I know it's been a while since I blogged but sometimes when something gets me really riled up I just have to let it out.
This is happened today. In my spare time at work I read a lot of articles from other newspapers on various topics. I happened to read a few about breast feeding a while back. One of them said breast feeding is the only way to go, one advocated for a mother's choice and why breast feeding may not always be the best option and I think one was simply we shouldn't judge other people (especially other moms) for their choices.
I can't agree with the last one more.
My sister asked me today if I thought it was a bad thing that she wanted to wean her new baby off breast feeding before she returned to work in a few weeks. She said she knew her first kid was fine on formula but she felt like she was being selfish because she didn't want to deal with the hassle of pumping.
Why should she feel selfish? Is her time and effort worth nothing? Doing what is right for you and your baby should be the most important thing, no matter what anyone else says. Moms who want to breast feed should be able to do so in public (provided that they cover themselves) without being shamed, moms who don't want to breast feed at all shouldn't be made out to be selfish and moms who can't breast feed shouldn't feel bad because they can't.
I know I am not a mom and therefore shouldn't really have an opinion on the topic but I do. Why can't people just mind their own business? If I want to feed my baby formula from the minute its born I should be able to do so without being made to feel like I am a bad mom. What and how I chose to feed my baby has no impact on your baby so why do you care?
There is mass amounts of research on the topic of breast feeding, so let moms-to-be do their own research, make a decision based on what is best for her and her baby and family and then respect that decision. There is no reason for making people feel bad just because they don't do it your way.
