Pamela Howard holds her newborn son, Osiris, 2 days old, Sept. 4, 2008, in the Maternity ward at St. Joseph's hospital in Stockton. Record file photo
This so-called breast-feeding ‘trend’ is sort of disturbing to me. We all know formula and breast-feeding have their advantages and disadvantages. The benefits of breast milk are also widely known to be the best option. But a woman should not be punished for her choice. And for some women, it’s not a choice.
I know some women who are not comfortable with it for sexual or psychological reasons and some who just don’t like it. It doesn’t make them bad mothers. And, from my own experience, I breast-fed and my boobs have not been the same. It really limited ‘fun time’ with them for a while, if you know what I mean.
What brings up this issue is a new program that is to go into effect Sept. 3 in New York, called Latch On NYC. The program requires participating hospitals to stop giving out free promotional infant formula, prohibit distribution of promotional materials, as well as restricting access to formula and tracking distribution. Sounds like a good enough idea to help promote breast-feeding, but it also seems a bit extreme because hospitals are reportedly under strict order to refuse formula. Should the government intervene?
