Dr. Phil Joins List of Stupid Celebs Who Bash Breastfeeding
Oh, brother. This is just what I needed to start my morning off. Dr Phil has joined the ranks of Rosie O'Donnell and other stupid celebrities who run their mouth and show their total ignorance about breastfeeding. He's apparently said that he's glad he wasn't breastfed.
I'll let you read the transcript over at the Lactivist's blog. And I'll share my little 'wet nursing' story. I can't say that I wouldn't be a little uncomfortable nursing someone else's child. But if I had a friend who ended up in some emergency and her baby was hungry and I could do it, I would willingly nurse that baby for her if she asked me to.
When I was 5 days old my Mom had to go back to the hospital and I wouldn't take the bottles of breastmilk the local LLL moms dropped off. I ended up sucking on my Dad's pinky finger all night long. I bet Dr Phil would say I have "issues".
Anyway, my mom's friend whose daughter was around my age nursed me a few times... which probably saved my life or at least kept me comforted and hydrated during what was probably the longest two days of my entire life. And I am SO thankful. What was I as a newborn infant feeling when suddenly my Mommy disappeared? My rejection of the "just as good" formula says a lot. I wanted and needed that familiar comfort of nursing.
I don't think it's a coincidence that I grew up to be a La Leche League leader, and mom of 4 who let her babies them decide when to wean. I guess I'm some kind of freak according to these "educated" people. Sigh.
I'll let you read the transcript over at the Lactivist's blog. And I'll share my little 'wet nursing' story. I can't say that I wouldn't be a little uncomfortable nursing someone else's child. But if I had a friend who ended up in some emergency and her baby was hungry and I could do it, I would willingly nurse that baby for her if she asked me to.
When I was 5 days old my Mom had to go back to the hospital and I wouldn't take the bottles of breastmilk the local LLL moms dropped off. I ended up sucking on my Dad's pinky finger all night long. I bet Dr Phil would say I have "issues".
Anyway, my mom's friend whose daughter was around my age nursed me a few times... which probably saved my life or at least kept me comforted and hydrated during what was probably the longest two days of my entire life. And I am SO thankful. What was I as a newborn infant feeling when suddenly my Mommy disappeared? My rejection of the "just as good" formula says a lot. I wanted and needed that familiar comfort of nursing.
I don't think it's a coincidence that I grew up to be a La Leche League leader, and mom of 4 who let her babies them decide when to wean. I guess I'm some kind of freak according to these "educated" people. Sigh.
Labels: breastfeeding, stupid celebs
posted by Carrie Lauth at 8:04 AM
NEW! 
15 Comments:
Yes his show was ticking me off about cosleeping last night ;) As you can imagine. Now I personally am not comfortable with wet nursing and I wouldn't want my babies being nursed by someone else, but I would never look down on anyone and put it in words like Dr. Phil said. I am a big fan of Dr. Phil and his views on relationship issues.. but he needs to stay away from children's issues. So what if the little girl wanted her mom to read her another story. That burned me up too last night. I told my husband, I guess he would have big issues at our house around bedtime :::rolling eyes:::
I admit that I'm not comfortable with having someone else nurse my child, but it certainly shouldn't be looked down upon. I'm all for breastfeeding and I wish there was more support for it in the public.
Thanks for all you do with LLL.
As for Dr. Phil, he disappoints me for many reasons...
Would you be thankful if someone else nursed your child and exposed them to hiv? Even though the risk is slight, there is a chance that hiv can be passed through breastmilk. Why take that chance?
Anonymous,
I never said I would want a complete stranger to breastfeed my child. I said that I would be willing to do that for another Mom if she asked me.
Interestingly, the research shows that babies who are born to HIV/AIDS mothers and breastfed are *LESS* likely to develop AIDS than if they are formula fed or fed a combination of formula and breastmilk.
You don't know if your closest friend or a stranger has hiv. There is a research study out there to prove anything and everything. My point is why would you take any risk, however small it may be, in exposing your child to hiv? Formula will not kill him or her.
I feel everyone has the right to do what is best for them as long as they're not harming or encroaching on someone else.
Personally, I wouldn't want my children breastfed by someone else nor would I feed anyone else's child.
I may be wrong here but I always thought the mother's milk is specifically formulated for the needs of her child, would the baby get the same benefits being breastfed by someone else?
It's also a bit too intimate for me. I read that HIV research a few years back and found it bizzare that HIV mothers were actually hiding from social services so they could breastfeed their babies.
I know certain research has said it's better to breastfeed your child if you're HIV positive, but I would never take that risk, because there is also other research which says HIV can be transmitted through breast milk.
I just wasn't impressed at all by how immature he was about it .. making faces and noises about it.
No matter what side of the fence you're on he was terribly immature about it.
Anonymous, I would bet that you would let your child get a blood transfusion, but people still get AIDS from those.
http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/hivinfectionsaids/hivi4614.html
I am glad you feel strongly about breastfeeding, I am glad it worked out for you. I am SO tired of judgemental people making those of us who for some reason couldn't breastfeed feel like inferior mothers. My daughtet was breastfed for a few weeks but I could never get her enough, I had a c-section, I was in pain, I tried so hard and it ended with me and her in tears. My husband just said don't do t his to yourself, we will figure out a way. We gave her formula and I am pleased to tell you she is a fine healthy 20 month old. You talk about formula likes its something terrible, "so called subsitute" . I am planning on having a second baby and I will do my utmost to breastfeed, I may even seek the help of an expert, but give moms a break...I was fretting about breastfeeding, the pressure was enormous...babies can thrive on formula, stop piling all this guilt on women, support moms on what they want to do, what is best for them not what you think shouldhappen.
Carrie...I thought I'd throw this in. I was formula fed. My mother was from the Czech Republic (then Czechoslovakia) and had a horrible nipple infection with my sister and ended up in the hospital, separated from my sister. I'm assuming it was something easily treated today and in the U.S/Canada. When I was born (in Canada), my mother was so fearful the same would happen, so I got formula. I think I turned out okay.
I am also for breastfeeding. It's natural, it's good for baby and goodness gracious, once you get it right, it's less work for mom.
But overall, I think it's a matter of what works for the family. There is no shame in breastfeeding. There is no shame in bottle-feeding. It seems no matter what route you take, someone doesn't like it.
Well, you know what? Who cares? We now what's best for our babies, so who cares if anonymous is horrified about wet nurses? Who cares who gets upset if we whip out our boob at the local mall? Who cares if Carrie or others think we should go to great lengths to get breastfeed to our babies?
On a lighter note, I'm glad the folks at Nip/Tuck haven't decided to as idiotic as the pork folks. If I ever have another baby, I'm getting me a Nip/Suck shirt!
This isn't the first time that his show has shown a lack of intellection. He had a show, WOHM vs SAHM, it was name calling and yelling. There was nothing constructive.
I quit watching his show years ago.
Why is the title of your post "Dr. Phil Joins List of Stupid Celebs Who Bash Breastfeeding"?
Where did he ever bash it? He made a few statements in regards to what he personally feels BUT never once did he bash it. Never once did he say moms were horrible for doing that, or it was wrong or horrible or you shouldn't do it.
All he said was....
DR. PHIL: All right. Another topic that gets people talking, and this one just, I got to tell you, this kind of creeps me out, is the use of wet nurses popping up in social circles.
OK So it creeps HIM out? Yes the idea of one baby breastfeeding from several different people. How is that bashing it? It just creeps HIM out!
McGRAW:
...if I grew up and found out that my mother had been passing me Around the neighborhood, I'd be walking down the sidewalk going, 'Oh, God. Is she one of them? Oh, no!' I mean, that would be horrible.
Again how is this bashing? He just made a statement of what he feels he would do if it happen to him as a baby. No Bashing again here!
McGRAW: Yeah, but I don't want to bond with the neighbor.
Again NO bashing here!
So tell me? Why is your post titled that? Dr. Phil has done NO Bashing that I can see from any of his comments!
I am the anonymous who wrote about babies contracting hiv and no I would NOT let my child get a blood transfusion. So maybe you should not assume things about people that you don't know. As for the other anonymous comment, Carrie did not even watch Dr. Phil, did you Carrie?
I think that Dr. Phil can make any statement he wants. You are all saying basically to each his own in your blogs on breastfeeding, so his opinions should be under the same consideration. Many of you say you would not want to nurse another's babe,etc., which is just fine. I come from the other side. I have nursed many other women's babes when asked for various reasons, and my daughter in law has nursed 3 of mine when I needed her to, and I nursed hers. It is such a natural thing. I suppose I would think twice about a total stranger though.
I think that the reason people get worked up about celebrities and particularly someone with the designation "Dr" in their name, is that it can easily influence the general culture. General cultural tendencies can affluence policies and laws.
These same kinds of ideas actually kill babies in other, disadvantaged countries. Formula feeding in the Third World is DANGEROUS. It is illegal to give out samples of formula or do any kind of advertising in many of those countries because of it. Western ways influence the rest of the world.
Now, as for formula feeding being "fine" or just as good in an advantaged country - you cannot look at one child and determine that. I
However, you need to understand that there are over 30,000 studies that prove the inferiority of formula to breastmilk. Between the antibodies and appropriate levels of fat to protein to lipids for their ages, there are countless reasons why breastmilk is superior.
In terms of results, breastfed babies have higher IQs OVERALL. That doesn't mean that your particular baby is not smart. But to me, it just seemed that if overall research shows higher IQs in breastfed babies, why would I take the risk of my baby having a lower IQ in order to formula-feed?
Same thing with certain cancers, various infections, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, etc. I just didn't want to take a chance.
I agree that some woman go through herculean efforts to get their baby to breastfeed and no one should be made to feel badly about their choice. I'm helping my SIL through such feelings and she considered relactating due to it. She had supply issues and then got some misinformation about her allergy medicine and weaned due to that. But, I don't want her to feel bad. She is more determined for next time though.
Now, I will say one more thing about the husbands. Gosh, to the frustrated woman they can seem like heroes who say "It's OK. We will just formula feed." I was the woman doing the herculean efforts to breastfeed with my first and third child so I know what it feels like. But, if you have decided on what you feel is the best course of action, breastfeeding, how heroic is that husband to say "Just give up" ? How supportive? How loving?
I say to women who have gone through this to really get some determination, education and boatloads of support. When breastfeeding is hard you need the support of someone who has been there and can help pull you through. Helping husbands to understand that instead of encouraging a woman to take the easy way out undermines her when she is the most vulnerable.
Hey, guys think they are helping, but they are not being supportive in the truest sense of the word. They also often do not comprehend what is at stake either.
OK, one last thing on wet nurses - better than nothing I guess. Also, would hate to have to be put in that position, but I've babysat at times where I really wanted to, just to give the child relief. I'm also thankful no one asked me too!
I probably wouldn't feel comfortable allowing another mother to feed my child unless there was extreme need and she was properly tested for HIV and other things, but the truth is that the human race may not have survived without this happening more frequently in the past.
Also, Dr. Phil and others seem to confuse breastfeeding with the sexual function of breasts. The two are separate. While both natural and sensual (in the sense that they involve the senses) there is nothing sexual in a normal breastfeeding relationship.
Sorry so long...
Sorry to be anonymous - I just didn't want to bother to register - gotta go get off my soapbox now!
Anonymous #60000968
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home