Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Sorry, Have to Comment on This One

http://celebritybabies.people.com/2010/08/03/gisele-bundchen-secrets-of-a-pregnant-supermodel/

Really Giselle?
I realize that this is not an in-depth article, and I'll put aside the fact that I don't care for Giselle Bundchen much anyway, but a LAW that mandates breastfeeding? On which planet are you living? I have to say, I equate this moronic statement with Tom Cruise's anti-anti-depressant snafu years ago. The two are very intertwined.

I am not an expert on post-partum depression, and I AM an advocate of breastfeeding, but what I will say is this: it seems to me that there is one thing in common in many, many of the PPD stories that I read -AND absolutely applicable in my case-and that is breastfeeding. Personally, I was 100% committed to doing it prior to having my first baby, and when I was unable to do so I felt inadequate and wrong. It was definately a major contributing factor in the post-partum depression that I went through, and that is something that I never in a million years thought that I would experience. I would be willing to bet that PPD occurs more frequently in women that breastfeed/try to breastfeed than those who do not plan to do so (it is at least worth a scientific study). I thank God for women like Brooke Shields, Heather Armstrong, and now Bryce Dallas Howard that come forward and tell their stories of how they felt after giving birth.

It is miserable at the time in your life that should be the happiest, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. And I am so tired of people making ridiculous statements that do nothing but exacerbate that feelings of guilt that people harbor during that time.

I am pro-breastfeeding. I think it is natural. I think it is easiest (not necessarily easy). I am so proud of breastfeeding my second baby for 9 months. And I continue to feel pangs of guilt for not being able to nurse my first. For the record, (for anyone who doesn't know)I could not breastfeed her because she had a cleft in her soft palate that was not discovered until 5 days after she was born.

And, with all of that...we are humans. We have choices. We all parent differently. Advocating breastfeeding is one thing, Giselle, but mandating it? Get real.

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