Rant

Today I feel like ranting. I have run into a lot of women lately who choose not to breastfeed and I just don't get it. I suppose it is possible even in this day and age that someone still may not know the evidence for breastfeeding and against substitutes. But it seems like many do at least have some knowledge about it but still choose not to breastfeed because they don't like it.

I feel like shaking these women and shouting, "That's parenting, babe! It's not ABOUT what you LIKE, it's about what is good for your kid!!"

Most of us would quite willingly die for our kids, but we won't breastfeed for them? We won't try to find enjoyment in this time of bonding? Failing that, we won't suck it up (no pun intended) and just do it because that's what maturity is about?

I suppose I don't understand the not enjoying it thing. I have enjoyed breastfeeding, but a major part of that is knowing that I'm doing something that is so good for my kids. If someone was handing out breakfast cereals to feed children while saying, "This will give them some, but not all, of the nutrients children need, but they will be more likely to have ear infections and gastrointestinal infections, more likely to be obese, have asthma, have allergies, have diabetes. Oh, and they may not be as smart as they otherwise would have been," who would choose to feed that to their kids? But that's exactly the effect of formula. Yes, some children eat it and are okay. But why even take the chance, knowing that your child might be one of those who does get chronic ear infections, who will get asthma, who will suffer diarrhea, who will die early because of diabetes?

All that and it's cheaper, too.

I don't get it.