits of breastfeeding is one thing, but this approach is a huge turn-off, at least to me, and I breastfed all four of my babies.
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ReaderComments (Page 3 of 3)
4-29-2008 @ 11:54AM
Shawna said...I once had several female roommates (not ones I chose) that were completely disgusted by breastfeeding and told me "people don't take a dump in public, men don't mastubate in public, women shouldn't breastfeed in public". I was horrified that they equated breastfeeding with these sorts of activities, but my words fell on deaf ears. As long as there are people who think like this, I think having these sorts of public awareness campaigns is a good thing.
Yes, if you've been in the trenches and found you couldn't breastfeed, and feel bad about that, you might think these billboards are aimed at you. But I don't think they actually are, I really think they do more good than harm.
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4-29-2008 @ 12:16PM
Sue said...I don't think either side needs to alienate others. To me, this billboard alienates. I breastfed four children also. But, my youngest was NOT born to be breastfed. She was unable to thrive by breastfeeding. Heartbreaking to me, yes, but her health was what mattered. So, seeing a billboard like, particularly at that time, would have alienated me.
There are lots of positive ways to promote and advocate for breastfeeding. And absolutely it needs to be done. But why does it have to be a battle cry? In my opinion, it does more harm to the cause than good.
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4-29-2008 @ 1:37PM
mamaloo said...I'm guessing Angie didn't like it pointed out that her interpretation of the billboard was informed by her own biases.
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4-30-2008 @ 12:31PM
Gillian said...It's dispicable that people are actually opposing this billboard. People do NOT accept breastfeeding as normal activity, in my opinion mothers DO NOT TRY HARD ENOUGH to breastfeed (a week's worth of "Bringing Home Baby" will prove my point, and there is so much misinformation out there about how breastfeeding works, it's a shame that so many mothers end up giving up and giving in to formula. Sure, formula is easy. Breastfeeding is HARD at the beginning, but just when you think you can't do it any more the hard part is over.
Too many people formula feed. There is not enough support for new moms who are struggling with breastfeeding and these BABIES ARE SUFFERING. BPA, the lining in formula cans is being BANNED IN CANADA because it's TOXIC! Therefore, companies are whipping formula off the shelves in all the stores because of it.
People need to be educated on how to percieve and accept breastfeeding. New moms need to know NOT to supplement because it's often a downward spiral into full-out formula feeding. New dads need to be educated on how to help their partners in her struggle with breastfeeding. Everyone needs to be educated on WHY breast is best.
I say PRAISE these billboards. At least it gets people talking about breastfeeding.
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