101 Reasons to Breastfeed

This is a fantastic article: 101 Reasons to Breastfeed

Each reason is either backed by common sense (e.g., breastfeeding saves you a ton of money) or scientific research, which is properly cited.

There's no question: breastfeeding is great for baby, mommy, daddy, the environment, and society as a whole. Also, it's what nature intended. (How people can think breastfeeding is "gross" or "obscene" is beyond me...but I think that's better addressed in a separate post.)

I realize, of course, that breastfeeding is not possible in all circumstances, and it's not always possible to continue after 3 or 6 months. And, especially in the beginning, it is not easy. Bean wanted to nurse constantly, and often it seemed that the breast was the only thing that would comfort her. For a new mother, this is quite intense, exhausting, and overwhelming. But it got better, and quickly. Those 40-minute nursing sessions every 2 hours eventually got shorter, and now the Bean has a quick 10 minute meal every 3 hours during the day and (cue the angels singing in the background) sleeps 11-12 hours at night.

I am grateful every day that I've been able to nurse the Bean thus far, and I hope I can continue until she's at least a year old. Sure, it's difficult to be away from her for any length of time, and pumping is a chore, and my freezer stock is dangerously low. But I know I'm giving her the best possible nourishment, and, beyond that, that when she is nursing, she is comforted, safe, and happy. The feeling of joy and contentment that I get when I look down at that little face, snuggled up and nursing drowsily before bed, is something I'd never experienced before motherhood.

Though it will represent a bit of freedom for me, I know I'll be sad when the Bean weans.

Daycare charges more for breastfed babies

I was shocked, horrified, and saddened when I read this post on the Lactivist Breastfeeding Blog: http://thelactivist.blogspot.com/2007/02/city-kids-daycare-chain-charges-mom.html

The City Kids Daycare chain in Ohio charges $50 extra per week for breastfed infants because, according to them, breast milk is a biohazard and requires extra preparation. They store expressed breast milk in a separate fridge with a BIOHAZARD sticker. The blog posting above covers how ludicrous both these claims are, and how they're completely opposite from actual reality, so I won't get into it here.

I also won't get into a long-winded discussion about the innumerable benefits of breastfeeding for babies, mothers - and daycare centers(!) - because I think that's better addressed in a separate post. But I'd like to share this info with my readers. If you wish to take action, there are email addresses and phone numbers in the Lactivist's blog post listed above.

I sent the owner of the center the following message (since I do not live in Ohio to attend any protests):

Ms. Elam:

I was shocked and saddened to read about the policy of your daycare center to discriminate against breastfed infants. If, by your logic, breast milk is a biohazard, then what is a baby's spit up? Do you charge extra for babies who spit up? What about babies who urinate? Is urine not a bodily fluid, and therefore a biohazard, by your standards?

It's a sad, sorry state of affairs that people trusted to care for our children can be so ill-informed and ignorant. I hope that, now that this "policy" is gaining so much attention, you will educate yourself and your staff about the incredible benefits of breastfeeding.

Sincerely,
. . .

I didn't expect (and indeed have not received a response).

I am truly grateful that my daughter's daycare center is happy to feed her the expressed breast milk I provide. They encourage breastfeeding and have several rocking chairs for moms who are able to drop in during the day to nurse. They also know that the breastfed babies get fewer colds and other illnesses on top of the other benefits of breastfeeding. In other words, they are not backwards and ignorant.