Why the hypocrisy?

There are so many women who are so passionate about breast feeding, they will verbally and emotionally abuse complete strangers if they even suspect that person didn't "try hard enough" to bf. It's as if they expect anyone who didn't to hand over their complete medical records in order to justify the decision. And there are many more who aren't that militant, but will still turn their nose up at someone who discusses formula, equating it to laziness.

So why is it so many of these same women who act as if formula feeding is like peeing in the swimming pool go on to feed their ebf babies pop tarts and hot dogs and granola bars and fruit snacks and Capri Sun and chicken nuggets when they can eat solids? Why be so insistent that everyone do it your way for the first year (or 2 or 3), and then spend the next 20 feeding them crap that's far worse than anything you'll find in formula?

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Asked by NotPanicking at 2:07 PM on Dec. 7, 2012 in Parenting Debate

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This is an awesome question. I honestly don't get it. I breast fed my kids but I am not out there on a mission trying to control everyone. I had to stop breast feeding my son at 5 months because I was losing nutrients no matter what I did and he was allergic to milk and everything in between so we had to put him on soy formula. Giving a child formula is NOT in anyway lazy. It actually takes more to make then just popping your boob out! jUst saying

Answer by Jessplus31979 at 7:56 AM on Feb. 12, 2013
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I would never understand that some people just like to feel like they are better than anyone else.

Answer by Alisim at 1:26 PM on Dec. 13, 2012
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You have just made my day (understatement of the year)!

I struggled to breastfeed my twins (it was something I really, really wanted to do) but didn't have enough milk and didn't realize it. After a month they were admitted to NICU with failure to thrive. One of them nearly died. I have been struggling with my guilt of not being able to braestfeed, feeling less of a woman, and nearly losing a baby for ten years now.

You have just put a totally different perspective on things and I think I love you! LOL THANK YOU for this post - you have totally changed my perspective on this. I now realize that I may have been useless at breastfeeding but that I have been getting it right ever since and feeding them a healthy diet that is not only good for them but that they enjoy. You have lifted a weight off of my shoulders - it was like the proverbial penny dropping. You have no idea how much you have helped me today :)

THANK YOU!

Answer by winterglow at 5:41 AM on Dec. 12, 2012
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Actually I find this funny. Just 32 years ago when I was in the hospital after delivering my son it was the other way around. Formula was constantly offered and by just about EVERYONE. My mother bottle fed as well as it was backward to do anything else. I wanted to breastfeed and I did. It was the right choice for me and my children. We eat healthy food but we eat junk as well. lol
I feel that this is YOUR parenting experience and it is up to you, unless you are litterally putting arsenic in the formula.

Some people feel that what they did was good for them and so it must be for everyoneelse. As with all things, many people get a little info from one source and go off the deep end with it as gospel. Just do what you always do with unwanted criticism, put it in the circular file.

Answer by Dardenella at 3:19 PM on Dec. 10, 2012
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My DH was scolded badly by a women when he was at our cell phone store. The baby came up and he told her that I stopped breast feeding. She worked at the store. She went on and on and said really nasty things, it got so bad he walked out of the store without a purchase. When he got home the manager actually called him to apologize and gave us the phones for free.

Answer by mommom2000 at 8:47 AM on Dec. 10, 2012
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Ahhh, groups. I stay out of those sections. But seriously.....off line I know a lot of anti bf women who make some pretty harsh comments. All I can say is I do not care either way. I can't bf but if I could I would co it until it was no longer an option. When ever that would be for me. I could see mysel setting a two year goal. But I would be pumping most of the time from the get go.

Answer by frogdawg at 9:25 PM on Dec. 8, 2012
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And for the record I've been told to my face in person how I was lazy for not bfing. And I've been told online that I fed my kid poison in a bottle.

Answer by sahmamax2 at 8:34 PM on Dec. 8, 2012
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They need to feel superior to feed their insecure ego. As long as they can say "we'll I bf for 2 years" they seem to think it absolves them of any bad choices they make as the kid gets older.
I have never ever tried to make a bfer feel bad or inferior bc I'm confident in the choices I make for my kids. They obviously are not.

Answer by sahmamax2 at 8:32 PM on Dec. 8, 2012
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I have never met anyone like that you described about bf.

They run rampant in groups here - they used to be all over answers, too.

Comment by NotPanicking (original poster) at 8:01 PM on Dec. 8, 2012
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I have never met anyone like that you described about bf. Typically my friends who into that are pretty easy going and open to choices.

Answer by frogdawg at 7:56 PM on Dec. 8, 2012
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