Warning: the following may offend you... for one reason or another!

The Today Show did a story this morning about New York City public hospitals taking away free samples of formula. No, this isn't budget cuts-- this is people sticking their know-it-all noses into a woman's personal choice issue. New York wants to triple its 24% breastfeeding rate by the year 2010. In order to persuade new moms to breastfeed, they are no longer providing free formula samples in the gift bag sent home with women who have just given birth. "Instead, the new mothers will each be given a breast-milk bottle cooler, disposable nursing pads, breastfeeding tips and a baby T-shirt with the slogan “I Eat at Mom’s” emblazoned on the front. Breastfeeding coaches will accompany the mothers at bedside “to help initiate breastfeeding within one hour of delivery.”

I'm sick and tired of people, the government in particular, trying to decide for the general female population what is right for their bodies and life. As a mother of three, I can proudly say that I want to do what is right for my baby- and most mother's do. What is "right" in life, isn't always easy- and I know many mothers who feel that way about breastfeeding.

The problems with this "solution" to encourage breastfeeding are endless. Breastfeeding is different for every baby and every mother. Why does anybody think that they can throw a bandage over the issue and call it good?

Some women simply don't produce enough milk. Some babies are born with jaundice and need formula supplements. Some mothers need or want to return to work where breastfeeding or pumping can be difficult. Some mothers are completely uncomfortable with the idea of breastfeeding, and the list goes on and on. But my point is-- every situation is different and no one should try to persuade a new mother one way or another. Once a woman enters motherhood, she is inundated with powerful, overwhelming feelings of worry, guilt, fear, and the unknown. Why exaggerate these burdens of new mothers when they could be calmed by educating them?

Why not educate women on their choices instead of dictating what to choose? What if new mothers were given pamphlets about breastfeeding that include not only the benefits, but also the challenges? As many of us know, breast feeding often requires a support system. Why not give the new father or the new mom's support person a pamphlet about ways to assist and ease the emotional roller coaster of breastfeeding? Additionally, the mother and support person could be given information about the different formulas that are on the market, even samples of some. Oh no, what would happen if new moms were actually educated and could make an informed decision for themselves.

And all of this campaigning for promoting infant's health is coming from one of the most polluted cities in the nation. "A little ironic, dontcha think?"

And by the way, here are the pictures of two incredibly healthy children who couldn't breastfeed past 3.5 months for two different reasons.





Forced to stop by insufficient supply.





Forced to stop due to milk allergy. This one had to be put on a specific formula.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9802E1DC1331F930A25755C0A9609C8B63

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/01/nyregion/01mbrfs-breastfeed.html?ex=1343620800&en=b70d394d5cf23f14&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss