Unfair Judgments
by Kate Kahn - 25th December 2007
I read an opinion piece today about a woman who decided to feed her baby formula after trying unsuccessfully to breastfeed. She talked about how she was made to feel guilty, as if she was a bad mother, by others who were breastfeeding and felt there are no other options. She had joined a few mothers' groups to bond with other new moms and in the end felt not only no bonds but, in fact, ostracized to an extent. Ironic. But it was a learning experience. And through it, she felt that finding herself in the position of not being able to breastfeed, and being judged by others, made her more empathetic as a person.
It got me thinking. There are lots of parenting styles. I have friends for whom I have the utmost respect, yet we parent very differently. What works for me might not work for them. What works for them might not work for me. I think it depends on the dynamics of each family. I may not agree with their style but that doesn't make them bad parents. And vice versa. I'm quite sure I don't know all the intricacies of what makes their families tick. And they don't know what makes mine tick. I'm in no position to judge them, nor they me. And the same logic goes for the way one feeds her child. It's simply unfair to place judgment.
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