There is a new breastfeeding initiative in NYC that I am so very proud of yet it's being met with a lot of criticism and controversy. Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley put together a program to encourage breastfeeding starting in hospitals, to help women nurse their babies by offering support and lactation consultants -- making more hospitals "baby friendly". It will also help educate the public and help nursing moms in the workplace.
People are upset about it. And perhaps the loudest person who opposes this is Whoopi Goldberg. On The View she said to Bloomberg on his initiative, "Very nice, but back off." She even called the lactation consultants who come to your room in the hospital to help moms nurse boneheads. There's more ... plus video.
But the breastfeeding initiative she is bashing helps tons of women. And why oppose something that helps people? You can personally not be on board with it, but to speak in such a public forum (on The View with millions of viewers) and be such an influencer to speak out on something that helps babies thrive is just so irresponsible.
Watch the clip:
If Whoopi didn't want to breastfeed, if any mother doesn't want to nurse her baby, just deny the help. Say no. Get formula. Is it really that hard? Why does it bother those moms so much that there is help? Is it their guilt from not wanting to breastfeed? It makes no sense to get annoyed at something that helps babies get the best start in life. Maybe you had a little help to birth your baby ... you may need a little help to breastfeed, too. And if the moms who don't want help feel those trying to assist are too pushy, remember it's for good reason. Any mom who tries breastfeeding and hates it can easily switch to formula. But a mom who starts with formula and decides a week, two weeks after birth that maybe she should have tried nursing her baby, it's often too late. Breastmilk is supply and demand. No demand, no supply.
Remember, breastfeeding doesn't have to be all or nothing. Even just nursing for the first few weeks is so incredibly beneficial. Even just nursing for the first few days. Why NOT try? Why are so many women so against trying something that is good for them and their newborn? Help me understand that. Have some women bought into a certain part of society's view that breasts are sexual objects and sexual objects only?
I really felt for Sherri Shepherd when she talked about how her milk wouldn't come in and having her baby born at 24 weeks. I love how she encouraged women to at least try, saying it was the most amazing experience of bonding when her son tried to nurse. But she tried. It didn't work for her, but she tried. Moms deserve that experience. Especially in the haze we sometimes feel just after birth -- a little nudge can be helpful.
When Elisabeth Hasselbeck complained how "the league" came in all night long telling her she has to breastfeed when she thought she had to sleep, I was shocked. She has three kids; she knows newborns have to eat every two hours. They had a direct food source in the womb, so we still need to keep them fed even through the night.
Maybe it's Whoopi's guilt speaking. But sadly, her guilt and voice carry a lot of weight because she is on TV. She should really choose her words more carefully. Why ruin another woman's chance at success by offering help? This breastfeeding initiative is just that -- help. Help in the hospital. But it is more than that -- it's help so they can nurse in public without scorn. Help to be able to still breastfeed after you go back to work. We need this help, and deserve it.
I say thank you to Mayor Bloomberg and Dr. Farley. And thank you to the lactation consultants who helped me. Boneheads, you were not.
What do you think of Whoopi's comments? Did you appreciate getting breastfeeding help?
Image via edenpictures/Flickr
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Comments 235
To those that feel it is being pushy to insist that woman who give birth are provided with the most current and best medical advice in regard to feeding method I would say that the hospital is fulfilling their duty. As a patient you have the right to disregard medical advice at any time and if a particular hospital staffer, regardless of their position, crosses a line then feel free to file a complaint but otherwise understand what your rights are as a patient and insist they respect them in regard to you. At the same time don't expect the hospital staff to stop doing what they are charged to do.
The Long Island Doula Association, Inc. is discouraged and angered by Ms. Goldberg's use of the word ‘boneheads' to describe IBCLC's who are employed by hospitals to help new mothers learn to breastfeed.
Whoopi Goldberg used the words ‘some bonehead' to describe the experience of an IBCLC coming to a new mother's hospital room to help her learn to breastfeed her newborn. Ms. Goldberg paints the picture of a troop of militia- based breastfeeding advocates who will march into hospital rooms uninvited and simply force breasts to mouths. It's inflammatory and simply untrue.
Why is the Baby Friendly Initiative so important? Why is it imperative to extend help to all new mothers who seek it? Breastfeeding affects the community. The US has seen an increase in breast cancer; more breastfeeding could help reduce that rate. There is an obesity crisis; breastfeeding would help curtail that.
Breastfeeding benefits the whole community, it pays to help and encourage any and all women want to breastfeed. Those who cannot breastfeed will not know until they try it, and those who would rather not, can simply say "no thank you" to any bonehead who tries to help them.
While reading these comments I came to the conclusion that we need more LCs. Too many women leave the hospital with misinformation and are encouraged to supplement early, when there was no reason to. If you do not want the help fine. But nobody can fore you. Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent. Most of these bad experiance stories are exgaggerated. I can tell. All a person has to do is reach for the formula and move on. Why go on and on about how you don't want to breastfeed? Why go to a baby friendly hospital in the first place if you do not want to breastfeed? I very much doubt with over 90% of hospitals giving out samples they tried to "make" anyone breastfeed. With hormones going crazy I am sure what seemed like "pushy" was someone trying to help you give your baby the best you possibly could. So even if you do not want the help, it does not mean the women in the next room does'nt. I would have gave anything to have had a little support in the hospital. If you don't well then ask them to leave. If they don't call the nurse and have them leave. Most LCs are out to help.
To the person who would rather have a nurse than an LC, most Lcs are RN or some other health professional. Your story too sounds exgagerated. Because an LC would never tell you to go off medications. They are trained on them!
yepp calling the kettle black sure is right
my experience with LC in the hospital .. was not great at all , so I pumped but bottle fed DD ...
I love the hospital where I have my babies. They didn't even send in an LC...my day nurse asked me if I wanted to BF and once I told her no the subject was dropped. When I had my second baby, they didn't even ask. Actually, in the delivery (c-section) room, they called across the room if I wanted to BF and I said "nope", and then they asked what kind of formula I wanted. DH said "Uh...Simulac?" And I went "ENFAMIL". The scrub nurse said "Mom says Enfamil", and that was that.
Stop looking to the government to tell you what is best. Know your own mind. Take care of yourself, and do what is best for you and your family. My kids from day one where over 90th percentile on height, weight, and in the case of head size, off the charts.