Breast is Best

There is scientific proof that breast milk is best for babies. It is also best for the mommy. But have you ever considered how much better it is for consumers? That’s right, we as taxpayers provide infant formula for the babies of families who meet the requirements through the WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) federal nutrition program. Should every mother who is able to do so choose to feed her baby the natural way, it would benefit us all in so many ways, including financially.
There are many reasons why mothers choose to feed formula. A small percentage of adult females are unable for various reasons to produce milk or enough of it to feed a baby. Occasionally, health reasons may prevent a mom from feeding her baby the natural way. Advertising in the media by companies who sell baby formula make it sound like it is better for baby than breast milk.
Perhaps the biggest reason why women choose to feed their newborns infant formula is because breasts have been so sexualized culturally that they shy away from it. Think when the last time was that you saw a woman breastfeeding a baby in public. We certainly see women’s breasts often enough in magazines, on television, in movies, books, at the beach, pool, and lake. It is extremely uncommon to witness a woman feeding her baby the natural way.
You may or may not be aware that there are laws on the books in many states (including ours) giving women the right to breast feed their babies, covered or uncovered, anywhere they are legally allowed to be. They may not be asked to cover, to move to another location less visible to the general public, especially to a restroom, shamed or otherwise made to feel uncomfortable for providing nourishment to their child(ren).
You read that right. Some women will tandem nurse their children. This means they feed an infant and also one or more siblings simultaneously the older nurslings taking turns at the breast. This causes no detriment to either children or mom. Some people are uncomfortable seeing an infant nursing at the breast and extremely so when they witness a toddler or preschooler doing so. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the average age worldwide to breast feed a child is four years and encourage women to do so for a minimum of two years or more.
When a new mom leaves the hospital, she carries with her a complimentary container of infant formula provided by the formula company. This has become enough of a concern that hospitals are now being given monetary incentives by the government when a new mom chooses to breast feed in order to save taxpayers much more money by the reduced number of women using formula provided by WIC.
Should you see a woman nursing a baby in public and you are uncomfortable, remember that it’s because it isn’t seen enough that it feels normal to you. Once it becomes the norm, no one will notice.
© 2015 Brenda Holland-Robinson