Most people know that statistics on Breast feeding being most optimal for infants. I will agree, but...In my experience opinion, and it is only my opinion breast feeding. It is not the ends to all means nor will it get you kudos to the promised land. I did breastfeed my own 3 children very happily.

If you need any statistics on breastfeeding Google it ad consult Dr Bing because I am going to share some true cases which hopefully will make my point to all of you breastfeeding preachers to watch your mouths on your bandwagon.

While I support breast feeding I must say so many of you have hurt people really badly. Please, if the shoe fits wear it. If not, I have some sad situations which you make want to tuck in the back of your mind.

case#1
A lovely patient of mine had breast cancer at an early age. She survived witha radical mastectomy. She, then, had no breasts and no nipples. Her husband loved her dearly and the couple looked forward to having their first baby. 
Was she any less of a mother because of this?
Now, I ask you, was this woman so bad because she was not going to breastfeed?

These wonderful loving people never went around and announced, "I had no tits!" It was a private matter they kept to themselves.
So, as you might guess all of the gun ho mommies from church come in bearing gifts that included books on breastfeeding.
They pushed and pushed thinking they were being good churchgoers as Jesus himself would have breastfed you know. (Pardon me.)
I am making my rounds when a number of giggly visting moms, who are convinced this mom had to breastfeed, approached me with I 'should do my job and get this mom to breastfeed or why not?'

How awkward just in term of confidentiality!

Well, they made the hormonal new mom cry. I knew why she chose not breast feed. But, the church women tried to tell every her "EVERY mother CAN and should  breastfeed." 
Need I write any more?

Case #2 When my second child was small we have moved to Illinois and went to a sister church of teh church we grew up in. Most of the mommies were teens; married teens whose hubbies had "positions" in the church.
One mom was actually a bit older than I was at the time. She seemed to have postpartum depression and was not interested in the baby, let alone breastfeeding.

I did talk her about going to the doctor for her mood. (I was new in this group and no cared about my experience.) She had a 8 pound bouncing baby boy. 
I would see her sitting pathetically in the nursery.  Her breast would be plopped out for a lethargic baby who had turned into a scrawny twig that looked like a starving African child with the ribs and pot belly. 

I could see the baby was dying of starvation and the mom did not have it in her to care. Yet, these inexperienced and uneducated moms who read a book pushed and pushed her short of condemning her to Hell that she MUST breastfeed. the father did not have a clue of babies at all.

Another week went by and I went to church with my 2 kids.

OMG! No one recognized the emergency except for me and I had no credibility in that God forsaken church that my preacher father-in-law  expected us to attend.

I took the mother and  the father aside and explained to them what I saw. I had to get firm even if they got mad. I said that baby was going to die. They must go to the ER immediately. Omg! They had to just have prayer to decide God's will. Maybe they believed in a different God than I did.

I insisted that I would call the police, (No 911 yet. in those days.)
They did go to the ER and the church people were in prayer for me to go to Hell. I am actually toning this down; not exaggerating. these church peopel wer very angry atme for interfering or was it intervening?

It turns out that the baby boy was put in intensive care under the supervision of the department of human services. He was very close to death and over religious idiots had been dead wrong in what they did.
I refused to go back to that church and shortly after I moved back to my home state branded "Jezebel spirit." and they prayed for my death.

Case #3 
I ended up being the private nurse nanny for this next boy for many years. I can not believe how many people are so dumb! The very short situation was that the baby was footling breech and c-section had been scheduled the but the water broke early.The resident on call thought she would show off and show a dozen med students how she would deliver a footling breech. Never a smart idea. 

The babies feet were out, but, he had a big chest and big head. He got stuck at his nipple line. He was dead for several minutes.With an emergency C-section and aggressive CPR he was revived.
Don't breathe a sigh of relief, yet. The staff all knew his fate; he would have cerebral palsy. But we, the staff, were told to lie and cover for the doctor.
Lawsuit: huge!
The child had a very poor prognosis. 
Along comes a bunch of breast feeding gun ho mommies who insisted mom should be breastfeeding.
I was disgusted at the lack of empathy as well as the lack of awareness of the gravity of the situation, here. 
"Oh you just have to breastfeed. Breast is best and all of those cliches."

Women who visited also condeed this mother for not giving birth "naturally". 

When you work in the maternity department of alarge hospital, you will see and hear it all."
Trust me, I feel like I have seen it all stupidity.

I want to end by saying, yes, if you can and want to breastfeed, I will give you all the support you want.
If for whatever reason your choice is to nourish your child by bottle feeding I will support you, too.
I have seen mom who bottle feed bond just as close as those who breast feed. And that is another post.
This is where I stand and why I have such strong feeling as I do.

How a family chooses to nourish their baby is their business. Stay out of it. Keep your opinion to yourself. You could be hurting someone.

Biography:
For anyone who recognizes my copyright 1972 photo taken by my father, you will remember my name was "Nancy Nurse" at the time. (another post)
I will give you brief resume'.:I have a degree in nursing and held RN license to practice in Iowa, Illinois, California and Minnesota.

• I spent a number of years working in OB and newborn nursery. 
• I worked and volunteered for Head Start and other Early Childhood education organizations in a number of capacities that include traveling nurse, head teacher and parenting classes. 
• I was certified to teach First Aid and CPR with Red Cross and American Heart. I also wasa certified a a BAby-sitting instruction for tweens and teens.
• I was a private nurse nanny.
• I was specially trained in behavior management for a highly specialized pediatric unit for disabled children. 
• I was a La Leche League leader and I include bottle feeding mother who wanted t learn about infant/ childcare and had no other place to turn.
• I am the mother of 3 whom I did breastfeed.  I have 6 grandchildren.

I am Malika Bourne the No No-cent Nanna encouraging you to "Make good choices."

First published: Submitted by NoNon-centsNanna on June 15th, 2013 –http://www.bubblews.com/news/666817-what-is-up-with-all-the-mommy-competition-the-breast-is-best-controversy
Category: Misc