The Swedish government is considering placing a ban on formula companies that would prohibit them from featuring images of babies in advertisements. The proposed law would also ensure that these ads only appear in scientific journals and infant care publications. Of course, the country believes that it's simply promoting "breast is best," but I can't help but feel that they are taking a step toward eliminating a woman's right to choose.
According to a Huffington Post article on the proposed Swedish law, indicating that formula is as good or better than breastmilk would also be a no-no, and free samples and coupons or discounts would be disallowed as well. So now, not only would the government be making women who can't or don't nurse feel inferior, but it will essentially take away their options by eliminating something that could make formula more affordable. Nevermind that such legislation would also affect the decisions and resources of mothers whose babies have reached six months — the age that the World Health Organization recommends nursing until.
I exclusively breastfed my son for four months, I recognized the benefits and I was 100 percent committed to doing it. Admittedly I had very few issues–I'm not one of those moms who persevered through a slew of nursing-related challenges. However, upon my return to work after a three-and-half-month maternity leave, my fears of not being able to pump enough to sustain my son during my 10 hours away were realized.
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Once my meager freezer stash ran out, I was facing a dilemma that I had been dreading for months. Riddled with guilt and overcome with sadness by the realization that I would have to start supplementing, I had turned into someone that I never imagine I would be.
In fact, prior to becoming pregnant, I really didn't think that I would ever be a breastfeeding mother. But throughout my pregnancy I, like most new moms, was bombarded with information about the benefits of breastfeeding and the downfalls of formula feeding. I read tons of books and websites on the topic, many of which were written by militant, attachment parenting types–a group that I most certainly don't fall into–and everything I read had me convinced that if I had to give my son even the tiniest bit of formula, he would surely suffer. So I cried, and I cried, and I cried some more. Then I got over it. My kid needs to eat, and it's my job to make sure he's getting what he needs. Case closed.
The real travesty here is that even someone like me–who was simply faced with giving her son one measly bottle of formula a day–has been driven to feel such shame over having to do so. What about the mom who tries unsuccessfully to nurse and gives up because she and baby are miserable? What about the mom who is just ready to have her body to herself after 40 weeks of sharing it? What about the mom who has to return to work early and can't fit nursing or pumping into her schedule?
I support breastfeeding–I think it is the best nutrition for babies–but no, if a woman can't nurse or decides not to, her baby will likely not be significantly worse off. A ban on pictures of babies in advertisements is certainly not going to make nursing any less difficult and it's definitely not going to help parents become more educated about ALL of their options. So to Sweden and any other country considering infringing on the rights of mothers, shame on you for villifying women who are just trying to make the best decisions for their families as a whole.
Image via Semper
