Heaven just started a great thread about books that are breastfeeding friendly.
Something that gets my goat is when bottle feeding is used without context.
For example, the latest eye rolling grr is with the Justine song "why does the baby cry?". My daughter (4) tells me it is probably crying because it wants its mummy. And thinks that the person giving it a bottle might be a big brother or sister. Of course, I am applying my own judgement, but it annoys me because it portrays a baby effectively CIO. It normalises bottle feeding and cot sleeping to the most critical of audiences. Whilst they might be cultural norms, it is not biologically normal and given all the research to show how important breastfeeding (and attachment parenting) is, it seems a greater offense for media aimed at children to not portray biological norms.
It it just me, or does this kind of thing get your goat too?
Very much so. I get infuriated when opportunities to normalise breastfeeding in TV or cinema are instead used as an opportunity for comedy. Just think of how many times in movies or TV men have used milk only to be told it was actually breast milk (Look who's talking, Friends, Meet the Fockers, for example). It's rare to see a woman just feeding her baby, although one programme that has positively shown women breastfeeding their babies is actually Two And A Half Men. Twice there have been mothers breastfeeding in a very normal way on that show with no jokes or innuendos. Considering how women are portrayed regularly on that programme it was a refreshing change.
In general though, breastfeeding in the media is a chance to stereotype hippy mums, or joke about the disgusting process of ingesting human fluids.
Absolutely! There are a few wonderful examples, but on the whole - it is terrible. It annoys me in adult shows, but mortifies me when it is in Childrens media. Play School, normally brilliant, often shows 'babies' being bottle fed. Missed opportunity.
Exerpt:
"It's understandable why few people, even few psychologists, believe that "moderate" spanking harms children. They say: "I was spanked and I turned out well."
But that's not the way we measure the potential harmfulness of a given act. Like smoking, spanking is a "risk factor" - about a third of heavy smokers die of a smoking-related disease. That means two-thirds can say, "I smoked all my life and I am ok"
And this got me thinking...replace 'spanking' with 'artificial feeding' and it is the same deal. As as society we have agreed that spanking is not a good idea. Our government has put in place measures to attempt to protect our children as best we can from smoking.
I think it is a big call to say the Government should "protect" children from, as you call it, "artificial feeding". Formula feeding is not "harmful" and to say so is, IMO, offensive. It definitely should not be equated with smoking and corporal punishment.
I also think there are not "risks" associated with not breastfeeding. There may be implications or different outcomes but the term "risks" is loaded. Call it semantics but I think if you want a forum that is inclusive, choice of words is very important.
It gets my goat hon. I was just thinking about it all today actually after reading a thread on BB about the reasons some breastfeeding mums have heard as to why they should stop. https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...eeding-165351/ It just makes my mind boggle. And it's not just younger woman. I had an older grandma say to my DS "gosh you look healthy you must love your (whatever formula brand she said)" I didn't say anything but I did leave thinking holly molly even the oldies think formula is the norn Then I was thinking today about how it is becoming the norm and rather than society becoming more natural and back to human instinct with attachment parenting, cosleeping, breastfeeding and natural birth we are heading even further in the other direction
I realise how loaded it is to put artificial feeding in the same paragraph as smoking and spanking, but the reasearch supports that there are 'risk factors' associated with not breastfeeding. I realise it is an emotive issue. I agree that it is semantics, but I do think that as far as risk factors are concerned the article is the same. Artificial feeding, however, has it's place (unlike smoking and spanking, for which there is no justification).
The risk factor does not mean that the artificially fed child will definately be disadvantaged, there are many examples of very healthy non-breastfed children. Likewise, there are examples of unhealthy breastfed children. It is not cut and dry. BUT the research shows that there is significant long term risk associated with not breastfeeding. AND one of the main reasons that breastfeeding is so difficult is that mothers are often not supported properly when they do want to breastfeed or they choose not to breastfeed because they believe that artificially feeding is a legitmate and equal choice.
Fair enough - it is a choice, and only a mother can make the best choice for her family. BUT is it an informed choice? and what information and messages are being recieved?
Ultimately, if ideas of what is 'normal' are established in early childhood, surely we (as a society) should be aiming towards biologically normal (and supported by research) approaches?
The long term outcomes of artifical feeding means that there are higher incidences of heart disease, diabetes and allergies. This puts a greater demand on medicare.
But, as I said in the original post, it is not just the breastfeeding, but also the leaving the baby to cry normalises a practise which might work for some mothers, but has alot of research showing long term risk factors.
Whilsts as adults we can critique the media and come to a hopefully informed decision, children view the media quite different. After immediate real life experiences, the next most powerful influence is the media.
I thought it warrenteed some reflection, and I appreciate the discussion that comes from it. The best way to learn new things is to talk about it, and ask questions.
Breastfeeding and the media
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Then I was thinking today about how it is becoming the norm and rather than society becoming more natural and back to human instinct with attachment parenting, cosleeping, breastfeeding and natural birth we are heading even further in the other direction 
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