not that we're pressuring you...

Courtesy of the Mater, here is this: Breastfeed or Else, by Roni Rabin, in the June 13 2006 NY Times, health section.

Intriguing things to note: the article's semi-bored style, the non-breastfeeding woman (a professor) vs the breastfeeding woman (a stay at home mother of three). The article aimed to be balanced, but fell flat instead, having sucked all of the tension out of the issue, leaving just, well, blah.

Sigh.

Frankly I'm bored with the issue. I breastfeed my kids. Everybody knows that this is the better option, for whatever the reason du jour happens to be. The best argument against it is "I couldn't," which the wary knows does not invite any questioning as to whether there's a physiological problem (breast surgery?) or educational gap (lack of support?). Just walk away. Those of us who do manage to breastfeed in our society do so in an environment where doctors quietly whisper ya know, ya really should... but society either ignores or frowns upon you. We are the few, the proud, the blah blah blah. What we really are is deviant. D'you see any happy breastfeeding ads on TV? I don't, and I'm pretty sure it's not because I TiVo.

Breastfeeding is harder than it should be. Guilt is all too easy. Ya know what? That's parenting, writ small. Note the microcosm, folks and either do something about it or move on. This article does nothing more than recap the old, tired situation, and I for one am going to bed.

Where, by the way, I will nurse my nine month old - mostly because it just plain feels good to snuggle with him.