The recent article by the Washington Post really brought to mind that the argument that the formula companies tried to use (which worked) was don’t guilt parents into breastfeeding. While on the surface this may seem fine, let’s look at all the guilt programs we currently have going…
You’re a bad parent if you don’t use a car seat because if you get in a wreck your baby will die.
You’re a bad parent, not to mention thoughtless citizen, if you don’t immunize fully and on schedule.
You’re not a good parent if you homeschool your child, because after all, the government knows best and it’s your tax dollars at work.
Your baby will die of SIDS if you don’t put them to sleep on their back.
So why is it any less acceptable to say, “If you don’t breastfeed, the risk that your baby has of getting diabetes is X or your baby will likely have X?
I think parents have a lot of guilt, regardless of what society says, but seriously, whatever happened to informed consent? Or does that only apply to VBACs and refusal to do constant fetal monitoring?