Misleading headlines
Posted 06-11-07 at 18:52 by Magpi 47
I like my daily newspaper, I have to have it in front of me when I am eating my toast and having my cup of strong tea...but some days the headlines infuriate me.
Like today. The headline on one of the popular papers states that Breast Fed babies are brainier.
As mothers, we all like to feel that we are doing our very best for our children...giving them the best start in life........and while I agree that breast feeding is the 'gold standard' I have to accept that for some mothers it is not possible for a variety of reasons, some of which may be physical, some psychological and maybe even some logistical.
This report suggested that breastfed babies have been proved to have a seven point advantage in IQ scores, over children that have not been breast fed.
Now if you just went by the headline you would think it was pretty cut and dried....breast feed your baby to make sure he/she is brainy....ah, but no, it is not like that. The infant has to possess a particular genetic make up to actually benefit in the IQ stakes.
So does this strike you as a bit of biased (perhaps even irresponsible) reporting? This report doesn't say that mothers who don't breast feed are hindering their childs development, but mothers will read that into it. Has the report got ulterior motives.......?To get mothers to breast feed(apparently, we have the lowest figures for mothers who breast feed in the European community) we lead them to believe that their baby will be brainier.
I am fed up of the health fascists telling us what to do.
When I had my daughter we were encouraged to breast feed, but not coerced into it if it didn't feel right. One of my friends desperately wanted to feed her son, but she found the process of breast feeding repugnant....she was unhappy, the baby didn't feed well and lost weight. It was only when she finally admitted defeat with the breast feeding and put her son on the bottle that they were both happy and feeding time became a pleasure instead of the misery it had been before.
If a mothers want to breast feed her baby, then all the resources should be made available to help with this aim, but for those mothers who would prefer to use formula, this also should be acceptable.
What really matters is that mother and baby are both happy.
Like today. The headline on one of the popular papers states that Breast Fed babies are brainier.
As mothers, we all like to feel that we are doing our very best for our children...giving them the best start in life........and while I agree that breast feeding is the 'gold standard' I have to accept that for some mothers it is not possible for a variety of reasons, some of which may be physical, some psychological and maybe even some logistical.
This report suggested that breastfed babies have been proved to have a seven point advantage in IQ scores, over children that have not been breast fed.
Now if you just went by the headline you would think it was pretty cut and dried....breast feed your baby to make sure he/she is brainy....ah, but no, it is not like that. The infant has to possess a particular genetic make up to actually benefit in the IQ stakes.
So does this strike you as a bit of biased (perhaps even irresponsible) reporting? This report doesn't say that mothers who don't breast feed are hindering their childs development, but mothers will read that into it. Has the report got ulterior motives.......?To get mothers to breast feed(apparently, we have the lowest figures for mothers who breast feed in the European community) we lead them to believe that their baby will be brainier.
I am fed up of the health fascists telling us what to do.
When I had my daughter we were encouraged to breast feed, but not coerced into it if it didn't feel right. One of my friends desperately wanted to feed her son, but she found the process of breast feeding repugnant....she was unhappy, the baby didn't feed well and lost weight. It was only when she finally admitted defeat with the breast feeding and put her son on the bottle that they were both happy and feeding time became a pleasure instead of the misery it had been before.
If a mothers want to breast feed her baby, then all the resources should be made available to help with this aim, but for those mothers who would prefer to use formula, this also should be acceptable.
What really matters is that mother and baby are both happy.
Total Comments 2
Comments
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I saw the headline but haven't read the report, from what you say it is missleading to say the least. It will also make mums feel guilty for not breast feeding. Personally I think the public in general also make breast feeding your baby seem distasteful by complaining when mums breastfeed whilst out and about. They should get a life if they find it offensive how the hell would they go on if formula hadn't been thought of?Posted 06-11-07 at 20:13 by bernie
- Those are very valid points Bernie....I know that I would not feel very comfortable breastfeeding in public.
Maybe to some extent, it is again, the fault of the media....making breasts an object of titillation (no pun intended)...page 3 and all that.Posted 06-11-07 at 20:30 by Magpi 47
