I despise the way formula is marketed to vulnerable mothers.
We have to do better.
Formula is necessary in some cases but many times it’s for reasons that have nothing to do with the mother or the baby! It’s society putting up roadblocks and then offering an inferior solution.
What triggered me about the ad the most was the tagline "risk-free". I know it is referring to financial risk only - which just further exemplifies the attitude around feeding children as a financial decision. "I need to work!" - "Motherhood is a job in itself!" these claims are true for most families that can't support their families without the mother's work income or don't have familial or community support in the rearing of their child but the solution isn't formula unless children's health is an asset we are willing to risk. The solution, as you have made so clear, is better government support of mothers and babies. How do the organizations that want to push the legislation we need secure the funding to create star-studded ads like Bobbie's?
I thought the use of the phrase “risk-free” was interesting because although they’re talking about money I feel like they used it as a way to subtly speak to the choice in infant formula being “risk-free” as well. Which of course it is not!
I think that where it gets tricky with some of the health claims is that on average people are healthier and living longer, so the immune benefits of breastfeeding (which are definitely real!!) are cancelled out by other advancements in medicine (think, drugs to treat diabetes, antibiotics to treat infections, etc)--by that I mean, you can still live a nice long, healthy life even if you're not breastfed. I am one of the few 80s babies that was breastfed and I do feel my health is on average better than my peers and I've never struggled with allergies, autoimmune problems, etc. But there just a million factors and obviously it's impossible to prove causation.
I found this quote really striking “Breastfeeding also takes a lot of time and some women gotta go straight to work to feed their families and take care of their kids and shit,” she said in one interview. “They can’t spend time just sitting down,” she continued.
Made me laugh a bit because as I wrote about in "Why I loved breastfeeding" this is one of the things I appreciated: breastfeeding forced an equality between my first and third child, who I might have been tempted to let "self-feed" as soon as he could hold a bottle since I felt so harried when he was young. Breastfeeding forced me to pick him up and spend intentional time loving on him :)
Many mums - often lower socioecinomic ethnic minorities- cant breastfeed because if they sit at home breastfeeding (and not paying rent) they risk becoming homeless with a newborn, which poses its own risks. Cardi B is being a homegirl helping mums faced with a hard lack of choice feel better about it. She's an artist, not a health practitioner... blame formula companies and the patriarchy all you like, lay off the queen of rap.
Right, which is why I addressed those issues in the article — we have to come up with better solutions to support mothers and babies as a society rather than simply providing an artificial milk substitute that comes with significant health risks. I don’t think Cardi B is being a homegirl, I think she is harming mothers and their babies by pushing formula, and I outline exactly how in the piece. I would hope that she would consider the arguments I am putting forth in this piece and change course.
What happens when you pay women today at home with their babies but they still don't want to breastfeed? (I.e. the UK, France and other European countries...)?
Maternity leave is important not only for breastfeeding!
I despise the way formula is marketed to vulnerable mothers.
We have to do better.
Formula is necessary in some cases but many times it’s for reasons that have nothing to do with the mother or the baby! It’s society putting up roadblocks and then offering an inferior solution.
Yes exactly!
What triggered me about the ad the most was the tagline "risk-free". I know it is referring to financial risk only - which just further exemplifies the attitude around feeding children as a financial decision. "I need to work!" - "Motherhood is a job in itself!" these claims are true for most families that can't support their families without the mother's work income or don't have familial or community support in the rearing of their child but the solution isn't formula unless children's health is an asset we are willing to risk. The solution, as you have made so clear, is better government support of mothers and babies. How do the organizations that want to push the legislation we need secure the funding to create star-studded ads like Bobbie's?
I thought the use of the phrase “risk-free” was interesting because although they’re talking about money I feel like they used it as a way to subtly speak to the choice in infant formula being “risk-free” as well. Which of course it is not!
I think that where it gets tricky with some of the health claims is that on average people are healthier and living longer, so the immune benefits of breastfeeding (which are definitely real!!) are cancelled out by other advancements in medicine (think, drugs to treat diabetes, antibiotics to treat infections, etc)--by that I mean, you can still live a nice long, healthy life even if you're not breastfed. I am one of the few 80s babies that was breastfed and I do feel my health is on average better than my peers and I've never struggled with allergies, autoimmune problems, etc. But there just a million factors and obviously it's impossible to prove causation.
I found this quote really striking “Breastfeeding also takes a lot of time and some women gotta go straight to work to feed their families and take care of their kids and shit,” she said in one interview. “They can’t spend time just sitting down,” she continued.
Made me laugh a bit because as I wrote about in "Why I loved breastfeeding" this is one of the things I appreciated: breastfeeding forced an equality between my first and third child, who I might have been tempted to let "self-feed" as soon as he could hold a bottle since I felt so harried when he was young. Breastfeeding forced me to pick him up and spend intentional time loving on him :)
Here's that post: https://annledbetter.substack.com/p/breastfeed-because-you-want-to?r=8c5pl
So well researched. Great article, thank you for writing it.
Thank you!
I commented on my share from The Disinformation Chronicles, but just wanted to thank you for your vital reporting, Kristin!
Thank you Emily!
Many mums - often lower socioecinomic ethnic minorities- cant breastfeed because if they sit at home breastfeeding (and not paying rent) they risk becoming homeless with a newborn, which poses its own risks. Cardi B is being a homegirl helping mums faced with a hard lack of choice feel better about it. She's an artist, not a health practitioner... blame formula companies and the patriarchy all you like, lay off the queen of rap.
Right, which is why I addressed those issues in the article — we have to come up with better solutions to support mothers and babies as a society rather than simply providing an artificial milk substitute that comes with significant health risks. I don’t think Cardi B is being a homegirl, I think she is harming mothers and their babies by pushing formula, and I outline exactly how in the piece. I would hope that she would consider the arguments I am putting forth in this piece and change course.
What happens when you pay women today at home with their babies but they still don't want to breastfeed? (I.e. the UK, France and other European countries...)?
Maternity leave is important not only for breastfeeding!