First off, these aren’t my breasts.
I like my breasts. They remain one of the few parts of my body that I still approve of (was that too much information?), but I am an avid believer in truth in advertising, thereby the disclaimer.
This post isn’t really about my boobs. It’s about who is the boss of them.
Starting this September, New York City mayor, Mr. Bloomberg, has imposed a ban on formula for new born babies.
What’s that you say? I am not allowed to choose to not breast feed my new born baby in the hospital until I listen to a mandated speech about how breast feeding is better? That would be correct.
You might as well just come right out and say that you don’t trust my judgment or my capabilities to make my own decisions regarding my child and my options to opt in or out of breast feeding.
I’m not sure if I’m offended at this notion because it was imposed by a man, or because I’m not a fan of bans, see my post at http://tinyurl.com/cy2ac2a. Maybe it’s because I get a tingling feeling that my rights are (once again) being stomped on.
I keep hearing people raising their voices that there is too much government in our personal lives. Sometimes I agree, sometimes I don’t. Guess which side of the fence I fall on here?
I am 59 years young. We all know I’m not having a baby any time soon. But this is a personal freedom that should not be swayed, intimidated or tainted in any way. I understand that with this ban a new mother may still opt to formula feed her infant, but not without a good deal of government propaganda being hurled her way. This, my friends, is NOT okay.
My daughter and son-in-law will give me a grandchild, or two, one day. I can assure you that she is an intelligent, well read young woman who is perfectly capable of making decisions regarding herself and her children on her own without the assistance of a government imposed ban. Whatever her decision on the subject may be, I will respect it. I defy our government to do less.
If Mayor Bloomberg is in the mood to ban things, I would highly recommend that he direct his attention to banning the sale of assault weapons, cruelty to animals, thieving politicians and vicious inhumane treatment in slaughter houses and breeding farms.
And so I ask: When is government intervention too much?
If a government cannot get its own house in order, pay its bills, stay within budget, provide education to its citizens, then why in the world would anyone be in favor of a politician making personal choices for the rest of us?
Good question.
Stephen C. Spencer - Hi, Tammy!
Bloomberg is of course a Grade One idiot, and the voters of New York City have only themselves to blame. (And if he manages to connect this ban to his proposed soft-drink constraints, the formula will be limited to 16-ounce cans or smaller.) I think he’s also imposed bans on salt, red Jell-O, left-handed people, and the letter X.
“Latch On NYC”—who thinks these names up, anyway?—is a waste of time and taxpayer money. Apparently New Yorkers have too much of both on their hands. Be glad their hands are on the opposite side of the country from your boobs. If it were me, I would be!
Rick Gualtieri - I have come to the conclusion that Bloomberg thinks anyone not named Michael Bloomberg is an idiot and must be saved from their own stupidity.
Aside from that, I’m all for boobs. 🙂
Suerae Stein - O.M.G. Are you kidding me????? WTF? And I rarely swear. Do they not have enough crime/garbage/illness/homeless issues in NYC that this is what they’ve come up with with all that free time?? This ban goes WAY too far – that’s just ridiculous. Love the post, by the way!
Tammy - Hi Stephen, I have done extensive reading on the Latch On NYC program and can only wholeheartedly agree with you. Whoever got this program mainstreamed must either be a relative, spouse or huge contributor of the powers that reign. I cannot see anything like this coming to our west coast shores but you just never know how the wind blows once it has started stirring. West coasters are a lot more ‘live and let live’. Let us hope these words are not my famous last ones. How ludicrous to presume that only one way should be supported and encouraged. I spit in their face! All right, fine, I probably crossed the line with that one but it aggravates the hell out of me. Can you tell? Thanks for contributing to my sanity. Color me grateful!
Tammy - Hi Rick, I am in complete agreement with your assessment. On both angles. Haaaa! Birds of a feather, my friend. Thanks for the read and the post!
kellie kennedy - Tammy
Can I just say was just thinking last night what a complete moron Bloomberg is as a mayor and politician. I think the guy is so completely bored with his life (all the money,limousine liberal and acts like he is a poor man). That he has to come up with this ridiculous laws/legislation. Is this guy for real? Or are the people of New York that out of touch with reality? ?? Next will be a ban on how many kids you can have or gender. Really Bloomberg … seriously.
Monique Liddle - Anyone can see Bloomberg (or someone in NY gov’t) wants parents to breastfeed because research indicates how beneficial breastmilk is to the child’s physical, emotional, & mental development, and breatfeeding is good for attachment between mother & child. However, many people would argue (including me) that the means do not justify the ends – in this case mandatory education of all parents to breastfeed their child. This proposition sidesteps many freedoms in our country – especially individual freedoms.
The additional problem is what happens to people who cannot breastfeed their children due to difficulty latching, chafing, bleeding, etc. A benefit of feeding formula is the father is involved in his child’s first feedings, which increases attachment between father & child. And of course there is the issue of women who do not get maternity leave & thus are not able to breast feed their child or do so for very long.
Finally, will these women/families who cannot breast feed be stigmatized by the gov’t & other citizens b/c they cannot breastfeed? But all of these questions raise the basic issue of do we want the government telling us what to do regarding a personal, individual topic or do we want the freedom to decide for ourselves because overall we trust people to make the decisions for their families? And if you don’t trust us, making us do something is a slippery-slope to dictatorship.
Tammy - Hi Suerae, no, I kid you not. The ban will be implemented this September. The soft drinks in NYC are now regulated in size and the breast feeding in NYC is now deemed the most viable option for new mothers. Formula will still be available and can be the chosen option, but first the mother must listen to a scripted speech on why it is best she breast feed. Also, the formula (once dispensed freely and at no cost to the hospital) will now be under lock and key and dispensed with detailed documentation as to who got it, how often and why. There you have it. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, assault weapons are freely available, stock farms are in constant violation of humane ethics and practices, lobbyists buy their clients laws, and the list goes on. To quote you: WTF!? I agree. Thanks for contributing here. I so value your post.
Tammy - Kellie, we stand together on this. There are many agencies out there already such as La Leche League and many more that provide all kinds of literature while they promote breast milk vs formula. Most soon to be moms will do their due diligence and have conversations with their doctors and pediatricians. Do we need a biased mandate from our government? Hell no. How dare he. NYC is lucky that I am not an expecting resident of their fine city. Or maybe I am the lucky one. Thanks for your two cents. Very worth hearing!
Tammy - Monique, sing it out girl!! I feel a tremendous slip has been made backwards for women everywhere. But who is to say that only women are impacted? You raised many excellent points, one of which addresses a father’s need to feed their child. The answer that comes from La Leche is that the mother should pump the milk and keep a supply in the refrigerator. There are many reasons a woman cannot breast feed, you named a few. Stigma already exists against those that opt out and go for the formula. These men in office can’t even run their day to day business. They need to stay the hell out of our liberties as women. Period. I can only hope that his next ban will be on beer. Let’s wait to hear the fallout from that. Mr. Bloomberg your ego has led to you to an epic fail. Thanks, Monique, for posting. Your points needed to be heard.
Joan Cooper - Well, hold on there a minute. No one said they cannot feed them, they are just asked to not display an adult naked body in public. I think that is reasonable and I frankly don’t know why any woman would want to.
Hmmmm is it perhaps an expression of “power”?
Can’t they go to the restroom or somewhere that is not so public?
Well, there are no boundaries anymore, but as more and more come tumbling down, so does civilized behavior in every area.
Joan Cooper
Tammy - Hi Joan, I think you misunderstood the blog, although your topic could certainly raise another blog in due course. The blog specifically speaks to a ban that Mayor Bloomberg has instituted which is clearly a directional move against bottle feeding babies. No new mother needs a government to tell her whether she should breast feed or bottle feed. There ya go. Thanks for being here Miss Joan.
Carole - Not being an American, I can’t say I know the *gentleman* in question … BUT …that aside, he sounds a right *bleep* Talk about making the blood boil! Breast feeding, or bottle feeding, is, and should be, the prerogative of the mother.
How dare he…
Laura Lee Carter aka the Midlife Crisis Queen - And the same goes triple for my uterus!
My uterus, my decision! LLC
Joan Cooper - I got distracted with a phone call. Let me finish here.
Mayor B. was speaking to the practise of handing out samples of formula which indicates approval of certain makers of formula. His position is that this is not proper as the formula manufactured may not be the right one for the baby. He wants entities like hospitals to stop promoting formula specific. That’s all. You know how commercial this world has become.
Thanks for putting up with me.
Joan Cooper
Tammy - Laura Lee, you are a treasure and I’m sure you speak for many, many women. Thanks for stopping in!
Tammy - Carole, You said it all in a nutshell. American or not, personal freedoms matter to us all. When it comes to our babies, our breasts, our mode of feeding our infants; the governmental needs to stay the hell out of it. You are right … how dare he?!
Maureen - “The Mayor recently ordered the city’s hospitals to stop giving out infant formula beginning in September, 2012. To comply with the new rules, formula will only be available to mothers for medical reasons and it will be kept in the same locked cabinet as medication. Hospital staff will be required to sign it out, track its distribution and report usage figures to the Health Department. As of August 1, 2012, 27 of the city’s 40 hospitals have agreed to comply with the orders.”…..
How does this not simply open the door to more hungry babies? Bottom line – the ones most impacted are the children. And how then will a mother, who needs the formula for her child – but perhaps doesn’t speak the language as well as the administrators and but finds the red tape too daunting – feed her child? And – exactly who benefits by withholding free formula from those who need it, while causing overworked/underpaid hospital staff more ridiculous paperwork?
On point again Tammy – Thanks!!
Tammy - Hi Maureen, you raise such an excellent point. Many new moms CHOOSE to not breast feed and depend on the ‘hand-outs’ given them by the formula makers through the hospital. Freedom of choice should never ever be compromised by one sided propaganda. No matter which side it’s on. Laws are meant to keep civilization in order, not to take our choices and liberties out of our hands. THANK YOU for your remarks. They needed to be said. Awesome having you here!
Tammy - Hi Joan, nothing to put up with … you are always a pleasure to read. We must agree to disagree here. I was one of the many new moms who relied on the formula distribution after my baby was born. I was unable to breast feed after six weeks of trying and found when my daughter took to the formula, she gained weight, slept through the night and I had a tiny bit of my life back. Income was in short supply and the ‘freebies’ given to us were more than appreciated. Our freedom to choose whether we, as new moms, wish to bottle feed our babies should never be compromised by one sided propaganda. Being a mayor of a major city does not qualify anyone to make the assumption that they know whats best for me and my child. Period. I would say to him that he is entitled to his opinion and I am entitled to not have his opinion shoved down my throat. Thanks for sharing your thoughts here, Joan. It’s beyond wonderful that we all can discuss this stuff so openly and passionately. I love that … and you!