Breastfeeding…Politically Correct?

As we enter the height of the election season with the start of the Democratic Convention tonight, I am wondering about …the Politics of Breastfeeding.   Did Michelle Obama breastfeed?  And more importantly, what, if any, impact will that have on future health policies if her husband is elected?

This World Breastfeeding Week 2008 came and went with very little fanfare or controversy that I could find in the mass media.  There was the odd article here and there which caught my eye. 

This article in The New York Times published during that week, reported the rather dismal stats on long term breastfeeding in the Western World.  Oops, I mean in the States.  I think it would be worth a look to read the article, but more so for the comments.

I found my blood pressure was quite labile reading some of the posts…they were entertaining, encouraging, frustrating and some were infuriating!

What is up with all this political correctness? 

It really does feel a bit ridiculous that you can’t state a fact without stepping on toes.  It reminds me of comments that I have gotten a few times in my breastfeeding class that I teach to the target audience of Tara Parker-Popes’s article.  Something to the effect that I was unduly biased against formula.  What prompted that feedback was this simple statement… “The only thing that changes from ounce to ounce with formula is the number of calories… as it is a processed food.”

Makes you wonder why they even came to a breastfeeding class.   It does get a bit tiring fighting such ignorance.

I long for the day when breastfeeding is not only the biologic norm, but it is also recognized as the politically correct and ideal way for mothers to nurture their babies.

I’ll be listening closely tonight with that agenda in the back of my mind!