New Yorkers, when will you get rid of the meddlesome tyrant who is your Mayor? Seriously, what redeeming qualities does this man have? Do you just like being wards of the state with no Rights but what the Government grants? Just hook up some jumper cables to the Founding Fathers, I'm sure they're spinning fast enough to power the entire Eastern Seaboard.
In his latest attempt to show you that The Government Knows Better, Mayor Bloomberg has enlisted over half of New York City's hospitals into a program to promote breastfeeding. They will not supplement breastfeeding infants with formula feedings "unless medically indicated," they will track the number of formula bottles they use, they will cease handing out promotional samples of formula. Further, while they won't deny a mother formula if she asks, said mother "will also be instructed on the benefits of breastfeeding."
Now, here's the deal. When I was an infant, breastfeeding was verboten. Formula was supposed to be so much better for an infant than that natural stuff. Now things have shifted the other way. That's fine. What's not fine is the Government saying anything about it one way or the other. It's not the Government's business if a woman breastfeeds, or not, so why is the Government getting involved?
Here in Texas, a bill requiring that mothers considering an abortion be administered and shown the results of an ultrasound, with an explanation of what they're seeing, was fought tooth and nail by the abortion lobby. The law already provided that the mother could sign a form waiving viewing or hearing the description, but she had to actively make that choice. Feminists were up in arms over this law. It was the worst anti-abortion law ever. Yet these same feminists, who insist that the Government keep its hands of their bodies, are remarkably silent, or even supportive, of this expansion of Government power over their bodies.
And that this is Government expansion is hardly a question, is it? Certainly, at the moment, this is "voluntary." The 27 participating hospitals signed on "voluntarilly." But from the Mayor who has banned trans-fats, salt, and "large sugary drinks," is there any question that he'll remove the "voluntary" label from this if he gets the chance? Why ceede this man any more power? Why ceede the Government any more power?
I've read more on breastfeeding than any man should I think.
ReplyDeleteI've reached a conclusion that I suspect is actually supported by the science: Breastfeeding is better than forumula, but only by inches and not by enough that it should create psychological terror on mother.
Yet, it does. I've had friends tell me when their wives had trouble breastfeeding, crazed lactation counselors would decend upon there *homes* telling them they weren't trying hard enough. Better by inches, but not worth that. (I like to think of it like fresh squeezed orange juice, sure it's better for you than bottled stuff, but not so much better that it's worth the extra stress it would take to make it each morning, and there's really no harm from the bottled stuff. Make if you have the time and enjoyment, don't force yourself.)
And it's only about to get worse. The Joint Commission, which is basically responsible for Medicare/Medicaid accrediation, is (as I understand it) getting read to make "exclusive breastfeeding" one of their Prenatal Care standards (Psuedo-Source: http://www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/6/Perinatal%20Care.pdf). Hospitals are already removing formula from the sample bags that parents get when they go home with their babies.
So to reiterate: Breastfeeding is good, plus it's (more or less) free. So if it comes fairly easily, it should be preferred, but there's no reason to start driving people into insanity over this or labeling people who can't (or choose) not to breastfeed bad parents. My friends will tell you, I'm no feminist, not by a long shot, but that's no way to judge a mother.