The Case For Breastfeeding

When “The Case Against Breast feeding” by Hanna Rosin was published online last week in The Atlantic, mom message boards, including ours, started lighting up everywhere. There’s been lots of mixed reaction and emotion to this article, in which the writer takes issue with breast milk being portrayed as a cure-all for infants.

I along with RSM contributor Dana Sullivan co-edited an essay collection on breastfeeding which will be published next month. It’s called Unbuttoned: Women Open Up About the Pleasures, Pains, and Politics of Breastfeeding. Because Salon.com published one of the essays a couple of weeks ago, the editor followed up to ask if we’d respond to Rosin’s article.

Our response, which they titled “Battle of the Boob”, was that we were both left wondering what Rosin’s true objective was. Did she intend to knock breast milk's "liquid gold" status off its throne? Did she want to assuage guilt about her personal conflicts surrounding breast-feeding? Did she hope to make women think twice before judging one another for the parenting choices we all make every day?

We agree with Rosin that misconceptions surround breast-feeding. (That’s why we spent 18 months working on "Unbuttoned.") For too long, a lot of the attention has focused on the women who have successful breast-feeding experiences. Maybe it’s because some "winners" feel entitled to bragging rights. While "losers" (read: The ones who, thanks to societal pressures, have been made to feel as though they’ve failed) quietly recede, egos and breasts deflated, and (egads) go off to formula feed their children.

But where Rosin falls short is citing the "evidence" against breast milk’s role in preventing or reducing the risk of a host of illnesses in children, including ear infections, asthma, obesity and SIDS. She backs her claims up by a handful of medical studies from reputable journals, university researchers and other sources she refers to as highly regarded. She also tries to build a solid argument against the breast-feeding hype and hysteria that she believes has taken hold of U.S. women and breast-feeding advocates.

The problem with the piece is, on closer inspection, we have to conclude that her reporting is biased. She cherry-picked research that suited her agenda, the research suggesting that breast milk isn’t really all it’s been hyped to be. Yet between us we have interviewed dozens of highly regarded researchers and pediatricians who could offer a point-counterpoint to the research Rosin highlighted.

We also take issue with Rosin’s suggestion that the decision to breast-feed drives women out of the workforce. Our experience couldn’t be more different: We have friends and colleagues who hold positions of "serious power." They are doctors, lawyers, sales executives, television producers, writers and government lobbyists, and they all breast-fed for as little and as long as they wanted to -- with careers intact. Where we, as a nation, fall short is in the lack of support for women in all types of jobs. The lack of extended maternity care, adequate breaks and a private place to pump is a real hindrance to successful breastfeeding.

Still Rosin's damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don’t take on breast-feeding is a letdown. She, like so many other women, has every right to feel irritated, even pissed off, about the societal pressures to Do The Right Thing and breast-feed. But like it or not, there’s a lot of convincing evidence in support of breast-feeding. And like it or not, there are many really good reasons to breas-tfeed that have nothing at all to do with science. We’d argue that the same could be said of formula feeding.

As with most things in life, what ultimately works for one may not work at all for another. But at the very least we should remind ourselves of the common denominator here: As mothers, we’re all in uncharted waters and doing the best we can to stay afloat.

A Life Lost Too Soon

Speaking of uncharted waters, our hearts grew heavy upon learning on Wednesday that actress and mom Natasha Richardson had died from injuries she suffered while skiing with her sons Micheal and Daniel in Canada. Her husband, the actor Liam Neeson, lost his wife and the mother of their children, and will now have to raise his boys without her. Like me, the moms I talked to this week who were equally touched and saddened by this story, obviously didn’t know her. But I think once you become a mom everything becomes more precious, more fragile, and closer to the surface. So to watch as family endures one of the worst things that can happen to a vital, vibrant and by all accounts loving woman and mother, is to be faced with one of our own worst fears. Hopefully, when her boys have had time to heal, they will see the world as Richardson did. When responding to a question about the turmoil that she and her extended family have endured over the years (including losing her dad to HIV/AIDS in 1991) she said: "We embrace life. We are not cynical about life." Godspeed, Natasha.


Be Well,

Maureen Connolly
Editor, Real Savvy Moms.com

Digi-Mom
By Dana Sullivan

Are you plugged in? Chances are that you are, indeed -- and you're in good company. Some 32,000,000 women with kids younger than 18 are online. But we're not just using the internet to shop and look for parenting advice.  A new report, by interactive marketing agency Razorfish and social networking site CafeMom found that 65% of moms use social networking sites (such as MySpace, Facebook and CafeMom) to connect with other moms, in addition to friends and family. The report also found that 56% regularly text message -- perhaps so they can keep up with their even more tech savvy kids!   A more surprising finding: 52 percent of women in the report said they play games online, or via a console.

There's no doubt that technology is transforming the way we live. "Moms are digtially savvy," says Kate Rolston, Real Savvy Moms CEO. “They use technology to stay in touch and to get reliable information and advice. At Real Savvy Moms, we take things one step further.  We offer our readers access to both the country’s top mom-focused experts and video segments from our award-winning public network TV show.”

What kind of Digi-Mom are you? In CafeMom's report, five categories of women were identified:

1. The Self Expressor. This woman typically has a preschooler at home and is eager to chat with other moms about parenting and shopping-related matters. She spends a lot of time building her profile page.
2. The Utility Mom. Between all the categories, this woman typically has the most children at home, yet she also spends the most time online. She enjoys doing games and puzzles.
3. The Groupster. This mom is a "builder of online communities" and looks for purchasing information and advice from her social circle, which includes moms she knows only via the computer.
4. The Infoseeker. This woman probably has an infant at home and is searching for information about parenting and related products.
5. The Hyperconnector. This is the mom whose children are a bit older so she isn't looking for advice any more. She uses social networking to "chat" with others and learn about new products.

How would you label yourself? Email us editor@realsavvymoms.com and let us know.

Lights Out: Get A Grip on Global Warming
By Emma Buckley, TV Host of “Real Moms”

If our planet is going to be here to serve our children’s children, then we need to all pull together and do our part to combat global warming. We can’t think of a better way to show solidarity than to participate in next Saturday’s Earth Hour by turning off your lights and electrical appliances from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. on March 28th.

For 2009, there are already over 700 cities worldwide signed up through WWF- Worldwide Fund for Nature (www.voteearth2009.org) and they hope to reach their target of 1000 cities and one billion people!

You and your brood will be in good company: Among some of the world's famous landmarks to shut down for the hour are the Eiffel tower in Paris and the MGM casino Las Vegas.

In the meantime, a few energy saving tips:

1. Turn it off. Don't leave the video game on pause, or the computer in sleep mode. Those electronics are still using energy, even when you aren't using them.
2. If you aren't in the room, turn off the lights. Always remember to flick that switch, or unplug that light when you leave the room.
3. You can make it easy to turn off all those home electronics like TV's, DVD players, computers and more. Simply plug them into power strips, and then turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.
4. Modern washing machines use less water to get clothes just as clean. They also spin faster, squeezing more water out and reducing drying time. Also, use the cold wash cycle. ENERGY STAR qualified appliances use 10 to 50 percent less energy and water than standard models.
5. Weather-stripping drafty doors and windows can reduce your heating bill by 10 percent.

Locals Take Heart
By From the Trainers at NYC's Nimble Fitness

Looking for a way to do some good for the world and your body? If you’re in New York City today, Friday, March 20th, stop by and visit the folks at Nimble Fitness where their “Sweat for St. Jude” charity event is underway until 7 p.m. tonight.

Book a session with a trainer, pay whatever you’d like, and all the funds will go the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the premier center for research and treatment of childhood diseases like cancer, leukemia and sickle cell anemia. To book an appointment, email info@nimblefitness.com.

Spring Forward
By Rita Ragone, Real Savvy Moms Celebrity Hair and Makeup Expert

One of the makeup trends this spring and summer is a treasure chest of gentle shades of shiny, sexy pastel. Used correctly, these sorbets are designed to create a soft glow on your skin to enhance your eye color and skin shade.

Because of the strong colors in clothing this season, the balance is needed in our makeup styles. Sheer apricot, pink, gold, soft sea or lime green, pinkish-lavender, sky blue, golden yellow, champagne and even platinum work on all skin tones and types. These colors all have a certain amount of shine to them, so use these colors sparingly so as not to look too oily or over-done.

You can use any of these shades on your eyes, adding a stroke of liner to add to the soft intensity of the look. Always use 2 coats of mascara, and for a real eye-opener, try using a white or sky-blue pencil on the inner lid. This adds to the effect of brightness around the eyes, especially with the strong brows that are popular once again.

Blush is soft and light diffusing as well. You want to continue to use bronzer, and add your apricot or pink hue to the apples of your cheeks.

Lips are flesh-toned and dewy or outright shiny and sparkly (my personal favorite). Platinum, pink, apricot and gold are the forerunners in lip gloss/color this season.

Now, don’t forget, just because these are the trends, doesn’t mean you have to completely part with the other styles that you know look good on you. Try something new, seek out your favorite flavors, and wear them knowing you look your best!

‘Til next time!

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