Really, boring? Too boring for the media, obviously. After all, baby asks, mum offers, baby nurses, baby and mum get on with their day. Boring and normal.
So if you have to talk about it on air…quick guys, find an angle. Is it child abuse? Are there really any benefits? Are we making mothers feel guilty? Do we really need to see it in public, in fact, see it at all? Or talk about it? Or think about it, for that matter?
Come on researchers, I need an angle. Make it controversial! I have to interview some boringly worthy “breastfeeding expert” any minute now. I bet she’ll sound like my Aunt Joan – all cardigans and hairy legs. My listeners want titillation, they want sensation, they want to feel ‘up in arms’ about everything they hear!
What’s that you say? Some sleb has called breastfeeding supporters ‘breastapo’? Yes, that’s it, that’s my angle! I’ll ask her if women are being forced to breastfeed. I’ll ask her if women are being made to feel guilty. Ooh, I’ll even ask her if formula feeding women in hospital should be forced to be in the same ward as breastfeeding women, being made to feel bad as they watch smug mums breastfeed their greedy babies. After all, if they’re called the ‘breastapo’ that reminds everyone of the Nazis, so shouldn’t we ghetto-ise breastfeeding?
What else? Oh yeah, I know, what about I accuse the NHS of with-holding food from babies by not providing free formula.
I’m sure all that will prove to my listeners that I’m on their side. Well, most of them. Some will just reflect on the depths of ignorance to which we have sunk.
Oh no, no, no! That is awful. Grrrr! I suppose it is like all other breastfeeding coverage lately – definitely gets ya noticed to be in one camp or the other – but finding it completely frustrating this week that even though there are some lovely stories out there folks cannot get enough of the hurt. Why must we create shame where none exists (i.e. breastfeeding supporters being against anything)? Furthermore, why should we create shame at all? One would think for just one week we could actually celebrate the achievement of so many mothers to breastfeed when the odds are so heavily stacked against them – isn’t that a story? I think it is the best story – alas . . .
HOLD THE FRONT PAGE! WOMAN BREASTFEEDS AGAINST ALL ODDS! Love it Ashley! 🙂
Well done Maddie. Your comparison with someone breathing naturally in front of someone who wasn’t was on point and your ‘politician’ style savvy of driving that ridiculous question back to the real world, and saying that women don’t having hardy any time on hospital midwifery wards, well done. There is no ‘breastapo’, just a system that did not serve some women. I REALLY like to think that the ‘irrelevancy’ of his silly question came across to listeners.
Thanks Bela. I’m glad you think me ‘savvy’ – I just stumbled through it! As usual, I just opened my mouth and hoped for the best 😉