Wordless Wednesday: Breastspresso

Really Nestle?!?!

And how about those that can’t breastfeed?

This isn’t formula-bashing; formula is a life-saver when it’s truly
necessary. But to claim that this is the “first comprehensive infant
nutrition system” is ridiculous. That’s the point.

The percentage of women who REALLY “can’t” breastfeed is a lot smaller than we are led to believe.  Most “problems” can be overcome.  

I don’t think we need a new way to make formula even more expensive.

BWAHHHH  HAHHHAHHAAAHA – I can’t believe they came up with a keurig for formula.  OMG!

I was thinking the same thing!! 

SPEECH. LESS.

I like how it sort of looks like… boob shaped… sort of O_O 

Seems like an April Fools or Onion post, right?!

And more wasteful, to boot! Those little pods will generate a lot of trash!

So… I love technology but I can’t say I’m loving this one.

Um, yeah. iPhone 5? Yesplz. This? What a waste!

That’s exactly what I thought, too! 

great answer to this most rediculous new nonsense

Oh honestly, Nestle.

“can’t and “problems” in quotes like there aren’t really problems or aren’t women who really can’t breastfeed.  Small percentage or not, doesn’t change the fact that some women truly do have REAL problems, and while most problems can be overcome, having IGT or breasts that truly don’t work can’t be overcome!

In Norway, 90% of the mothers breastfeed their babies at 4 months (98% at 1 week). That leaves 10%, and for that, you can get donated breastmilk. 

Seriously? I agree that this is just leading to more trash. Especially when the thing breaks in a few months… :/

Who would buy this?  OMG.. just when you think you’ve seen everything…

The percentage of women that can’t physically breastfeed is around 3%.  It is our breasts that are broken, it is our society.

This is crazy and I fed my daughter formula. They have this set up like a Keurig. I am hoping to breastfeed when we have another child and this machine is just crazy to me. Marketing at it’s finest, eh? *rolls eyes*

That is the most beautiful picture

Thank you Mom Endeavors. I really don’t call crying everyday and night, praying for God to bring milk to my breasts while I scarf down handfuls of fenugreek, & then even when I have my baby on one breast & the pump on the other for 80% of my day & my baby is still hungry because nothing is coming out, absolutely nothing, my husband has to take her from me, and give her a bottle of formula & breastmilk mixed together while I lock myself upstairs, curse myself for being a naturally horrible mother & punch myself in the breasts till I am EXHAUSTED a small “problem”. I still f’ing cry about it and my daughter is almost 2. So stop judging, dammit.

No freaking way. 

Love it! (the blog post, that is…not Nestle’s latest gimmick…)

FWIW, I don’t think she intended to judge – just to point out that a lot of
the time, our culture isn’t able to recognize a real breastfeeding problem
from one that’s the result of 60+ years of formula use.

Sorry you had such a rough go of it. You’re obviously a dedicated mama &
your daughter is lucky to have you!

Isn’t it?! I was thrilled to find it. It’s just absolutely gorgeous.

My first thought is what the hell.  My second is omg, this is too funny, what a great joke.  Then my third is a thunk of my head hitting my desk as I realize this is for real.  Just wow…

Where’s the dislike button when you need it? Eck! All of these advertising schemes just tick me off. Last summer it was Huggies trying to convince everyone that they were much better than cloth diapers and cloth diapers cause diaper rashes… Really huggies? Every year there’s another one coming out with claims that are far from the truth.

Milk donation… Even if the breastmilk doesnt come form your breasts it’s still 100% better than formula!

 I read about 3% physically can’t

Although I have breastfed all four of my children breastfeeding is an individual choice.  Whether or not one has “problems” or not it is their choice in how to feed their baby.  As long as the baby gets nourished then all is well.  Yes, Neslte’s claims of being the “first comprehensive infant nutrition system” is laughable at best. 

Sorry if I came off as an hysterical pterodactyl, I just hate hearing the “you’re not trying hard enough” conversation or saying that is impossible for a mother to not be able to breastfeed her baby & that she doesn’t want to/is lazy.. It’s invalidating mothers everywhere who can’t breastfeed because of physical, mental or medical reasons. You may think the percentage is small, but a lot of us who can’t were never diagnosed with anything that would prevent us from breastfeeding, so most of those studies don’t include a large portion of the population. I could only make it to 3 months with both of my girls (now 6 years old and 19 months old) before my supply started slowing down. I managed to push myself to 6 months with my youngest, but we had to start giving her formula at around 3 or 4 months. I would pump every hour on the hour for 20 minutes on each side to get my supply up, but I would pump an ounce total, then, nothing. 

Thanks for the level-headed comment!

“hysterical pterodactyl” LOL!

Nah, I’d be in similar shape to what you describe if I were in your shoes.
You have obviously had a really rough go at breastfeeding and it’s clear
that you went above and beyond to try and make it work.

And all of that said: no worries. The “they don’t try hard enough” line of
thinking won’t fly here precisely because of moms like you who tried MORE
than hard enough.

Sending a hug… =)

what’s really scary is that some people are going to think this thing is awesome. And parents magazine will have full page ads and it will be listed on the page for must buy baby items.

Kitty do you have a lactation consultant you are working with? I want to reach out and hug you!

I’m a big fan of the “real” first comprehensive feeding device.  It’s one piece, so easy cleaning, no assembly needed.  It’s sterile (except for when the nasties like thrush or mastitis attack), and always the right temp, and there are two on auto-refill… no waiting!

I think the problem comes when people who have done their best to breastfeed and can’t, take the statements personally.  If you know you did your best and there were true reasons why you couldn’t do it, you fall into the category of people who had true limitations to breastfeeding.  No one is judging you.  Maybe you should look inward…

I was very much judged by others around me including my daughter’s pediatrician who told me that I just need to try harder. I had women literally roll their eyes at me when I said I couldn’t.. so yeah, I DO take it personally.

I called the LLL when I was going through all of this, but I was told “we’re not going to tell you to give her a bottle or formula because that’s not what we’re about” & “Chin up & keep trying”. I had a lactation consultant from the hospital right after I had her, but we moved 45 minutes away right after my daughter was born, so we couldn’t meet up. She seriously wouldn’t of been able to do much for me anyhow. I was bruised, overtired, overpumped & I smelled like maple syrup (which I didn’t mind until one morning when my husband snuggled with me & said “mmm waffles”)

I guess you just have to also realize there are hundreds of thousands of women out there who did NOT try like you have tried…many who didn’t stick with it and really try to make it work. And much of that is due to the marketing of formula to moms and the utter lack of support in pursuing breastfeeding.  I suggest the next time someone rolls their eyes at you – you pull them aside and chew them out about how hard it’s been on you.  Enlighten them.  Yes, people should be more sensitive. 

She might have been able to help, you never know.  My nipples were bleeding when I met with my lactation consultant.  She diagnosed right away that my son had “tongue-tiedness” and that that was what was causing all the pain and improper latch.  And we came up with a plan  of how to heal me and get back to breastfeeding.  And it worked – and I BF him for 2 years!  Oi!  But – if I hadn’t had her house-call, I am SURE I would have given it up because my breasts were being torn apart.  It was not pretty! And I can imagine, if women don’t have a nice lactation consultant like I had, if they experienced the same thing, they would totally turn to formula. 

What if women don’t WANT to breastfeed? What if they make the conscious choice to not breastfeed? Should there be a law requiring women to do so? Because that would be ridiculous. You choose to breastfeed your children, so 1) don’t be critical of those who can’t, and 2) don’t be critical of those who make a different decision than you. It offers absolutely no life altering detriment to not bf. If formula can provide the same nutrients, why not? It’s important that the baby is being fed, with the proper vitamins and minerals that can sustain him/her…not that it comes out of a boob or a bottle.

Wow that’s crazy!

Just an FYI, how much you pump is no indication of supply. Unfortunately, not every woman responds to a pump. This is another thing that keeps women from breastfeeding. In our society, it is almost inevitable that we will need to pump, and not everyone is able to.

And one of those sleep induced mornings when you go for the coffee and instead get a mouth full of… ‘Irish fake cream’?! Awesome… Good heavens… What is so wrong with the way formula was?! Can you imagine trying to travel with this?! No really sir… It’s for my baby… It’s not a small bomb hiding device!

“ If formula can provide the same nutrients, why not? ”
Really?  Even formula companies tell you that breast is best.  Formula is most definitely NOT providing the same nutrients.

Rule #1: Feed the baby.

Rule #2: Feed the baby.

There’s a respectful discourse going on here and the judgment is being held
at bay pretty well; let’s not get inflammatory and stir the pot. No one’s
proposing a law to BF, so we don’t need to get hyperbolic and have our
panties bunched.

Yes! Pumped volume is NO indication of your full supply.

I’ll second that point: breastmilk is a living substance, formula is not.
They are TOTALLY different things and formula is far inferior to breastmilk.

As many others have said, this post is not about whether or not you SHOULD breastfeed and which is better. It is not knocking formula. It is knocking the claim that Nestle is making about it being the first comprehensive nutrition system for babies. That is the laughable, and sad, part. Formula is great when it is necessary (for whatever reason, whether by choice or not), but it is not and will never be breastmilk.

YES! Thank you. =) Exactly.

That can’t possibly be for real….

YES! Thank you. =) Exactly.

YES! Thank you. =) Exactly.

well you are very lucky to have a choice then – good job formula is around isn’t it? Otherwise what would you do. Choice my foot – it’s as much a responsibility as all the other things you do for your baby. 100 years there was no choice – what would you have done if you didn;t want to ‘breastfeed’? you do not know what you are talking about – every part of your post is completely incorrect. And I am not anti-formula, just anti- people who talk like this. ridiculous.

Kitty, stories like yours are why I’m becoming an IBCLC. I had a rough run with my first, no one told me that PCOS can cause a drop in supply and that there are medications (other than fenugreek and that awful reglan) that can boost supply. I was able to make it to 18 months with him. This time around was different and I’ve been able to donate 1000 oz to other babes.

Not many women fight like you did, I know plenty of women who gave up as soon as it got hard. I know quite a few who stopped after 1 week with their first child, due to lack of education and support, but went on to breastfeed their next child. What I’m getting at is you are the exception, the exceptional exception.  Every day you breastfed was a gift to your child, be proud of that.

no one is judging baby. i know how you feel. it sucks and is almost the most terrible feeling i have ever had. to know that the one thing you could do for your baby you just cant do its soooo hard to accept. but women who can breastfeed are under alot of scruteny because everyone thinks that its hippy, not appropriate, discusting, granola, etc. they are just saying yes it may be a good system but if you can do it brest is better. i personally have been on both sides of the fence.

i cant get hardly anything from a pump. i get ALOT more if i self express.

I love the way so many people have gone off on the BF/FF argument when this post is purely making the point that it’s not the “First comprehensive nutrition system”… breasts are obviously!

Anything with the ‘f-word’ (formula!) gets touchy like this…

Only 25% percent of Women actually face these issues. That said, Formula is not the best solution to those problems. These women can try pumping milk for their child, donor milk from another mother’s breast (wet nurse) or pumped donor milk and finally formula. Regardless this post is not attacking formula at all. It is stating that Women were the first comprehensive nutrition system, not some formula machine. Good grief. 

I think some people are LOOKING for an argument!!! It’s like slag off the stupid Nestle machine instead people!!! I can’t believe something so stupid has been created…. [For anyone looking for an argument I'm not commenting on F-use, just on the stupid machine! LOL]

THe antibodies alone make it worth it to breastfeed at the recommended min. of 6 weeks.  There are also numerous studies that suggest that formula fed babies are more prone to obesity and all of its related health risks and diseases.  My mom had to work 40+ hours a week to raise me and my three older sisters and so I was a formula baby–both nourish the baby and allow healthy development; however formula can have many downfalls.

I think her point is that we all make choices that we as parents feel are best for them whether you agree or disagree with someone elses choices are irrelevant!! People in glass houses etc… I’m sure there could be someone FF who feels that YOUR choice is wrong – we can’t judge others by our own standards!

Aside from anything else I think everyone needs to hark back to when their own mother most probably said “If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all”!!!!!

 Hey, calm down–people have the right to choose for themselves and their babies.  You made a valid choice for BFing–Formula and those who choose to use it are not evil or wrong, just chose differently.  Formula is a wonderful invention that has allowed mothers options that were not available in the past, not to mention the many many babies that might have other wise died. 

Formula is inferior to breastmilk; absolutely.

But until we live in a culture that embraces breastfeeding (or at least
doesn’t make it hard!) – things like realistic maternity leave, less formula
marketing, informed health care providers- it’s tough to say
“breastfeeding/milk is the answer and formula shouldn’t be used,” KWIM?

And YES – this is totally not about FF vs BF! Just Nestle’s whacked-out
marketing claim. Can’t believe they say that shit with a straight face!

there is always a supplementary nursing system.

I don’t know if you are planning on getting another chance at your breastfeeding, but if you do you might want to ask about an SNS (supplementary nursing system).  I’m a Lactation consultant and I’ve seen them work wonders for mom’s who are having supply issues but don’t want to give up breastfeeding.  They are also used for adoptive mom’s who want to breastfeed and for premie babies who need supplements but mom still wants to breastfeed.  Check them out.

[...] I am offended by this product for so many reasons. [...]

My issue with this machine is yes its claim to almost be superior to breastfeeding, but also now our human babies require not just 2 types of formula but 6! Not to mention packaging being bad for the environment. Plus how does the system keep the formula clean enough to prevent contamination as much as possible, because lets face the facts, powdered formula is NOT Sterile, it is a growth medium for many potentially hazardous bacteria. Liquid formula that is bottled and heat treated is actually safer then powdered but can still be contaminated.
Formula has it place for those who either can’t breastfeed or choose not too. 
Plus lets not forget that this will be marketed to mothers at high risk for giving up breastfeeding, new mothers breastfeeding for the first time, those having breastfeeding issues and those with high needs babies. 
I had two very highly educated breastfeeding mothers ask me this week if they needed to swap their 11 month old babies onto toddler milk because the tv has been saturated with toddler milk ads lately and they both felt like they might be doing their babies harm breastfeeding them and not giving them toddler milk!!! All because formula companies can market unnecessary toddler formula (code prevents them marketing infant formula here in Australia). My point being that marketing is so much stronger then we give it credit for!! It does sink into our subconscious and the formula companies marketing divisions know this!

Honestly,  Nestle = HoNESTLE. LOVE IT!

Yes, yes, yes! I used a SNS. It worked wonders. My daughter wasn’t getting a proper latch, so I started having supply issues. I nursed more often and pumped after every nursing. I would use that pumped milk in the SNS and only had to use formula on a very rare occasion. It helped us work on the latch issue and increased my supply. Soon (less than 10 days), I no longer needed the SNS. My daughter self-weaned at 17 months.

One more reason for me to boycott Nestle.  

Yes, I will be critical of someone who purposely make the WRONG choice when it comes to feeding their baby.  If someone is not breastfeeding simply because they don’t want to, then they are too immature to be giving birth to children in the first place.  

Angela,

Our culture is largely unsupportive of breastfeeding. Maternity leave is
way too short (and some moms don’t get any at all); doctors and health care
professionals are uneducated on breastfeeding; and formula marketing is
pervasive and successful.

In light of all that, it’s not as simple as “Breastfeeding, GOOD; Formula,
BAD.”

Are there women out there who could breastfeed – who have good maternity
leave, good doctors, and physically can? Of course.

But we’re not about to spew that kind of vitriolic judgment in the face of
the ones who want to and can’t, just because of perceived bad apples.

Please be kind and respectful when you comment here. I think your comments
would be really hurtful to moms who are victims of circumstance and hardship
(physical, emotional, monetary- whatever) when it comes to not
breastfeeding.

Amy

PS – I’ve addressed this comment, so please don’t feed into it any further
and start a debate.

There are so many things wrong with this.

“Women should not feel guilty if they are unable to breastfeed, but they
should feel guilty if they are unwilling to do so, and they should be
intellectually honest enough to know the difference” ~Elizabeth Gene

Why is that brought up every time anyone objects to formula being advertised aggressively?  It’s not about that!  It’s about women who can breastfeed who are being convinced that they shouldn’t!

For heaven’s sake, what happened to just scoop the formula into the bottle and shake it up?  Who needs a machine to do that?  And the tag line — “first comprehensive nutrition system for babies…” is ridiculous which is what is pointed out very very well.  Moms who need to formula feed — for whatever reason — don’t need this!

donor milk!

I do not in ANY way support Nestle or this product but I was rather pleased to see this paragraph on their website:

“Nestlé supports exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an
infant’s life, in line with World Health Organisation (WHO)
recommendations, and continued breastfeeding thereafter for as long as
possible. For babies who are not breastfed, Nestlé provides high-quality
breast milk substitutes, such as BabyNes.”

They just responded to the list of their WHO Code violations and said that
only 3% of them were worth addressing. It’s just lip-service, unfortunately.

oh yes this is true! I have been breast feeding for 19 months and can’t get anything out with the pump, but when my daughter is nursing she just gulps it down! it’s crazy

I don’t know what to say about the Nesle system, is it easier than mixing the formula yourself?  Is it time consuming waiting for the system to produce the formula?  I can imagine it is like perking coffee.  Would that be practicle with for a 3 am feed?  If the point is to produce ready to feed bottles then doing them pre-advanced would defeat the purpose and be another prime exsample of needless consumerism.

As for breastfeeding issue.  I nursed (exclusive/exstended) all 5 of my children including twins all over 2 years old.  You would think I was an advocate, I am pro-bonding!  If a mother is struggling to feed her baby and it is taking away from the experience of bonding as these first moments/days/weeks are so precious than I prefer her choose a way that would give her the best bonding experience.  Formula is not poison, it is not concocted in contaminated meth labs.  There is huge measure taken and has been perfected and continued to be improved to insure its quality.  As mothers we do what we need to!  We should support each other in that.

Its funny my first child was tongue-tied and that was paved the way to the success I had a breastfeeding because his latch was so weak but my let-down helped him get plenty.  When he was cliped at 5 months old, he contined to nurse until he was 2 years old.  This allowed my breasts, nipples to remain supple and allowed for easy nursing with his four siblings to follow.   It is neat to see how we all experience simular situations differently.

[...] nutrition system for babies" WTF NEstele have you heard of breasts? heres another website: Wordless Wednesday: Breastspresso Reply With Quote   + Reply to Thread « Previous Thread | [...]

I really do not think she meant that to criticize. I think it was more for women who don’t really work hard to up their supply and then complain because “they cannot make enough”. Or the women who say it hurts too bad. That’s often times just a latch-on problem that CAN be fixed. It’s clear that you DO have a problem with supply. And I’m proud of you for working that hard.

I’m glad you like the image of my daughter but I wish you’d have asked permission first.

Michael Hanlon is a Professional Wedding Photographer specializing in Journalistic & Modern Fine Art Wedding Photography.

http://hanlonweddings.com
For further info contact mike@hanlonweddings.com

I can’t endorse Weston A. Price on this site. They have an agenda and their info on infant feeding is awful.

I can’t endorse Weston A. Price on this site. They have an agenda and their info on infant feeding is awful.

Michael, I am so sorry! I credited the image and only searched those with Creative Commons licenses. I will absolutely remove it if you’d like. I really did have the best of intentions with using an image that was free for reuse with proper credit. I’m very sorry!

Amy

Michael, I am so sorry! I credited the image and only searched those with Creative Commons licenses. I will absolutely remove it if you’d like. I really did have the best of intentions with using an image that was free for reuse with proper credit. I’m very sorry!

Amy

Nothing about this is bashing formula feeding moms or saying that there are not problems that prevent breastfeeding.  However, this is bashing Nestle and their portrayal of this machine or formula in general.  Those that chimmed in on the defense against those that can breastfeed…I am sorry but this wasn’t against you in ANY way AT ALL.  I realize that not being able to breastfeed puts you on the defense automatically because deep down, breastfeeding is what you WANTED TO DO.  That shows you love and dedication to your baby.  All you can do, is do the BEST YOU CAN and that is enough…be proud! 

This machine is stupid, breastfeeding needs to be portrayed as the NORMAL way of feeding and formula needs to be portrayed as what it is…supplimental when needed. 

I actually think that argument is rather shitty…and not true.  Women who are able to successfully breastfeed are totally judgemental, even when they don’t admit it.  And people who have successfully breastfed have no idea what it’s like not to be able to do it and the horrible struggle and loss mothers who can’t breastfeed go through.  It truly is a loss to have a choice taken away and be forced to formula feed, and then to add insult to injury by passing judgement while pretending not to – it’s no wonder people can’t stand the smug breastfeeders out there (yeah, that means you Karissa).

what if the mom has hepatitus or HIV??? How do un know??

Agreed, in part; milk sharing isn’t the simple, 100% safe thing that it’s
sometimes portrayed to be. That said, it absolutely CAN be done safely.

First of all, hugs to you, Mama. 

Just from the little bit you have shared about your experience, I think it is safe to say that you went above and beyond with what you could do on your own.  “Every ounce counts” and you can be happy about the gift you gave to your little ones. 

I would agree with some others that have posted, that getting help from an IBCLC is crucial in a situation like yours.  Not to say you didn’t try your best, but an IBCLC has wisdom and experience in a lot of different BFing problems to help you trouble shoot and find what works best. 

Just as an example:  Pumping was a good idea, yes.  But did you know that some pumps are better than others?  A double electric will be more effective than a single electric or hand pump.  Also, hospital grade pumps are far superior to anything you can buy in store. Hand expression works best for some (not all) and even herbs work differently for each person.  Some respond best to Fenugreek.  Some need a combo of Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle, while others find these don’t work but Goat’s Rue does.  While still others need something like domperidone, etc…  And beyond that, getting enough to drink, eat and sleep does wonders for a mother’s milk supply.  Stress (which it sounds like you had more than your fair share) can REALLY hurt a mother’s milk supply.  And then there is baby’s latch…. if for whatever reason, baby can’t get the milk out of the breast well, mother’s supply will suffer.  Its just not ever a “simple answer”. 

Again, I send you many hugs and I hope that if you have another LO, and decide to give BFing a try again, you will be able to find more support and helpful resources so that you might not experience so much heartache again. 

BFing is challenging.  I haven’t met a mother yet, that didn’t have some sort of challenge with BFing of one kind or another (myself included).  Maybe it was intended to be that way so that we, as individuals, learn to be more patient, kind, compassionate and understanding, not only with ourselves and our little ones, but also with other mothers….just a thought. 

[...] doing a post on that here too, but mine wouldn’t have been much different than what Amy put up on Just West of Crunchy — the picture really does say it [...]

Force women to try to breastfeed??  Do you realize how atrocious that would be?  Especially since you are throwing that horrible idea on top of the horrid idea of making things even tougher on society’s class of people who struggle the most.

WIC and Welfare aren’t easy free rides.  I don’t think you understand how those programs run nor how the funding works, but your neighbor paid into the system just as much you.  WIC and Welfare require a lot of work to get on and stay in the program.  WIC and Welfare are great to keep you from starving to death and have shelter, but they are not something to rely on.

I worked over 70 hours a week as a young teen mother to try to make ends meet for my son.  I had help from WIC and Welfare because even working 70 hours a week wasn’t bringing in enough income.  Child support didn’t help much even when the State did manage to hunt my ex down to pay.  When my child support was more than the help I was getting from Welfare, the State kept the excess.  WIC helps but it is far from making a pantry burst with food stores.  I didn’t eat 3 meals and 2 snacks.  I ate 1 maybe two snack-sized meals so my son wouldn’t know how little food we really had.

WIC and Welfare are not hand-outs like many people believe them to be, but help to prevent the most vulnerable in our society, infants and children, from starving and living on the streets.  I was lucky enough to get off those support systems, but not everyone has the means or opportunities to do so.  Partly because ignorant people believe that the poor are lazy or stupid.

WIC, Welfare, Unemployment are social programs that EVERYONE in the society pay their money into, and many who are poor actually pay more into the system with the types of purchases they make and jobs they work.

I disagree.  I successfully breastfed – but I don’t judge women who do not breastfeed – and I don’t care why they didn’t.  My mother had medical impediments and she literally could not breastfeed my siblings and me as successfully as she would have liked.  To this day, the way she was treated by people who did breastfeed really upsets her.  They didn’t know her circumstances, didn’t know what she’d been through, how hard she had or had not tried, how her culture and personal preferences or family situation and medical history might have factored in, THEY HAD NO IDEA, but people would treat her like they deserved to know or like she was somehow less of a mother.  When I had my baby, I noticed that people would sometimes ask if I had been breastfed as an infant – and then they would judge my mother based on that.  It’s horrifying!

So as a result, I’m a woman who successfully breastfeeds and I do not judge women who do not breastfeed.  I believe in breastfeeding and I wish more women tried it and I think it’s important to promote breastfeeding and equally important to boycott companies who make efforts to take that choice away from women (I’m looking at you, Nestle), but I don’t ever ask people if they breastfed because I don’t think it’s my business.  It’s a personal choice that they made for a variety of reasons and not only am I not privy to those reasons, I also don’t believe that there is any world wherein any woman should feel like they need to defend their choices to me.

the mom who scheduled her caesarian on a certain date because the vaginal birth would have impeded the family vacation?  Just a guess.

A woman who cannot breastfeed or has problems doing so should not be judged, but rather supported.  There really is a lot of support out there for breastfeeding women.  The problem is that the formula companies do a lot more advertising than these other (sometimes free) services.  And that in our society today, women look at fashion-type magazines to learn about pregnancy and how to be a good mom. 

Do the actual research.  I guess it is a choice, in that no law should *make you* nurse.  But that choice should be made after you really LEARN about what breastfeeding means for you and your baby.  It is not easy, most women have problems to some extent.  I think that maybe some non-BFing can sometimes take others’ reactions to an advertisement like this as others being judgmental towards them.  This is not the case- the thing that makes us (at least me) so angry, is that the formula companies are TAKING ADVANTAGE OF A NEW MOM’S VULNERABILITY with these gadgets, (and that sample formula that they give you at the hospital)

Boo-yah!