Why are we even talking about this stuff?

It seems like there's been a perfect storm of anti-breastfeeding feeling swirling about over the past week or so.  First was Niamh from The Mama's Hip appearing on Four Live on RTE on January 9th, where a photo from her blog of her tandem feeding her 3 1/2 year old and her baby provoked a fairly predictable response from viewers.  What was obvious was that Maura Derrane agreed with the "offended" woman who sent in a comment referring to Niamh as "disgusting".  What was really offensive and disgusting was Maura reading out said comment live on air.  But hey, when your guest is a perverted long term breastfeeder, it's obviously ok to insult them.


Next came reports on Wednesday that breastfed babies are a pain in the ass compared to formula fed babies.  They cry more, smile and laugh less and are generally more troublesome.  This of course provokes me to say "But my baby was the smiliest, laughiest, least troublesome...." but seeing as I dismiss anecdotal evidence as irrelevant, that cuts no ice even with me.  What was interesting about how the report was framed in the media was that at least reference was made to breastfeeding being the norm, therefore breastfed baby behaviour was the norm.  


Funniest comment I saw on the web in relation to this article:  "the research clearly indicates bottle feeding comes out better in certain areas yet the researchers themselves and all the commenters slam it. Very irrational. To me, all this says, is that the gap between breastfeeding and modern formula is probably very close."  Ha ha!  Yep, you're right.  Having a baby that you consider to be "easier" at three months is a hugely important benefit - why, forget breastmilk and its protective effect against a whole host of illnesses, not to mention SIDS - this formula stuff makes 'em smile more?  Sure, that's just as good!


Then came this article on the Telegraph blog.   Don't read it if your blood pressure goes up when you encounter mindless anti-breastfeeding rubbish.  It's highly inflammatory which I think is the point.  'Course, the writer has links to the baby food industry.....you can read more about it on the Analytical Armadillo, if you really want to give the heart a good workout.


So we've all been up in arms defending breastfeeding here, there and everywhere over the past week.  D'ya know what?  I can't be arsed dealing with ignorance and misinformation anymore (be interesting to see how long this lasts.  My blood was boiling after some tool commenting on The Mama's Hip called home birth "the most selfish thing" anyone could do.  Really?  Oh yeah, you're right - I mean snorting coke while pregnant doesn't even come close!).  Some of these people seem so entrenched in their views and determined to view any attempt to educate as akin to holding guns to people's heads to make them breastfeed.    And I think others just know it's a topic that gets people all het up and use it for a bit of amusement and entertainment.   


But what really hit me this week was the sheer absurdity of all of it.   This level of hysteria over the normal way of feeding a baby?  I imagine telling some of the women I met in Latin America about all of this - they'd think we were nuts.  And they'd be right. 










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