tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15456015.post115075355970964533..comments2023-08-12T08:42:30.841-04:00Comments on 5 Dollars: Breastfeed or else! So what do you think?Carissahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06403743837579227320noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15456015.post-1150822718417126292006-06-20T12:58:00.000-04:002006-06-20T12:58:00.000-04:00Hi, you might be interested in the following artic...Hi, you might be interested in the following article just published at www.stats.org<BR/> <BR/>http://www.stats.org/stories/breast_feed_nyt_jun_20_06.htm<BR/><BR/>[b]What Science Really Says About the Benefits of Breast-Feeding (and what the New York Times didn't tell you)[/b]<BR/>June 20, 2006 <BR/>Dr. Rebecca Goldin<BR/>Director of Research, Statistical Assessment Service,Assistant Professor, Mathematical Sciences, George Mason University <BR/>Dr. Emer Smyth <BR/>Assistant Professor of Pharmacology at Univ. of Pennsylvania) <BR/>Dr. Andrea Foulkes<BR/>Assistant Professor of Biostatistics at Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst <BR/><BR/>[i]The Science Times section of the New York Times announced today that it had received more than 100 letters "pro and con" over its article "Breast-Feed or Else." Coverage of the reaction suggests that this is a controversial topic, with the Times acting as an honest broker; but when a newspaper compared cigarette smoking to using infant formula, we suspected that there's got to be something screwy with the science, which is, in fact, the case. By failing to take a thorough, critical look at the evidence for this new public health campaign, the Times has caused needless anguish to countless mothers. [/i]Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15456015.post-1150768979016369832006-06-19T22:02:00.000-04:002006-06-19T22:02:00.000-04:00Honestly, I agree with you for the most part, save...Honestly, I agree with you for the most part, save the idea of putting warning labels on cans of formula. I don't think I could ever agree with that. They are already required to put "breastfeeding is best" on the cans and I think that is enough. I am currently breastfeeding and formula feeding my 7 month old, and we have done it this way for months now with no signs of apparent weaning. I can tell you I had a horrible start due to stubborn jaundice, the baby would not gain with me pumping, taking fenugreek, and breastfeeding alone. I spent hours at night on Kellymom searching for awnsers. I called LC's that never returned my calls. I nursed in front of pediatricians. I was so caught up in "doing the right thing" that I ignored a viable solution to his poor weight gain for several unecessary months. When I finally gave in to trying formula, I felt absolutely horrible and guilty for having to supplement. For me it was a necessity as the situation was quickly approaching dangerous. I will tell you that the last thing I would have needed to see at that very vulnerable moment was a warning label on the can of formula, especially if it was along the same lines as a smoking or alcohol warning label.<BR/> I think it's really easy to sit atop a perch and preach about how people aren't educated enough, people aren't willing to change the dynamics of their family, etc, but the reality remains that there are many mothers out there who, despite having the knowledge and resources available to succeed at breasfeeding, just can't. I agree with the fact that formula as a substace is inferior to breastmilk, and trust me, if I could give my child breastmilk alone, I most certainly would. I spent too much time of my life and my infant's life agonizing over the fact formula is inferior by comparison. In retrospect, I was probably so caught up in the whole thing that I am sure I affected my supply to it's detriment.<BR/>I think as a society we could encourage a mother to feed her baby breastmilk by taking action to bring breasfeeding into the mainstream, giving mothers more time off,providing adequate breaktimes at work to accomplish pumping, accepting children into the workplace, making more on-site daycare available, all of the things you talk about in your post. But I also think that there needs to be a balance between educating and pressuring. When I sought out awnsers online, I came across many moms who would tell me my pediatricians were full of crap, they didn't know what they were talking about, I didn't have to supplement, he was fine the way he was, etc. It WAS pressure. I think in some ways those "good intentions" can really be counterproductive to breastfeeding, turning what would normally just be a "stressed out" mom into a depressed one.Breehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12147176085020618060noreply@blogger.com