"If a multinational company developed a product that was a nutritionally balanced and delicious food, a wonder drug that both prevented and treated disease, cost almost nothing to produce and could be delivered in quantities controlled by the consumers' needs, the very announcement of their find would send their shares rocketing to the top of the stock market. The scientists who developed the product would win prizes and the wealth and influence of everyone involved would increase dramatically. Women have been producing such a miraculous substance, breastmilk, since the beginning of human existence..."
-- Gabrielle Palmer, in The Politics of Breastfeeding, London: Pandora Press, 1988, page 1.
August is National Breastfeeding Month and this week is World Breastfeeding Week. In a culture that views breasts purely on a sexual level the new mother is constantly bombarded with free formula samples, formula ads on pages that are supposed to support breastfeeding, and only 1 in 5 mothers are still breastfeeding after 6 months.
I have heard many first time soon-to-be moms say that they think breastfeeding is unnatural, gross, too hard, inconvenient. It shocks me because I think that breastfeeding is so convenient, natural, and even though it takes some practice way easier than buying, preparing, heating up bottles.
This is a great video that my friend Melissa shared on Facebook and I wanted to share it with all of you. I truly believe that the more people know about the benefits of breastfeeding that we can turn around the cultural standard of formula and bottle feeding.
** I am not against formula is the baby truly needs it, there are plenty of women who can't breastfeed for various reasons and that is why formula was created. I am against women who are perfectly able to breastfeed but won't for selfish reasons. Modesty should not take preference over the best nutrition available!**
This site is a great resource for breastfeeding advice, concerns, and tips! Check it out!
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