Posted on 08/02/2012 11:17:44 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and state officials are pushing initiatives aimed at encouraging new mothers to breastfeed their babies, drawing criticism from some parents who say officials are interfering with their health choices.
State health commissioners announced on Tuesday that letters highlighting the importance of breastfeeding were being sent to hospitals, reminding them of regulations limiting unnecessary formula feedings for breastfed newborns.
The state initiative coincides with Bloomberg's call for hospitals to lock away their baby formula and have nurses encourage new mothers to breastfeed.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
hmm. 100% means more dead babies.
One of the reasons for the high mortality rates for babies in certain periods of history was because breast-feeding was out of fashion (this was true of the period around Mozart).
Multi-national corporations (Nestles for example) undermined this natural process for decades by distributing formula throughout the third world. Of course, there the water is deadly so babies died all over the place from the deadly water. Mainly breast feeding is undermined by painting as barbaric and not chic or fashionable.
It becomes our business because of the increased costs to the public health system from sick children whose sicknesses may have been prevented by being breast fed.
Fortunately for my children their mom was able to be at home with them when infants.
There are no doubt many in the groups you list with many of the problems you cite. As to the mothers poisoning their babies I am not very forgiving. Take the children from them.
Wake up. This is government intrusion in the form of fascist mandate.
I was smart enough to breastfeed my three babies and believe women should be free to choose what works for them and their situations.
I am a lactation counselor. The group that certifies is part of the whole global social justice movement (I realized this in the middle of the course. The words social justice were in the study manual.)
If anything, encourage education not the nanny state.
HUH?
And Bloomberg will then ban breast feeding from anything over a 36 C cup.
And Bloomberg will then ban breast feeding from anything over a 36 C cup.
How do you get to this as a “mandate”?
BS. The the way things are currently "interfer[es] with their health choices." My daughter was born in a NYC hospital that was (apparently) not participating in this program. My wife wanted to breastfeed, and told the nurses that if my daughter needed to eat when she was in the nursery, the nurses were to come get my wife to feed her. That lasted until the nurses neglected to pass along that instruction to the next shift. Instead, the nurses on the next shift (overnight) simply gave our daughter formula, against our stated wishes. They didn't do it for any medical reason, but rather simply because formula feeding was the default way they did things there. Had this program been in effect, that never would have happened.
There are a lot of misconceptions about this program - it is not a mandate, and it does not restrict parents' choices. If anything, it simply acts as a counter-balance to the tremendous resources formula companies pour into advertising within hospitals, giving away samples to hospitals, etc. (heck, the "nursing workshop" held by this hospital was run by a Similac employee).
A voluntary program that only applies to "breasfed infants" (so, if a new mom chooses to give formula, a participating hospital won't stop her and will provide formula) is a "fascist mandate"??
Why don’t you re-read the original article fully rather than ask me u arrogantsnob.
A laudable goal - but NEVER at the point o a gun and that is exactly what government force is. Is that what you want?
Of course there are enormous benefits, but it should ONLY be up to the mother - not some government edict.
No guns are involved.
WHAT???
You cannot have little infants getting breastfed without testing first.
I volunteer as official tester!!!! :)
I asked you because there is nothing in article that reflects your conclusion.
Is there a potential for misuse or abuse? Perhaps, but it is small.
Government force is no different.
No one is “forcing” mothers to do anything here.
While I am in favor of infants being breastfed, it is not something that should be legislated. What will be next? You will be fined or have your baby taken away if you only breasfeed for 3 months instead of whatever the government thinks is the right length of time? Child & Family services will be paying you visits every week if you cannot produce X ounces of milk per day, X being whatever the government says is the standard? Employers will be forced into giving paid time off to all nursing mothers for how long?
It is not our business. It is no more our business than oversize sodas, availability of fried and sugary foods, access to tobacco and alcohol. All of those choices create “increased costs to the public health system”, your words, not mine. Where do you draw the line?
What "force"? It's a voluntary program. Even within the participating hospitals, it doesn't force anyone to breastfeed.
You can jump to conclusions about any government actions. Some might even be correct. This one I will list on my “Things to Worry About from the Government” List at number 10,001.
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