Breastfeeding-A Moral Imperative?

There are many reasons to breastfeed.  Mothers' milk provides nutrients and antibodies that help protect the baby.  And, breastfeeding can even help your body get back into shape and into it's routine.  But there are also many reasons not to breastfeed.  We've covered them before in this blog, but I'll name a few.  Perhaps you can't for medical reasons, or maybe you don't produce enough milk.  Maybe it's just not the best choice for your family's dynamic.  That's not a sin.  Some mothers find it stressful.  And stress isn't good for the baby or other family members.

U.S. health officials are trying to increase breast feeding rates for all good reasons.  But many groups and people are pressuring new moms through guilt.  They allege you're not being a good mother if you don't breastfeed, or that you're not giving your baby the best possible chance you can.  I even saw one article that said people were equating formula with giving babies the equivalent of MacDonalds! 

Too much pressure will backfire.  It already has actually.  Women who choose not to breastfeed are fed up.  There are now blogs galore dedicated to people who hate breastfeeding and are eager for support.  And there are plenty of people ready to support them.

Increasing breastfeeding rates is an admirable goal.  But the push to do so by radical lactivists has turned the debate into something volatile.  It has polarized mothers who, rather than fight each other, should support each other in their decisions.  Breastfeeding is not a 'moral imperative" as some would suggest.  Rather, it is a choice; one that is personal and should not invite judgement.