Do blogs help breastfeeding or hurt breastfeeding? I think they do a little bit of both. I have been encouraged by many posts I have read on the weekly breastfeeding blog hop, especially when I was still nursing Charis and many of my real life friends stopped nursing their toddler. A few of my favorite posts have been:
- World Breastfeeding Awareness-MOVE WOMAN! Whitney writes about how breastfeeding was hard at points, but she still loves it. She also recommends hydrating yourself more when exercising.
- World Breastfeeding Week-Understanding the Past, Planning for the Future Amanda writes about the 10 steps for successful breastfeeding from the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative.
- Formula Is Not Evil & 4 Other Things You Should Know About Breastfeeding Reading this helped me get over the fact that Charis had formula a few times.
- Tips for Breastfeeding a Toddler I love the benefits to breastfeeding a toddler that Gaby mentions.
I think lactivists can sometimes treat breastfeeding as a moral issue, which it's not; I ask myself, "Is that mother loving her child, spending time with them, holding them, etc.?" If so, I don't care how her baby is fed; it's up to her to decide after she has educated herself about the pros and cons. I also think the Internet is a place where people will write what they want to without thinking about the words they are writing. One phrase I dislike {but understand why it's used} is "Breast is best." This sometimes stops mothers and causes them to think, "My baby is getting formula. That means I'm not giving my baby the best he/she needs." I also dislike how sometimes mother's emphasize the bonding relationship a breastfeeding mother has, but they forget moms who give formula to their children can bond too. I highly recommend You Can Still Bond While BOTTLE-Feeding at Padded Tush Stats.
Don't get me wrong. I loved breastfeeding my daughter and was thankful I was able to do it for over 23 months, but I don't think I should put myself on a pedestal for doing so. With Charis, that is what worked for both of us, but with another baby it may or may not work.
As a final note, I want to ask that people think if what they're writing about breastfeeding sounds harsh or unloving, if so, try to change it, while still giving the information.
Do you think blogs help or hurt breastfeeding?
Join me for the Weekly Breastfeeding Blog Hop
at Sisters 'N Cloth.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree that people need to stay positive when discussing breastfeeding. That's not to say they should not mention common problems in breastfeeding, but there's no need to judge mothers who decide to use formula instead.
ReplyDeleteI agree - I think they do a little of both, but when I was struggling with BFing, I definitely did a little blog reading to keep me encouraged.
ReplyDelete