Mummy Guilt Culture - Protecting or Patronising

[Trillian]

I don't think it's helpful to tell someone the 'facts' when they are already having problems or after they have found a 'solution' to their problems because they are struggling enough as it is and being told the facts at that point is not in any way helpful at all. What I think SHOULD happen is making sure that they get told the facts long before problems happen, ie, while they are still pregnant. If they already KNOW the facts, then they have the opportunity to make more informed decisions and this is where the ball is being dropped time and time again. I see women on forums and IRL who obsess more over the colour of their bugaboo or the nursery during their pregnancies than they do about making a breastfeeding relationship work. It's something that is taken for granted as 'oh yeah, I'll try but if I have problems I'll just use formula' because the perception is still out that that it is OK and will not cause any adverse effects. And for the most part it doens't, but who wants to be in the percentage of people where it has been the worst thing they have ever done? But FFS! we even worry more about the type of cot bedding we use as a prevention of sids than we worry about feeding being a factor!

ETA - and if you have to sugar coat something to 'protect' someones feelings, then you're already too bloody late! As it stands we only pay lip service to the issue. You never see on a Kids and Sids ad on TV about how important it is to breastfeed to reduce the rate of SIDS, nooooo, just the stand lines about smoking and bedding. So it's often a case of protecting those who are already going through it (meaning using formula) and patronising those who haven't (the still pregnant).