If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!

Facebook has done it again!

2010-09-17T01:55:00.000-07:00

Yet again Facebook has taken our publishing rights away!

The original "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" group had over 300,000 members. Facebook removed our publishing rights for no apparent reason and I began a new group by the same name. That new group reached only 30,000 fans. Yet again I have logged into Facebook to discover that my publishing rights were removed. At this point, I don't feel it is worth the effort to start *another* group. Please feel free to stick around on this blog as a source for information and hopefully some giveaways in the future. And thank you to everyone who supported the Facebook group!

Enter to win a FREE funky pro-breastfeeding t-shirt!

2010-08-14T05:59:00.000-07:00

Enter to win a FREE funky pro-breastfeeding t-shirt!
This giveaway is open worldwide!

This shirt is 100% cotton and professionally silk screen printed, so it won't crack or fade. Check out Goidellick Design's other items including pro-breastfeeding tote bags here.
The winner will be able to choose from any size on Goidellick Design's site.

How to enter:

-Just post a link to this giveaway somewhere. We don't care where. Post it on your facebook page, a breastfeeding forum you visit, anywhere you want! Leave a comment with your e-mail address and make sure you add "I posted a link."

How to get additional entries and increase your odds of winning:

-Visit Goidellick Design's site and leave a comment here telling us which product you like the most. Be sure to include your e-mail address.

-Come up with an idea for a logo parody design that you would like to see on a t-shirt. For example, on another one of their products they changed the "Subway, eat fresh" logo to be "Breastmilk, eat fresh." Comment with your idea and be sure to add your e-mail address.

This giveaway will be open until Friday, August 20!

(Do you have a product you would like to giveaway right here on the blog? Thousands of people view each blog entry so your product will get plenty of publicity while one lucky person gets to try it for free! E-mail me at jessica@ifbreastfeedingoffendsyou.org for details.)

Enter to win a FREE breastfeeding logo cloth diaper!

2010-07-31T18:08:00.000-07:00

Celebrate World Breastfeeding Week!

Enter to win FREE breastfeeding logo cloth diapers from Cheeky Diapers!

This giveaway is open to the USA and Canada only.
There will be 2 winners.
One winner will receive a fitted pocket and one winner will receive a diaper cover.

Left: fitted pocket, Right: PUL cover

The fitted pocket is One-Size from 8-35 pounds and is completely organic cotton and comes with a snap-in insert lined with organic cotton fleece. See more about Cheeky Diapers' pockets here.

The One-Size Cover is made with Fabrite PUL and has the same organic cotton woven on the outside. It fits from 10-40 pounds. See more about Cheeky Diapers' covers here.

How to enter:

-Just post a link to this giveaway somewhere. We don't care where. Post it on your facebook page, a breastfeeding forum you visit, anywhere you want! Leave a comment with your e-mail address and make sure you add "I posted a link."

How to get extra entries and increase your odds of winning:

-Become a fan of Cheeky Diapers on facebook. Leave a comment HERE with your e-mail address and "I became a fan."

-Check out Cheeky Diapers' online store and leave a comment HERE telling us which diaper design is your favorite. Be sure to include your e-mail address.

-Use the create your own diaper option on Cheeky Diapers' page and tell us what you come up with in a comment HERE. Be sure to leave your e-mail address!

This giveaway will close on Wednesday, August 4, 2010.

Win a FREE amber teething necklace from Inspired by Finn!

2010-06-19T07:02:00.001-07:00

This giveaway is open to the USA and Canada only.

The winner will have their choice of any baltic amber product that is 16 inches or less (that would include youth necklaces and adult bracelets and anklets, but does NOT include adult necklaces). It MUST be an item that is currently in stock.

If you are not familiar with Baltic amber teething necklaces, they are a nursing mother's best friend when their baby is teething. On contact, Baltic amber is an all natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory, and when a little one doesn't have teething discomfort, nursing Mom's rarely get bit!

To get more scientific, baltic amber contains succinic acid (that's the natural pain reliever and anti-inflammatory). When worn on bare skin, your body heat releases small amounts of it which are absorbed into the body. I personally use one on my son and it works wonders! So does one of our moderators. Baltic amber is great for adults with chronic pain due to arthritis, fibromyalgia, lupus, MS, etc. So even if your baby isn't teething anymore, maybe Grandma or Grandpa would like an amber bracelet.

You can view Inspired by Finn's website here.

How to enter:

Just leave a comment with your first name and e-mail address!

How to earn extra entries and increase your odds of winning:

1. Become a fan of Inspired by Finn on facebook. Leave a comment with your name and e-mail address saying "I became a fan."

2. Post a link to this giveaway on another site. Leave a comment saying "I posted a link" and include your name and e-mail address.

Special incentives for becoming a facebook fan:

Go to Inspired by Finn's facebook page.

TO SAVE 20% on an order with them, join by clicking the "Like" button toward the top of their "Wall" tab.

TO SAVE 25%, join them by clicking the "Like" button + use the "Suggest to Friends" link near the top left of this "Wall" tab to suggest this page to your Facebook friends.

The discount code is entered/applied during checkout, and the discount is given off of prices on their website - www.InspiredByFinn.com

The codes to use once you have completed the criteria above -

To save 20%: FB20
To save 25%: FB25

The winner will be chosen Friday, June 25.

Enter to win a FREE Hoodie with our slogan on it!

2010-06-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago we asked which product you would most like to see being given away.

The winner was obvious, you guys LOVE our hoodies!

So we are giving away a free hoodie to one lucky winner!

This giveaway is open worldwide!

The winner will be chosen Fri., June 25!

The winner will have their choice of any one of our hoodies (there are several choices besides the ones shown). To visit our store and see all of our products for sale click here.

How to enter:

Leave a comment with your first name and e-mail address. Easy, right?

How to get extra entries and increase your odds of winning:

1. Visit our online store here and tell us what product should be our next one to give away. Please note that we have already given away onesies and bumper stickers, so pick something more interesting! Whatever seems most popular we will give away next time! Leave another comment with your name, e-mail address, and what product you want given away.

2. Share this link somewhere (anywhere!) and leave another comment with your name, e-mail address, and "I shared a link."

3. Join our facebook group and suggest to any friends you think will be interested. Leave another comment with your name, e-mail address, and "I suggested to friends."

Enter to win a FREE Sweet Knee Bun Glaze from Natural Pure Essentials!

2010-06-08T16:23:00.000-07:00

Enter to win a free bottle of Sweet Knee Bun Glaze from Natural Pure Essentials!

This giveaway is USA only. Sorry guys! (In a few days we will have THREE worldwide freebies so stick around!)

Enter to win a bottle of Sweet Knee Bun Glaze, the non-medicated alternative to diaper ointment. Bun glaze is all natural and free of barrier type ingredients such as petrolatum, zinc or titanium which clog the pores preventing the skin from breathing.

Bun glaze can be drizzled directly onto the skin so there is no need to get your hands involved.

Ingredients: Althea officinalis (marshmallow) leaf*, Plantago major (plantain) leaf*, Calendula officinalis (calendula) flowers*, Matricaria recutita (German chamomile) flowers* infused in Olea europaea (olive) oil*; Helianthus annus (Sunflower) oil*, Theobroma cacao (cocoa) butter*, beeswax.

*certified organic ingredients

This giveaway will be open 10 days. One winner will be chosen on Friday, June 18.

How to enter:

Visit Natural Pure Essentials' store and leaving a comment telling which product you like. Also include your name and e-mail address.

How to get extra entries:

Become a fan of Natural Pure Essentials on facebook. Leave another comment saying "I became a fan" and include your name and e-mail address.

Follow Natural Pure Essentials on twitter. Leave another comment saying "I am following on twitter" and include your name and e-mail address.

Suggest "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" to your friends on facebook. Leave another comment saying "I suggested the group on facebook" and include your name and e-mail address.

Post a link to this giveaway anywhere! Leave another comment saying "I posted a link" and include your name and e-mail address.

25 MORE winners will be chosen! Enter to win a product from Sounds for Silence!

2010-05-31T17:13:00.001-07:00

25 *NEW* Winners will be chosen!
The rules are different than our normal giveaways. Read carefully! Commenting on this post WILL NOT enter you in the contest.

Remember a few weeks ago when Sounds for Silence gave away 25 of their baby settling products to "If breastfeeding offends you..." readers? Well, they liked you all so much they want to do it again! 25 more people will be chosen as readers. If you did NOT win last time, you may enter again!

Sounds for Silence is an incredible Baby Settling Program that, in clinical studies, has been found to sooth 9 out of 10 crying babies in under 2 minutes. The program is award winning and the Dr. that developed the product has been working on the system for over 20 years.

The system consists of a CD of loud household noises, mixed with fetal sounds, that is very calming to any crying baby and works best on newborns from 0 –1 year. The CD also comes with a gorgeous book about Baby Health and answers most question any new parent may have regarding health. You can learn more about the program here.

To be eligible, you MUST become a fan of Dr. Harry on facebook. Leave a comment on Dr. Harry's facebook wall page saying "Enter me to win." The winners will be notified via facebook message. This giveaway is U.S.A. only!

If you would like to increase your odds of winning you may post a link to Dr. Harry's fan page on your own facebook. Leave another comment on Dr. Harry's facebook page saying "I posted a link."

This giveaway will be open for 5 days!

Please note that "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" is in no way affiliated with Sounds for Silence or Dr. Harry nor do we endorse any medical information given by Dr. Harry. This is a free product giveaway being offered by Sounds for Silence.

Check out the NEW products in our store!

2010-05-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

Due to the immense popularity of our t-shirts, onesies, and bumper stickers we have added all sorts of new products to our store.

Our new products include hoodies, track suits, pins, clocks, posters, ceramic drink holders, messenger bags, beach totes, keepsake boxes, mousepads, and much more. Check out the store to take a look at our new items! Click here to go to the store.

In the comments let us know which of the *NEW* products you like! (The old products include the tshirts, onesies, mugs, and bumper stickers)

We're going to do a giveaway of three of the new products. Which ones do you guys want to see up for grabs?!

Enter to win a FREE autographed copy of "The No Cry Sleep Solution"

2010-05-14T10:55:00.000-07:00

U.S.A. only!

Up for grabs is an autographed copy of Elizabeth Pantley's "The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night"

To enter, simply leave a comment with your name and e-mail address.

Would you like to increase your odds of winning?

Post a link to this giveaway somewhere else. Leave another comment saying "I posted a link."
Become a fan of Elizabeth Pantley on facebook. Leave another comment saying "I became a fan."
Donate $1 to "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" Currently, we have registered our domain name for a full year thanks to your donations. Now we are planning on getting our "Thanks for breastfeeding" cards printed en masse and distributing them to people who can't print them themselves. To see the cards click here. This is a project we hope to be able to do within the next few months (right now our funds are empty). Hopefully we will be able to send these cards out free of charge to as many people as possible! To donate, click the donate button at the top of the page.
Donate $1 to the Saving Penises cause. Saving Penises is a non-profit group based out of Washington D.C. whose purpose is to supply parents with accurate information regarding intact infant care & circumcision. They use the funds to send out information packs regarding circumcision and care of intact infants. It is a great cause that "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" proud to support. If you don't support it then by all means, feel free to ignore this. :) Leave another comment saying "I donated to SP." Donations may be sent via PayPal.

Be sure to stick around for more because Elizabeth has offered to give away an autographed copy of each one of her books on our blog! Elizabeth is a breastfeeding supporter and we love her books!

Winner will be chosen on Tuesday May 18!

25 winners will be chosen! Enter to win a product from "Sounds for Silence"

2010-05-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

25 Winners will be chosen!
The rules are different than our normal giveaways. Read carefully! Commenting on this post WILL NOT enter you in the contest.

Sounds for Silence is an incredible Baby Settling Program that, in clinical studies, has been found to sooth 9 out of 10 crying babies in under 2 minutes. The program is award winning and the Dr. that developed the product has been working on the system for over 20 years.

The system consists of a CD of loud household noises, mixed with fetal sounds, that is very calming to any crying baby and works best on newborns from 0 –1 year. The CD also comes with a gorgeous book about Baby Health and answers most question any new parent may have regarding health. You can learn more about the program here.

To be eligible, you MUST become a fan of Dr. Harry on facebook. Leave a comment on Dr. Harry's facebook wall page saying "Enter me to win." The winners will be notified via facebook message. This giveaway is U.S.A. only!

If you would like to increase your odds of winning you may post a link to Dr. Harry's fan page on your own facebook. Leave another comment on Dr. Harry's facebook page saying "I posted a link."

This giveaway will be open for 5 days!

Please note that "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" is in no way affiliated with Sounds for Silence or Dr. Harry nor do we endorse any medical information given by Dr. Harry. This is a free product giveaway being offered by Sounds for Silence.

World War II is Responsible for the Decline of Breastfeeding in the U.S.

2010-05-11T14:03:00.001-07:00

Infant formula was invented by Henri Nestle in 1860, but it didn’t actually become popular until the 1940s. The main cause for this sudden increase in popularity was World War II. Before the war the vast majority of women were homemakers who stayed home with their children and left the jobs to the men. As the war continued, women were called to the workforce to support their country by doing the jobs that men who went overseas to fight had left behind. In fact, the number of women in the labor force increased 210% from 1940 to 1985. It was this sudden desire and ability for women to leave the housewife life behind that formula companies saw and capitalized on by starting huge advertisement and free sample campaigns to normalize bottle feeding and, of course, get rich in the process.

Kathryn Davis, age 60, is the daughter of a decorated WWII veteran. A self-proclaimed history buff, Kathryn has spent her entire life studying WWII and its effects on the population of the United States.

"I think World War II was the biggest influence on the decline of breastfeeding. It was the first time in U.S. history that women could really enter the workforce. They needed them to build the planes, bombs, tanks, and munitions but if they were breastfeeding babies they couldn't do that on the scale needed. Formula and bottles became quite popular at that time because they needed to be able to leave their babies behind to help the war efforts. The baby boomer generation is really the first generation to have been bottle fed on the large scale. The attitude was that the more intelligent, educated, and sophisticated people bottlefed. If you saw someone breastfeeding you automatically assumed that they were an ignorant country bumpkin. It wasn't that breastfeeding was uncommon, it’s just that the bottle was more common. When my sister had her kids in the 60s they were automatically bottlefed and she was even given a shot to dry up her milk. By the time the 80s came around and I was having my children people were beginning to become more educated about breastfeeding. My doctor didn't influence me either way but basically told me that breastfeeding for the first month was good enough. Of course, I was given tons of formula samples and free bottles at every doctor visit."

Improved communications, especially printing, enabled intensive commercial promotion of artificial milks. Financial support of hospitals and physicians by manufacturers also hastened the decline in breastfeeding. Milk manufacturers also began campaigns in other countries to bring our “better” and “safer” method of feeding babies.

Once women were proving themselves in the workplace as equals to men feminism was born. Especially in the 1960s feminists encouraged women get away from their babies and start living their lives. It’s ironic that feminism, the concept of women supporting each other, actually created a situation where women who chose to stay with their babies and feed them naturally were looked down upon and even shamed for being anti-progressive to women’s rights. As a consequence, we ended up with a widespread loss of understanding of its importance and a declining ability of health professionals to support it. It was the perfect opportunity for formula companies to aggressively advertise and slip money into the pockets of doctors.

By the late-1930’s, the use of commercially manufactured breast milk substitutes became very common, especially in developed countries. Because they were unaware of how grossly inferior these artificial substitutes were, physicians advocated for bottle feeding over breastfeeding for many mothers. The effects of the promotion of bottle feeding and breast milk substitutes became evident during the post-World War II baby boom (1946-1956), when breastfeeding rates at hospital discharge dropped to 25%.

After that time there was a rebirth of breastfeeding, which many believe was due to the efforts of a small, but vocal group of women at that time considered fanatics, La Leche League International. Slowly but surely the news spread that breast was best and many others joined the crusade to get breastfeeding normalized. By 1982 approximately 62% were breastfeeding in the hospital and 27% at six months. Currently in-hospital breastfeeding rates are around 70%.

Ultimately, both good and bad consequences came from women being called to the labor force. These days women can get a job doing almost anything that a man can, and no one can deny that the feminist movement led to women achieving greater rights and being treated like equals. It is simply unfortunate and sad that in order for that to happen, many babies had to be left behind with an artificial breast propped in their mouths. This history of breastfeeding and infant formula also raises a red flag about the intentions of formula companies and shows that they have historically put their wallets before their concern for infant health. Formula is a blessing for babies who are unable to receive breast milk, but the companies that manufacture it have proven time and time again that they are not to be trusted.

The winners have been chosen!

2010-04-30T04:51:00.000-07:00

The winner of the "I love mom" or "My mom rocks" t-shirt is...

Elissa
(shroutclan6@yahoo.com)

The winner of the "Breast Milk" cola-style tote bag is...

Kate
mistress-orton@hotmail.com

The winners of the autographed copies of "The No Cry Separation Anxiety Solution" are...

Jenai
buggin4love@hotmail.com

Ann
AnnNville@aol.com

Congratulations! I will be e-mailing you shortly to get your addresses. If you don't see my e-mail be sure to check your spam filter.

As I am sure you all know by now, our publishing rights were taken away on our old facebook page. I've filed an appeal but facebook has a history of unfairly disabling pages so I doubt it will help. We've started a new page by the same name here. While the old page had over 250,000 members, the new one has just barely 7,000. This is a bit of a problem for everyone because before our original page was disabled we lots of companies that wanted to giveaway freebies on our page, knowing that they would get plenty of publicity in return.

Now that our audience has shrunk considerably I am wary to post those pending giveaways knowing that the companies that generously offered to donate those items are unlikely to see a rise in sales because of it. Therefore, I am asking you if you like these freebies and want to continue to have them please invite your friends to join or facebook page.

We also had a project in the works to get thousands of 8x8 high quality cards printed with the breastfeeding logo and mail them out worldwide to be placed in the windows of stores and businesses that respect a woman's right to nurse anytime, anywhere. But again, now that we have lost track of so many members it is probably going to be impossible to raise the money required to do this. The more our page spreads around the more good we can do, thanks to everyone for your support.

The Image of Breastfeeding

2010-04-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

As promised, a collection of photos we were emailed in. Thank you ladies.

Facebook took away our publishing rights!

2010-04-26T17:47:00.000-07:00

Facebook has taken away our ability to post on our facebook group!

I've started a new one here. I would appreciate it if you all joined and invited your friends. If you would like to remain updated on our giveaways and other news, join the new page.

We did NOT let facebook stop us when they removed our breastfeeding photos. We did NOT let them stop us when trolls spammed our page with hateful messages and pornography. And we will NOT let them stop us this time either!

Enter to win a FREE "My Mom Rocks" or "I (heart) Mom" tshirt!

2010-04-26T16:35:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Mother's Day!

Enter to win a "My mom rocks" or "I (heart) Mom" t-shirt from Baby Bug Boutique. The girl's shirt ("I (heart) Mom")includes a cute hairbow. The winner will have the choice between the boy or girl shirt, in any size they want. Note that the 0-3 months size cannot be a tank top, only a onesie. Baby Bug Boutique conducts all of their business through their facebook page here.

To enter, leave a comment with your first name and e-mail address.

Want to increase your odds of winning? There are a few ways you can get extra entries. Leave a separate comment for each.

Check out Baby Bug Boutique on facebook Click here to see their facebook page. You'll have to send a friend request. Leave a comment saying "I added them on facebook."

Post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page or any website you want. Comment with "I posted a link."

Donate $1 to support our site For every $1 you donate to go towards supporting our cause and helping us on our upcoming project to distribute "breastfeeding friendly" signs to businesses worldwide (and many things we have planned in the future) you may enter and say "I donated $1." Use the donate button below.

The winner will be chosen Friday April, 30.

(Do you have a product you would like to giveaway right here on the blog? Thousands of people view each blog entry so your product will get plenty of publicity while one lucky person gets to try it for free! E-mail me at jessica@ifbreastfeedingoffendsyou.org for details.)

Enter to win a FREE funky pro-breastfeeding tote bag!

2010-04-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

This giveaway is open WORLDWIDE!

Enter to win a funky pro breastfeeding cloth/tote bag. This bag is 100% cotton and professionally silk screen printed so it won't crack or fade. Check out Goidellick Design's other items including pro breastfeeding tee shirts here!

To enter, leave a comment with your first name and e-mail address.

Want to increase your odds of winning? There are a few ways you can get extra entries. Leave a separate comment for each.

Check out their site and tell us what product you like the best Click here to view their store. Leave a comment telling us which product is your favorite.

Post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page or any website you want. Comment with "I posted a link."

Donate $1 to support our site For every $1 you donate to go towards supporting our cause and helping us on our upcoming project to distribute "breastfeeding friendly" signs to businesses worldwide (and many things we have planned in the future) you may enter and say "I donated $1." Use the donate button below.

The winner will be chosen Friday April, 30.

(Do you have a product you would like to giveaway right here on the blog? Thousands of people view each blog entry so your product will get plenty of publicity while one lucky person gets to try it for free! E-mail me at jessica@ifbreastfeedingoffendsyou.org for details.)

Enter to win a FREE autographed copy of "The No Cry Separation Anxiety Solution"

2010-04-17T14:00:00.001-07:00

We are giving away TWO autographed copies of Elizabeth Pantley's new book The No Cry Separation Anxiety Solution - Gentle Ways to Make Good-bye Easy from Six Months to Six Years. A tear-free approach to child separation blues—from the bestselling No Cry author a generation of parents have come to trust.

To enter, leave a comment with your first name and e-mail address.

Want to increase your odds of winning? There are a few ways you can get extra entries. Leave a separate comment for each.

Become a fan of Elizabeth Pantley on facebook Click here to view her fan page. Leave a comment on our blog saying "I became a fan."

Post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page or any website you want. Comment with "I posted a link."

Donate $1 to support our site For every $1 you donate to go towards supporting our cause and helping us on our upcoming project to distribute "breastfeeding friendly" signs to businesses worldwide (and many things we have planned in the future) you may enter and say "I donated $1." Use the donate button below.

Two winners will be chosen Friday April, 30.

(Do you have a product you would like to giveaway right here on the blog? Thousands of people view each blog entry so your product will get plenty of publicity while one lucky person gets to try it for free! E-mail me at jessica@ifbreastfeedingoffendsyou.org for details.)

Enter to win a FREE "If breastfeeding offends you..." tote bag!

2010-04-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

This giveaway is open worldwide! Anyone may enter!

The winner will receive one tote with our design on it. This is a great bag to carry your stuff around in and when you sit down to feed your baby just put it right next to you to keep annoyingly rude people at bay.

To enter, leave a comment with your first name and e-mail address.

Want to increase your odds of winning? There are a few ways you can get extra entries. Leave a separate comment for each.

Tell us what subject you would like to see a blog post about Just leave a comment with a suggestion.

Donate $1 to support our site For every $1 you donate to go towards supporting our cause and helping us purchase a domain and dedicated web space (and many things we have planned in the future) you may enter and say "I donated $1." Use the donate button below.

Post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page or any website you want. Comment with "I posted a link."

The winner will be chosen Thursday April, 22.

(Do you have a product you would like to giveaway right here on the blog? Thousands of people view each blog entry so your product will get plenty of publicity while one lucky person gets to try it for free! E-mail me at jdavis917820@gmail.com for details.)

Edited to add: Since so many people are asking - yes, we sell these and many other products with this logo over at our online store! Check em out!

Witty comebacks for replying to breastfeeding harassment

2010-04-16T10:04:00.000-07:00

Most breastfeeding moms have experienced it at least once. You're feeding your baby and some nosey stranger decides to insult you or ask you personal questions. Your meddlesome mother-in-law just has to share her opinion of everything you are doing wrong as a mom. Maybe your own husband is not fully supportive of your choice to feed your baby the way Mother Nature intended.

Here is a definitive list of comebacks and replies for all types of breastfeeding related harassment. Feel free to share your own comebacks in the comments section and we will add them!

"Are you still nursing?"

"Of course not! My mom weaned me a long time ago. My baby is though!"

"Absolutely, isn't it wonderful?"

"Right now? No, he's over there playing."

"I was never a nurse."

"Yes, his doctor is so thrilled. So many moms give up due to pressures of rude friends and family."

"Everyone asks that, it must be because he's so incredibly healthy."

"Yes, he deserves only the very best. "

"Of course, I am glad you keep asking. It shows you want the best for him."

"It's her turn, you'll have to wait in line!"

"When are you planning on weaning?"

"I'm not. He'll wean me."

(pause) "Oh, you were talking to me? I thought you were asking him...he can't answer you yet."

"Maybe when she moves out. She can always come home for a snack, though."

"When are you planning on minding your own business?"

"He hasn't told me yet."

"I haven't asked him yet."

"I hope not for a while. We're both enjoying our time together."

"What, and get my PMS back? are you crazy?"

"I weaned a long time ago, when I was two I think."

"I don't know. He seems to still enjoy it and I enjoy those extra 500 calories I burn."

"Thanks for asking. Everyone seems to need an answer for that except for me and my child."

"When will you give him cow's milk?"

"Whenever he becomes a baby cow."

"When he starts thinking he's a calf."

"Whenever human milk stops being the best for human babies."

"Breastfeeding is gross!"

"So is changing diapers, yet people do it all the time."

"The reason women have breasts is to feed their young."

"Hello? Did you not realize that humans are mammals?"

"Seems to me that you have some issues you need to work out."

"Feeding my baby with whatever it is that they put in formula is gross to me."

"Watching people stuff their faces in restaurants is gross. Should that not be allowed?"

"Watching people eating crappy fast food is gross, and they do that in public all the time!"

"Why would you want to nurse when you can just get formula?"

"Gee, I don’t know. It must have something to do it with being free, always the right temperature, portable, what nature intended, and the best way I can nourish my baby."

"Have you checked out the price of formula lately?"

"Breastmilk is sterile and safe - the same cannot always be said for formula."

"Why give my baby something man made when I can give her what nature intended?"

"You should go feed her in the bathroom."

"Do YOU eat in the bathroom?"

"Why don't YOU go eat in a filthy bathroom?"

"If my breastfeeding offends you, I will be happy to ask your waiter to bring you your food in the restroom."

"How long are you going to do that? Shouldn’t you be feeding your baby solid food now? "

"I plan to follow medical recommendations: The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and continued breastfeeding at least through the end of the first year. The World Health Organization recommends breastfeeding for at least two years and beyond as long as mom and baby want to continue."

"Oh, until he goes off to college."

"Its just until I learn to cook!"

"Don’t you want your husband to be able to bond with the baby?"

"You’re right, holding the baby, talking to the baby, changing the baby, bathing the baby, and spending time just being with the baby sure won’t be enough for him to bond with the baby."

"He will bond the same way fathers have bonded for their babies in the thousands of years before formula was invented."

"You want to get up in the middle of the night to nurse?"

"You’re right: I don’t want to get up; that’s why my husband gets up and brings the baby to me."

"I’d rather nurse in my sleep than schlep to the kitchen and try to mix, heat up, and feed my baby formula in my sleep … because I sure do love sleeping."

"We co-sleep. I just roll over, give him the breast, and go back to snoozing!"

"There goes your sex life. "

"My husband would be really shocked to hear that … especially after we … well, I’d better not say any more."

"Are you speaking from experience?"

"How long are you going to keep nursing?"

"Oh, another 10 minutes or so..."

"Until I finish medical school to become a doctor!"

"Isn't he a little old for that?"

"Aren't you a little old to be wearing those jeans?"

"His doctor doesn't think so."

"What?! He's not even out of diapers!"

"Aren't you a little old to be randomly coming up to strangers and asking impolite questions?"

"He doesn't NEED to nurse at this age!"

"He doesn't need his teddy bear either and but we still give it to him."

(laugh) "Where did you hear that?"

"He can HEAR you, you know."

"And you don't NEED to eat that doughnut, but you still are."

"And you should be OVER the whole thing by now, are you still afraid of a breastfeeding child?"

Miscellaneous Responses

"If you are offended by me doing this, then you are looking too closely."

"Do you often look this closely at women's breasts?"

"It is illegal to harass a mother breastfeeding in public or to ask her to cover up. If you still have a problem feel free to call the police. You can explain to them why you are breaking the law."

And of course, you all know our favorite:

If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!

Enter to win a FREE "Modest Middles" nursing top!

2010-04-15T21:03:00.000-07:00

The winner of the "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" baby shirt is...
Amy! (fastjab21@yahoo.com)

Check out our next free giveaway - the Modest Middles nursing top!

Want to cover your back, tummy & sides while nursing in public & still wear the cute shirts in your closet? Then enter to win a Modest Middle! The "U" shaped front goes below the bra line so you can wear any nursing bra & make any shirt into a breastfeeding-friendly shirt. Let us know which color (black, white, nude) and size you would prefer. Go to http://www.modestmiddles.com for sizing information.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. only (the next giveaway WILL be international! I promise!).

To enter, leave *one* comment with your first name and e-mail address.

Want to increase your odds of winning? There are a few ways you can get extra entries.

Become a fan of Modest Middles on facebook Click here for their facebook page. Leave a comment with your name and e-mail address and say "I became a fan."

Donate $1 to support our site For every $1 you donate to go towards supporting our cause and helping us purchase a domain and dedicated web space (and many things we have planned in the future) you may enter and say "I donated $1." Use the donate button below.

Post a link to this giveaway on your facebook page or any website you want. Comment with "I posted a link."

The winner will be chosen Thursday April, 22.

(Do you have a product you would like to giveaway right here on the blog? Thousands of people view each blog entry so your product will get plenty of publicity while one lucky person gets to try it for free! E-mail me at jdavis917820@gmail.com for details.)

Enter to win a FREE "If Breastfeeding Offends You..." baby onesie!

2010-04-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

That's right! We are giving away one "If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" baby onesie in your choice of size (6M, 12M, 18M, or 24M) and your choice of color (white, pink, or blue). This is only available in the U.S.! Sorry! I just don't have the money to pay international shipping right now. We will be offering international giveaways at a later date though!

To enter, comment here on the blog. You MUST include first name and e-mail address. Just for fun, tell us what slogan you would like to see on a t-shirt. Winner will be chosen at random on Friday (April 16).

To see the onesie up for grabs (and our merchandise for sale) click here.

Part 2 of Sweet, Funny, and Cute: Babies nursing babies!

2010-04-12T17:35:00.000-07:00

If you have ever nursed a baby into toddlerhood, or have nursed a younger child around their older siblings then odds are your child has imitated you breastfeeding. Maybe they even tried to use your breast pump! There's nothing cuter than a sweet, innocent little girl or boy pretending to feed babies the way nature intended! Enjoy these fan photos and if you would like your own included please e-mail it to: bfingpics@gmail.com

Logan about 20 months old pretending to breastfeed a doll, his little brother. Connor was a couple of months old.

Addison LOVED bf'ing her babies! Didn't take her long to catch on!

My son was tongue-tied and couldn't nurse well for the first few months, until he had his frenulum clipped several times, so I was pumping 8 times a day and feeding him almost exclusively from a bottle. Here is his big sister Eliana (2 years old)pumping milk for "her baby."

In this photo Bailee (my friends daughter) and my almost 4 yr old Shaylen are "pumping" during their pretend play being mommies. At the time I was still nursing my 14 month old and pumping a lot as I was finishing my teaching degree.

This is my youngest son, Tom. He was breastfed until 3 years and 7 months, and as you can see, loves to extend the same bounty to his doll!(His older sister was found at the age of 2, trying to express breast milk from herself to fill the little bottle that came with a doll she was given!)

I just wanted to share this photo of my daughter Seren who was 3 at the time, breastfeeding her baby.

My son (11m) crawling over the table, my daughter (4) nursing her dolly, and their favourite play mate(2).

This is my son Jacob (age 4) nursing a doll

My daughter, Freya aged 4, breastfeeding her twins just like Mummy

Attached is a picture of my 22mnth old daughter Breanna. She has become fascinated with breastfeeding since the birth of her brother (6mnths) and attempts to feed all her dolls and teddies- she has also tried it on her bewildered baby brother!

Wanted to have this added to the blog. It is a picture of my two year-old feeding her younger brother “just like mommy” as her brother struggles to get out of her grasp. She tries so hard to be like mommy.

This is my son, Bennie, breastfeeding his Elmo doll at 22.5 months old. His brother, Alexander, was born when he was 19 months old. After watching me feed Alexander for a few months, each time he would see me going for the boppy, he would insist that it was time to "feed Elmo" and try to wrestle the pillow away from me. Incidentally, because of complications, I only feed Alexander on one side, and Bennie got it right!

Sweet, Funny, and Cute: Babies nursing babies!

2010-03-16T22:57:00.000-07:00

If you have ever nursed a baby into toddlerhood, or have nursed a younger child around their older siblings then odds are your child has imitated you breastfeeding. Maybe they even tried to use your breast pump! There's nothing cuter than a sweet, innocent little girl or boy pretending to feed babies the way nature intended! Enjoy these fan photos and if you would like your own included please e-mail it to: bfingpics@gmail.com

"The picture is of my daughter Jaemara who I breastfed until she was just over 2. She was still being B/F at the time of the picture and I was pregnant with her younger brother."

Casidee, 2 1/2, nursing Snow White!

"3 year old Madeline phones home"

"Sophie nursing her twin babies :) She was almost 2 years old here." - Lauren, Moderator of our facebook page

"The child in the picture is my third and his name is Jacob. He was 20 months old when my youngest, Justin was born. After Justin was born I had some nipple trauma from improper latch and I had to pump for a week on one side until it was healed. Jacob saw it on my bed at one time and decided that he better help mommy get milk for the baby. I guess he thought, if you cant beat them, join them. It was so cute."

"My son is Riley and he just adores his little sister Kiara - I had extreme nipple sensitivity with Riley as he was tongue-tied and combined with my sensitivity and mastitis every 2 months, it was a struggle, but well worth it. When Kiara came along 17.5 months later, same thing - tongue tied, but not so sensitive. Riley used to get her before I fed her to help me out as he didn't like seeing me in pain. Such a sweet little boy, and still 2 yrs on, still doting and loving towards her
- plus the occasional whack in the back on the head when i'm not looking! :) "

"She's in the right position but where's the milk at? "

"When I was 6 months pregnant with my second child, I took a short trip home to visit a dear friend. My 15 month old daughter, Lola, was still nursing at this time and during one of our sessions, my friend's daughter, 4 year old Ivey, decided to keep us company on the nursing couch. I love that her expression mirrors the oxytocin induced bliss phase of nursing. Ivey had recently become a big sister herself so she must have seen that look on her mom's face quite a bit."

"The picture is of me and my 3 girls who loved it when I nursed and they would bring their babies out so we could all do it together. The funny thing is they wanted little boppies too!! LOL"

"This is my daughter (then 22 months) pretending to nurse her baby as I was nursing her baby sister. She even used a pillow. A proud moment!"

"Why doesn't Daddy have any milk?"

"A picture of my 15 month old Olympia (who still nurses frequently) breast feeding her baby doll. She nurses all of her stuffed animals too! "

"My then 16 month old daughter received a baby doll for Christmas, to prepare her for her upcoming role as a big sister that was expected in February that year.
After we finished opening presents she wanted to settle down with a mid-morning nursing session. She insisted "Dolly" got the same privileges she was enjoying and refused to nurse that day unless Dolly got to nurse at the same time. 'All for one and one for all'"

Logan about 20 months old pretending to breastfeed a doll, his little brother Connor was a couple of months old.

Finally here's my 2 year old daughter pretending to nurse her baby doll. I hope this post made you smile or laugh. Its truly beautiful to see adorable little children being sweet loving mommies and daddies.

Get your "Thanks for breastfeeding" cards now!

2010-03-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

This is a beautiful idea that I've been hearing a lot about lately: a small card you can carry with you and discretely slip to a mom who is nursing in public to say "thank you." I've designed my own wallet size card for you all to print out. The 10 card sheet can be downloaded here.

T-shirts, bumper stickers, and mugs are here!

2010-03-13T15:51:00.000-08:00

Since I started the facebook group two months ago people have been demanding t-shirts and bumper stickers with our slogan on it. I realized "Hey! I want a bumper sticker that says that too!" so we opened up an online store.

It's just the bare minimum right now but we will be adding more soon.
Do you have a funny, catchy, or interesting breastfeeding slogan you want to see on shirts, onesies, or stickers? Leave your slogan in the comments and if we like it we will add a t-shirt with it!

We need your help!

2010-03-13T11:52:00.001-08:00

If you have nursed a baby into toddlerhood or nursed younger siblings around older ones, odds are your child has pretended to breastfeed one of their toys (or maybe their little sibling)! We want to do a fun and cute post full of pictures of babies and children pretending to breastfeed. Kind of like this one:

If you want your child's picture to be included send it to us at bfingpics@gmail.com
Please include something in the subject along the lines of "Child pretending to nurse" so that we know what its for. We get hundreds of e-mails at that address and sadly can't always read or respond to all of them (there's only 3 of us and we have babies too!). You may also include a short caption that you want posted along with the picture. We are also accepting pictures of kids trying to use breastpumps!

Thanks for your help and be sure to check back for the next post if you want to be overloaded with adorableness!

7 Myths About Breastfeeding

2010-03-13T08:49:00.000-08:00

By Crystal Henson
For the full-size image in all its high resolution glory click here.
I didn't make this masterpiece! A fan over on our facebook page sent it to me.

***Remember to become a follower! Click the "follow" button over to the right and be notified whenever we put up a new blog! Show your support!***

How the Facebook group got started: 200,000+ fans, trolls, prudes, and Australian morning news

2010-03-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

Founded in January 2010, "If Breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" is a relatively new facebook fan page that has grown to become enormously popular. Only 2 months after its creation it already boasts over 220,000 fans and has been mentioned by several news outlets including Australia's #1 morning news show, Sunrise, and ABC statewide radio in Australia. As far as we know, no major US news sources have mentioned us.

"If breastfeeding offends you..." was started as a fan page for mothers who weren't afraid to nurse their babies any time and any place they needed to, and for those that support a woman's right to feed her baby in peace without being harassed by ignorant people telling her to cover up or go nurse in a bathroom. As the group began getting thousands of new fans everyday those fans began posting lovely pictures of themselves feeding their infants the way nature intended. Then the controversy began as facebook resumed their notorious practice of deleting breastfeeding photos for "nudity" (despite the fact that facebook is plastered with soft porn ads and half naked tweens). Some mothers even had their accounts deleted, including one of our moderators. To this day we continue posting our pictures because we know that we are right.

Our group still continues to be plagued by ignorant comments, trolls who post pornography and call us pedophiles, and people reporting our beautiful pictures. But we won't be stopped. We are women. We are mothers. We are lactivists. And we are strong.

As if you needed another reason to breastfeed... nighttime nursing causes drowsiness!

2010-03-08T12:34:00.000-08:00

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn17908-evening-breast-milk-means-a-good-sleep.html

You read it right! Yet another example of how Mother Nature knows exactly what she is doing, the milk a mother creates in the evening induces drowsiness in her baby. Nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA, are found in breastmilk and are assumed to be important for tissue development. But that's not all, they have also been implicated to naturally get a baby used to sleeping at night and being awake during the day.

"Cristina Sánchez at the University of Extremadura in Badajoz, Spain, and her colleagues looked at the concentrations of 5'UMP, 5'AMP and 5''GMP – the three nucleotides most strongly associated with sleep and sedation – in the breast milk of 30 healthy mothers who had been breast-feeding for at least 3 months. Samples of milk were collected before each feed over a 24-hour period, with between six and eight samples collected per mother.

They found that concentrations of 5'AMP were highest at the beginning of the night, while levels of 5'GMP and 5'UMP increased as the night wore on. These sedatives were found at much lower concentrations in milk expressed during the day.

She suggests that 5'AMP in breast milk might be fuelling the release of the sleep-promoting neurotransmitter GABA, while 5'GMP is involved in the secretion of melatonin,which helps regulate the natural body clock. 5'UMP is known to promote the amount of both REM and non-REM sleep."

So What Does This Mean for Moms?

Pumping milk during the day and letting Dad bottle feed baby at night is a bad idea. Many parents think letting dad feed the baby at night is a good way for mom to get sleep. Think again! Feeding baby daytime milk in a bottle wouldn't make him drowsy nearly as much as if mom just rolled over and fed him straight from the tap. Basically, this finding proves the point that nature intends for our babies to sleep in bed with us, nursing throughout the night. Babies who are in cribs nurse less during the night and therefore receive less of these nucleotides. Babies who are formula fed are getting the exact same substance all day long, with nothing special to make them sleepy at night.

"Since previous studies have also hinted that bottle-fed infants have more problems sleeping through the night, Sánchez's colleague, Javier Cubero, has been investigating whether sleep-inducing nucleotides could be added to formula milk.

In a separate study, Sánchez and Cubero created a "night-time" milk by adding 5'AMP and 5'UMP to standard formula milk. Infants receiving this milk between 6 pm and 6 am, and normal milk during the day, fell asleep faster and spent longer sleeping than when they drank standard formula milk all the time."

Say What?!

There's a horrible idea if I ever heard one! Sure, adding these sleep inducing nucleotides might be a good way to help formula fed babies with sleep problems... but how many parents will abuse this discovery? A breastfeeding mother can't help the fact that her milk contains more nucleotides at night and less during the day. A formula feeding mother, given the option between AM formula and PM formula, could simply choose to give her child the PM formula whenever she doesn't feel like dealing with him! Now I'm sure most mothers would use it properly, but there are some bad people out there who would jump at the opportunity to make their babies sleep all day. Let's just hope they never start marketing formula with added nucleotides, and keep enjoying the benefits nature stows upon us!

***Remember to become a follower! Click the "follow" button over to the right and be notified whenever we put up a new blog! Show your support!***

Breastfeeding according to Dr. Seuss

2010-03-08T08:59:00.000-08:00

This is an anonymous Dr. Seuss-style poem for breastfeeding mothers and it captures our mission perfectly.

Would you nurse her in the park?
Would you nurse him in the dark?
Would you nurse him with a Boppy?
And when your boobs are feeling floppy?

I would nurse him in the park,
I would nurse her in the dark.
I’d nurse with or without a Boppy.
Floppy boobs will never stop me.

Can you nurse with your seat belt on?
Can you nurse from dusk till dawn?
Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull,
I will nurse her `till she’s full!

Can you nurse and make some soup?
Can you nurse and feed the group?
It makes her healthy strong and smart,
Mommy’s milk is the best start!

Would you nurse him at the game?
Would you nurse her in the rain?
In front of those who dare complain?
I would nurse him at the game.
I would nurse her in the rain.

As for those who protest lactation,
I have the perfect explanation.
Mommy’s milk is tailor made
It’s the perfect food, you need no aid.

Some may scoff and some may wriggle,
Avert their eyes or even giggle.
To those who can be cruel and rude,
Remind them breast’s the perfect food!

I would never scoff or giggle,
Roll my eyes or even wiggle!
I would not be so crass or crude,
I KNOW that this milk’s the perfect food!

We make the amount we need
The perfect temp for every feed.
There’s no compare to milk from breast-
The perfect food, above the rest.

Those sweet nursing smiles are oh so sweet,
Mommy’s milk is such a treat.
Human milk just can’t be beat.

I will nurse, in any case,
On the street or in your face.
I will not let my baby cry,
I’ll meet her needs, I’ll always try.
It’s not about what’s good for you,
It’s best for babies, through and through.

I will nurse her in my home,
I will nurse her when I roam.
Leave me be lads and ma’am.
I will nurse her, Mom I am.

***Remember to become a follower! Click the "follow" button over to the right and be notified whenever we put up a new blog! Show your support!***

The Case Against ‘The Case Against Breastfeeding’

2010-03-07T19:31:00.000-08:00

Many of you may have seen Hanna Rosin’s article ‘The Case Against Breastfeeding’ in The Atlantic. You may have heard it referenced, most commonly by mothers who chose not to breastfeed for personal reasons. If not, here’s a link. Grab your vomit bucket before you read it because you are about to be bombarded by a claptrap of whining and self-pity.

Done reading? Good. Now let’s pick this apart, shall we?
“In certain overachieving circles, breast-feeding is no longer a choice—it’s a no-exceptions requirement, the ultimate badge of responsible parenting.”
According to Rosin breastfeeding has only recently become a requirement. How interesting! I thought it was something all mammals have been doing in order to survive for thousands of years. You would think us overachievers would have known that!
“Yet the actual health benefits of breast-feeding are surprisingly thin, far thinner than most popular literature indicates”
Actually there are no health benefits to breastfeeding. You see, breastfeeding is what is biologically normal. Anything less is simply inferior.
“Is breast-feeding right for every family?”
While it may not be the preferable choice for every mother, it is the right choice for every baby. Anyone who argues otherwise is severely misinformed on human infant physiology.
“Or is it this generation’s vacuum cleaner—an instrument of misery that mostly just keeps women down?”
Again Rosin seems to think that breastfeeding is a new fad. If you are miserable and its keeping you down I think it’s safe to say: You’re doing it wrong.

Next Rosin muses about the times she told other mothers that she was planning to stop breastfeeding after one month. She says she ended up “…in the class of mom who, in a pinch, might feed her baby mashed-up Chicken McNuggets.” Is that really such an unfair comparison to lump together mothers that knowingly feed their infant an inferior product? What is really in infant formula? Let’s take a look at Enfamil, the most popular brand of formula in the United States:
• Cow milk, a substance designed for a 100 lb. creature with three stomachs.
• Extra lactose to sweeten it up a bit (and we wonder why so many people are lactose intolerant!)
• Palm Olein Oil, a modified triglyceride, which is known to cause constipation in most formula fed babies.
• Soy milk, a substance known to cause hormonal problems, especially in boys (and we wonder why kids are hitting puberty so much earlier these days!)
• Excessive amounts of iron, turning baby’s feces green and contributing to lowered I.Q. and other neurodevelopmental delays (For more on that see Martha Kerr’s 2008 research study "Neurodevelopmental Delays Associated With Iron-Fortified Formula for Healthy Infants," Medscape Psychiatry and Mental Health ).
• Whey, a waste by-product of producing certain dairy products, particularly cheeses. Now dairy factories have a place to send their trash!
• Melamine, a dangerous chemical which causes kidney damage.
That’s just brushing the surface. I could keep going but I think you get the point. Let’s continue with Mrs. Rosin.
“From the moment a new mother enters the obstetrician’s waiting room, she is subjected to the upper-class parents’ jingle: “Breast Is Best.” Parenting magazines offer “23 Great Nursing Tips,” warnings on “Nursing Roadblocks,” and advice on how to find your local lactation consultant (note to the childless: yes, this is an actual profession, and it’s thriving).”
Yet more contempt for those who promote breastfeeding. What a horror that soon-to-be-moms are bombarded with information designed to help them and their infants! Yet Rosin fails to mention that pregnant women are also besieged with formula advertisements and samples from the day they get pregnant until the day they take their baby home from the hospital or longer (hell, I got an unwanted sample of “Next Step” formula for my toddler in the mail just the other day!). How dare those parenting magazines squeeze in breastfeeding related articles in between all of the formula ads! It appears she doesn’t have much respect for lactation consultants. I suppose it’s better to be a woman who writes articles full of misinformation than to be someone who helps mothers successfully feed their babies.
“I was launching a new Web site and I had two other children to care for, and a husband I would occasionally like to talk to. Being stuck at home breast-feeding as he walked out the door for work just made me unreasonably furious, at him and everyone else.”
I’m not sure how breastfeeding would interfere with your ability to talk. I think that would, again, fall under the “you’re doing it wrong” category. But there is no reason at all for breastfeeding to keep you stuck at home. If you can bring bottles, water, and formula out with you and find somewhere to measure, mix, and warm your formula than surely you can find somewhere to sit down and lift one side of your shirt!
I’d like to take a moment to point out a few subtleties in Rosin’s article such as “…ratio of tasteful wooden toys to plastic…” and “…barking at my older kids to get their own organic, 100 percent juice.” It seems like Rosin feels pressured by any suggestion she receives as a parent and only listens to them because she is pressured. I suppose if she wouldn’t be looked down upon by other mothers Rosin would be content to give her children formula, lead-filled plastic toys, and sugared down juice cocktails. Maybe it’s a good thing there’s so much pressure put on her. Her motives are never “I’m going to do this because it’s best for my child” but instead are “I’m going to do this so people will shut up and leave me alone.”
Rosin then spends several paragraphs trying to poke fun at the hippie founders of La Leche League and then moves on to a weak attempt at debunking research studies that have shown breastmilk’s superiority over formula. There’s no point even attempting to correct her claims, anyone can easily search and find hundreds of studies showing how much healthier breastfed infants are and how their health risks proportionately decrease as the amount of time they breastfeed increases. She argues that observational studies don’t take into account other factors, like the fact that higher income educated women are more likely to breastfeed. This is true, and may affect the studies showing that breastfed infants have higher IQs and lower obesity rates. But do diabetes, heart disease, ear infections, and other illnesses magically know whether your mom went to college and has a lot of money? Probably not.
“Given what we know so far, it seems reasonable to put breast-feeding’s health benefits on the plus side of the ledger and other things—modesty, independence, career, sanity—on the minus side, and then tally them up and make a decision.”
According to Rosin, the negative impacts of breastfeeding are “--modesty, independence, career, [and] sanity—“. If she thinks modesty has anything to do with it she is clearly a part of the “breastfeeding is offensive” crowd, people who think that nursing mothers should have to hide their breasts. They do nothing but make breastfeeding difficult and uncomfortable for mothers and babies because of their own personal hang-ups. Apparently independence is more important to her than feeding her baby properly. Of course, if she really needed to get away from the baby for a while all she would have to do is pump breastmilk and let daddy feed the baby. As far as career goes, there are thousands of working and breastfeeding moms out there (see previous sentence, Re: pumping). And finally: sanity. If breastfeeding is driving you insane, once again I say… you’re doing it wrong!
“In 2004, the Department of Health and Human Services launched the National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign. The ads came out just after my second child was born, and were so odious that they nearly caused me to wean him on the spot.”
Another stunning example of how she doesn’t do anything because she wants what’s best for her child – a commercial was almost enough to make her wean her son in protest.
Rosin complains about the unequal dynamic between a husband and a breastfeeding wife and how her husband continues to sleep while she is up during the night breastfeeding. This is a common argument you hear against breastfeeding, and yet is one that makes no sense. Who was the one waking up to pee all night long because of a pregnancy induced weak bladder? Who was the one that spent hours in labor pushing a baby out despite excruciating pain? It’s always the mother because it is her biological responsibility. That’s not an anti-feminist statement, it’s simply the truth. Perhaps Rosin and her cohorts will only be satisfied when they can make men get pregnant and give birth.

In Rosin’s conclusion she states,
“I continue to breast-feed my new son some of the time—but I don’t do it slavishly. When I am out for the day working, or out with friends at night, he can have all the formula he wants, and I won’t give it a second thought. I’m not really sure why I don’t stop entirely. I know it has nothing to do with the science; I have no grandiose illusions that I’m making him lean and healthy and smart with my milk. Nursing is certainly not pure pleasure, either; often I’m tapping my foot impatiently, waiting for him to finish.”
And that alone solidifies what I already knew: I feel quite sorry for her children. Besides the fact that she blatantly says that she only breastfeeds because society told her to, she admits that she is impatient and wants him to finish. She doesn’t care about his comfort or enjoyment, just that she does her duty and can get back to her life in which her son seems to be little more than an annoying accessory. If it is such a chore to feed your baby how nature intended that all you can do is gripe about how miserable it makes you and attempt to ridicule and belittle those who actually enjoy and support it then perhaps you just are not cut out to be a mother.

***Remember to become a follower! Click the "follow" button over to the right and be notified whenever we put up a new blog! Show your support!***

Privacy agreement and other stuff you should know

2010-03-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

"If breastfeeding offends you, put a blanket over YOUR head!" is a blog, online store, facebook group, and organization owned by a stay-at-home-mom. We will never share your e-mail, name, personal information, or pictures without your permission.

When entering giveaways please note that your e-mail address and any other information you post in a comment is visible to everyone. If you are worried about your e-mail address being visible it might be wise for you to quickly create an e-mail address on a free site like gmail.com or yahoo.com so that you are not publicly posting your real e-mail address. If you are chosen as a winner you have 72 hours (3 days) to respond before another winner is chosen. Please respond quickly so you don't lose your prize. The companies that give away products are totally unrelated to my blog and I cannot keep their orders backed up waiting on a response.

On our facebook page remember that everything you post is public, including pictures. Post at your own discretion.

If you are still concerned about privacy and online safety, I can be contacted via e-mail at jessica@ifbreastfeedingoffendsyou.org or at (845) 834 - 2855.

Please note that we are not responsible for the companies (besides our own) that giveaway products on our site. I suggest that you enter those giveaways at your own discretion.