Yet-to-be-deployed lifesaving devicesDespite my respect for her sister, I realize she's ultimately just an heiress who lucked into her life. I also realize that if anyone based any decision, much less a parenting one, on what she has to say, that decision would be just as idiotic as her remarks. But when high-profile people like Kim say things like "They say after a year there's no nutrients [in breastmilk]," it DOES have an impact, especially on young women.
To be fair, it's nice that she says she plans to breastfeed for 6 months, which, to clarify further, is the AAP and WHO minimum recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding; a distinction often lost. The AAP recommends a minimum of one year of breastfeeding in general (starting to add solids or any other substances no earlier than 6 months, in other words), while the WHO recommends a minimum of two years. Is it picky for me to quibble over these finer points? Maybe. But I see it all the time, all over the net in particular, the perception that the official recommendation is "no more than a year", when in reality just the opposite is true.
Sorry, I got distracted there. Point being, Kim is not a public health official and is not responsible for promoting (or even just providing accurate information about) breastfeeding, no doubt. But I really wish she would refrain from making completely baseless and uninformed statements about it. Likewise, MTV is not a public health organization, either, and promoting (or even just providing accurate information about) breastfeeding is not their job. But between "Teen Mom" portraying formula as the norm to its impressionable audience of young women and statements like this, we've got our work cut out for us.
Thank the gods for campaigns like Best for Babes. I wonder if we could convince Kim to send them a donation in penance? (KIDDING about the penance.) (Or am I?) (Yes, I am.) (But a donation would still be nice.)
You should tweet her and tell she's WRONG!
ReplyDeletehaha. I would say whatever, nobody listens to what people like her say, but... sadly I'd be wrong. O_O
ReplyDeleteI love the comment under the picture...
ReplyDeleteThat is a shame. Great she is planning on nursing for 6 months! But wish she had shared accurate information about bf longer than a year.
ReplyDeleteOf course I had a pediatrician who told me the same thing. I changed after that conversation.
I can't find an e-mail to contact you off your blog, so can only think to post a comment.
ReplyDeleteI am trying to update people whose blogrolls I was on with my new blog address. I don't know if you were following me or not. But I do have a new blog address, if you need to update it. http://enjoybirth.com/blog
Thanks,
Sheridan
'But I see it all the time, all over the net in particular, the perception that the official recommendation is "no more than a year"'
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, health officials tend to give off that impression, too. I live in the UK and while they say they promote extended BFing here, a few midwives and nurses have expressed shock* at my feeding my newborn and (2 year old) toddler in tandem (several of them have pointed out that I need to give BFing priority to my newborn, as if that wasn't blatantly obvious). A paediatrician even told me the nutrition in my milk wasn't geared toward my toddler now that I've had a baby and that my toddler should "move on to something more appropriate." (He sent us to a dietitian, who, thankfully, had not lost all her marbles and said it was fine to keep nursing him.)
I could go on, but I won't. ;p
* I should point out that some midwives thought it was fantastic that I was still nursing my toddler (they seemed pleasantly surprised -- the BFing rate here is REALLY low and I don't know anybody here who has nursed longer than a year), but some of the midwives and nurses kind of gave off the impression that they thought it couldn't be done and seemed worried my baby would starve or something.
blah blah blah... :D