Breastfeed or else

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Acute Med, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology.
Well said ... and this echoes what SmilingBluEyes noted about the *art* of nursing. Science and evidence-based practice is the foundation of the profession, but because we deal with human beings, who have preferences, emotions, past experiences and even neuroses, science is not the end-all of decision-making.

i totally agree with you. i found a study saying breastfeeding MAY cause asthma. i could also find studies that say breastfeeding MAY prevent asthma. the point is not the study, simply that you can find a study to back up almost everything you say. yes, we need to evidence. but in all the evidence we cant lose sight of the actual people we deal with on a day to day basis.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.
Why can't we all just agree to disagree and realize that everyone is just doing what they think is the right thing for them and their family.... period.

Because that would require seeing all points of view.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

;)

I believe this is just another "cause" scienctists and polititians take up to intimidate people. I was not a breast fed baby, and I tried very hard to breastfeed my own daugther without sucess. My daughter is perfectly healthy as am I. I believe that you can skew research to make it appear any way you want it. If formula was that much of a risk to your baby --say like smoking when you are pregnant is-- this wouldn't be a debate because there would be no market for formula. There are many factors that come together to lead to obesity or many infections. The research in this article indicates that socioeconomics has an affect on the mothers decision to breastfeed. People of lower socioeconomic status have different lifestyles than higher status people. This research doesn't discuss that most lower class people live in the city where there are higher rates of asthma and infection due to dirtier environments, and that these people tend to eat more fast food and junk food than higher class people, and that children are more often neglected... I could go on. What I am saying that it isn't fair to blame all these things on whether or not you breastfeed your child. While I will admit that breastfeeding does have its benefits, its not the miracle cure that science would have us believe. Some of it is enviromental and some is just genetics...

I would just like to say I was a poor inner city mother Who breastfed my son 4 yrears and 3 years for my daughter. My son who had lung disease at birth was suppose to recieve many vaccines bacause of his lung disease which I had refused. the docs were amazed at his recovery and never getting seriously sick without having the vaccines. I accredit this whole hearttedly to breastfeeding. A childs Imunne system is not fully developed til around age 5 and breastmilk gives them Immunity{sp?] to many illnesses. So I Don't agree that scientist are just doing this to imtimidate people. But I also don't agree that a warning label will make much of a difference. Also I used to be a mommy milk nazi! Not anymore I know there are many different situations and the decision should always be left to the mom. Oh! and my kids never ate fast food till this year, twice. And were vegan. Maybe were not the norm for poor people in the city! I'll get off my soap box now, Please be kind;)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
;)

I would just like to say I was a poor inner city mother Who breastfed my son 4 yrears and 3 years for my daughter. My son who had lung disease at birth was suppose to recieve many vaccines bacause of his lung disease which I had refused. the docs were amazed at his recovery and never getting seriously sick without having the vaccines. I accredit this whole hearttedly to breastfeeding. A childs Imunne system is not fully developed til around age 5 and breastmilk gives them Immunity{sp?] to many illnesses. So I Don't agree that scientist are just doing this to imtimidate people. But I also don't agree that a warning label will make much of a difference. Also I used to be a mommy milk nazi! Not anymore I know there are many different situations and the decision should always be left to the mom. Oh! and my kids never ate fast food till this year, twice. And were vegan. Maybe were not the norm for poor people in the city! I'll get off my soap box now, Please be kind;)

I am very glad to hear that your son is so healthy... good for you for giving him the best nutrition that you can. That being said, one case does not prove the rule. I am sure there are an equal number of people out there who breastfeed and had very sick children. Maybe it is your lifestyle that is contributing to your childrens' overall health. You are the exception... most people are not vegan and eat quite a bit of fast food. As for the vaccines, I would just like to ask why you wouldn't... I'm not being sarcastic I just really want to know.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I am an attachment parent who breastfed both her children till two and I support moms who want to bottle feed. Bottle feeding is not child abuse.

The overwhelming majority of moms I have met are doing the best that they can for their children.

On the other hand, I don't have a problem with a warning label on formula that clearly states that formula is in not equivalent to breast milk. (I would nix a label that says that bottle feeding moms will burn in hell.) And let's make sure this label is on formula exported to foreign countries.

Not giving consumers important information because it might cause some of them to feel guilty doesn't seem like a good rationale for not supporting this.

We all know Twinkies aren't good for us, but I don't think we should remove the nutrition label because there is somebody out there who honestly cannot stop themselves from eating Twinkies and who is suffering extreme guilt every time they see it.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Hmmm, so how far will we go???

attach warning labels on ALL potentially unhealthy foods/drinks/life choices?

How about a warning label on that fresh fruit or veggie you are buying? After all,there is simply no true way to guarantee it was never touched by pesticides/fertilizers/petroleum byproducts, hazardous metals, etc, even if the farmer claims to be organic. The earth is laden with potentially toxic chemicals everywhere, that leach, even in measureable quantities, in human breastmilk!

I seriously wonder sometimes. Seems to me we are always swinging in extremes in everything we do. Just a couple generations ago, formula was being pushed on moms as "superior" to breastmilk-----the other extreme. It turned out to be harmful saying all that and encouraged people to make decisions they probably would have been better off NOT making....

How about a happy medium? Like educating moms/families about the benefits of breastfeeding and leaving them to decide what is truly best for them?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.
Just a couple generations ago, formula was being pushed on moms as "superior" to breastmilk-----the other extreme. It turned out to be harmful saying all that and encouraged people to make decisions they probably would have been better off NOT making....

How about a happy medium? Like educating moms/families about the benefits of breastfeeding and leaving them to decide what is truly best for them?

I think that a label is part of that hope of education. I think firstyearstudent has made an excellent post on the subject, and I wholeheartedly agree with her. I think moms try to do they very best they can in their circumstances, but the fear of offending a momma with a warning label or other education is detrimental to getting the word out that breast milk is really best. On non nursing boards, I have had to "prove" over and over and over again that there are real studies over the decades that truly show that breastmilk is best. Most people seem to believe that it's hogwash. I think it's partly a result of their moms and grand moms who were told that formula is better. The pendulum must be swung; people need to understand that breastmilk is preferred not because it's "better" = some super food that they don't need, but that formula is inferior to the norm - breastmilk.

People know that Twinkie's are inferior to whole grains, you would be surprised how many people do not know that breastmilk is truly what babies should eat, and formula should only be considered when the mom has social/emotional/physiologic issues hampering her ability.

It's a choice, just as twinkies are a choice, but let's make sure that we are all on the same page. Nurses are truly informed, as we have all attested. We all know the stats, and we can make an informed choice. I would like that for everyone.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

But claiming it a hazardous material, to me, is extreme.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L & D; Postpartum.
But claiming it a hazardous material, to me, is extreme.

Very extreme, not to mention, untrue. The commercial would make you think it's actually harmful, drawing a comparison to bull-riding, or log rolling while pregnant. Now the thinkers among us, hopefully, would be able to see that for the extremism that it is. But some are far more vulnerable and those are the moms I fear might make a decision based on an untruth that may or may not be in the overall best interest for the family unit.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU, ER, Hemodialysis.

like i said, commercials for formula already state "breast milk is best" so what good would putting labels on formula cans do! plus, what's next? are we going to require soda companies to place a warning on their cans stating "water is best" "drinking soda may be hazardous to your health" etc...

besides, and i am just a man, but doesn't the MOTHER'S nutrition have alot to do with how nutritious her breast milk is? so a blanket statment like "breast milk is best" is not always true...making putting it on THAT mother's formula can a false statement that would cause her to believe that breast feeding is best in her situation; however, that may be untrue! right?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.
I think what we all agree on the following points:

1. It is our duty as nurses to inform parents of the risks/benefits of the decisions they make regarding their infants' care, including feeding methods.

2. For the vast majority of infants, breast milk is the preferred food.

3. There are parents who, for a number of reasons, opt not to use breastmilk to feed their infants.

4. As healthcare providers, we must realize that once we inform parents as to the risks/benefits of breastmilk vs. formula, the choice is theirs to make.

It is wrong for us to nag, badger, belittle, guilt, strong-arm, threaten, etc. parents who choose not to use breastmilk, just as it is wrong for us to do those same things to parents who make decisions regarding circumcision or vaccinations that are contrary to our beliefs and preferences.

Exactly! And just as it is wrong for us to nag someone to breastfed, it is also not a good idea to say, "well I bottlefed and my kids are fine". Mommas listen to nurses, look up to nurses and it is also not our job to steer them towards the choice that we may have made. Sadly our own kids are not a mini science experiment, but wouldn't THAT be fun?:lol2:

T

Up Vote Up Vote ×

While I know that there are women who do not get prenatal care, for whatever reason, most women do. And most of those women already KNOW that breast is best. I think the information re: breast vs formula should be part of prenatal care and the pros and cons can be discussed with the PMD. (This may already be done, I don't know. I let it be known from the beginning that I intended to nurse, so my doc never talked about it.) Yes, I understand that some docs will be "nursing nazis" and or laid back in the other direction, but the information about WHY breast is best belongs in the clinic, not on the formula can. Going beyond the basic information ---- that breastmilk is superior ---- and labelling formula cans as hazardous is just plain wrong. Formula is NOT hazardous. It is not the best, but it is not hazardous.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment