Does "Breast is Best" harm the Cause?
October 6th, 2010 by Nicky Beoddy
On a recent facebook discussion, I posted this link and asked what moms thought about the slogan "Breast is Best". Here's a response from our guest blogger Nicky Beoddy, who graciously allowed me to re-post it here... what do you think ...?
Well... Who wouldn't want to give their infant "the best", if at all possible? Along those lines, I can see how the motto began and why some people choose to use it. I can also see how saying it's the best implies that there are other valid... ...choices.
Of course, there *are* other choices. That is the current situation. And being so, it certainly can't hurt (in my mind) to reiterate that of those choices, breastmilk is to be viewed as the best option. Yes, breastfeeding is normal. But not all women are able to breastFEED for whatever reason (psychological block, work circumstances, illness, etc). Breastmilk itself should be offered to all women as a substitute-- just as they are now able to choose formula, a safe breastmilk resource should be normalized and made widely available.
But at the moment it's not. Until the time that it is, it needs to be recognized that the majority of Americans still view formula as a valid substitute for breastmilk. And while they do view it that way, I think that it needs to be constantly reiterated that formula is not the *best* choice. Human breastmilk is.
Breasfteeding is normal for those of us who have already committed to feeding our children that way. But perhaps someone else (still undecided) might see that slogan and think "Breastfeeding doesn't feel normal for ME!" and promptly head their way towards formula. But if it's touted that beastMILK is the "best" food for babies, then maybe that woman will be more inclined to seek out alternative ways of providing breastmilk if they are unable to do so by directly feeding their babies from their breasts.
Rather than changing the "slogan" mostly spoken of in circles of mothers already breastfeeding, how about getting the old one out there more? For every Similac/Enfamil/whatever commercial on TV and in magazines, there should be at least one "advertisement" promoting human breastmilk. Some people need to see and hear people say that something is the best. Breastmilk needs to be entered into the conscious minds of everyone the same way that formula has been commercialized. Apparently that's the real way to get the message across. Tell people it's "the best" using attractive models and adorable babies. Tell people that it's the "supreme" feeding option. Because some people honestly don't get information unless it's pushed at them through media outlets.History has shown us that it doesn't matter what the slogan is, so much as it matters where (and how aggressively) it's being spread.
Of course, there *are* other choices. That is the current situation. And being so, it certainly can't hurt (in my mind) to reiterate that of those choices, breastmilk is to be viewed as the best option. Yes, breastfeeding is normal. But not all women are able to breastFEED for whatever reason (psychological block, work circumstances, illness, etc). Breastmilk itself should be offered to all women as a substitute-- just as they are now able to choose formula, a safe breastmilk resource should be normalized and made widely available.
But at the moment it's not. Until the time that it is, it needs to be recognized that the majority of Americans still view formula as a valid substitute for breastmilk. And while they do view it that way, I think that it needs to be constantly reiterated that formula is not the *best* choice. Human breastmilk is.
Breasfteeding is normal for those of us who have already committed to feeding our children that way. But perhaps someone else (still undecided) might see that slogan and think "Breastfeeding doesn't feel normal for ME!" and promptly head their way towards formula. But if it's touted that beastMILK is the "best" food for babies, then maybe that woman will be more inclined to seek out alternative ways of providing breastmilk if they are unable to do so by directly feeding their babies from their breasts.
Rather than changing the "slogan" mostly spoken of in circles of mothers already breastfeeding, how about getting the old one out there more? For every Similac/Enfamil/whatever commercial on TV and in magazines, there should be at least one "advertisement" promoting human breastmilk. Some people need to see and hear people say that something is the best. Breastmilk needs to be entered into the conscious minds of everyone the same way that formula has been commercialized. Apparently that's the real way to get the message across. Tell people it's "the best" using attractive models and adorable babies. Tell people that it's the "supreme" feeding option. Because some people honestly don't get information unless it's pushed at them through media outlets.History has shown us that it doesn't matter what the slogan is, so much as it matters where (and how aggressively) it's being spread.
Post filed under: Articles
Comments
julie k said:
That's a great idea, but who will pay for it?
November 21st, 2010 1:38am