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Breastfeeding Advocates -- Browbeaters?
Saturday, December 1, 2007
There's a fairly decent article about the benefits of breastfeeding in the LA Times today, although I don't particularly like its headline: Breast or bottle? No final answer yet. Frankly, after reading the article I don't see how its title adequately reflects its content, but then again you can't sell papers by simply saying: Turns out, breastfeeding is best. People will glance past that in a heartbeat. But create a little ambivalence and people are more apt to read.
There's a doctor mentioned in the article, Dr. Darshak Sanghavi, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, who reporters always target to get a medical professional's dissenting opinion on the benefits of breastfeeding. He said:
that the focus should be on helping women who want to breast-feed, rather than "browbeating" those who don't.Browbeating?
I bet he has never said in his life that the tactics the formula industry uses on a daily basis via T.V. commercials, W.I.C., radio spots, direct mailings, hospital goody bags with samples AND coupons, V.I.P treatment of doctors AND nurses AND administrators, newspaper and magazine advertising, e-coupons, stealth blogs, interest groups that bully government agencies, and Internet ad placements is "browbeating". No, the formula industry doesn't "browbeat" mothers. In his opinion they're just providing an alternative feeding option for mothers.
Give me a break!
Labels: commentary
posted by Jennifer James @ 5:40 AM,
6 Comments:
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At December 1, 2007 11:05 AM,
said...
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Right on!
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At December 2, 2007 9:09 PM,
Reiza said...
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You've left me with nothing more to add other than, "Amen." :-)
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At December 2, 2007 10:16 PM,
Radical Catholic Mom said...
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Amen!
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At December 3, 2007 1:47 PM,
said...
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I think we just had church ;)
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At December 5, 2007 10:12 AM,
Pixie Sellers said...
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I was going to say something along the lines of the other comments, but I'll avoid completely conforming by saying "PREACH IT!" Funny how avoiding guilt is only needed when someone makes money off of our "choices."
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At December 5, 2007 12:05 PM,
said...
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well, there's no question of which is better as far as healthiness. those who choose not to breastfeed mostly do it b/c they think it's more convenient to use formula, but you know this. that's the approach i use to encourage, not browbeat, my friends, family, etc to nurse their babies. i remind them that it's a lot easier to turn over and breastfeed than to get outta bed and make a bottle. and you don't see any commercials for breastfeeding, so how could it be brow beating?
