How you feed your infant is your choice. The Motherhood Collective supports your mental, physical, and emotional well-being. It is of utmost importance to us. In a world full of mixed messages, you need to be assured that you are the best mother for your child. You are innately able to care for your baby. You are strong. You are powerful.
The excitement surrounding World Breastfeeding Month may feel as if the world is placing breastfeeding mothers on a pedestal, declaring that they are somehow superior to those who are unable to/choose not to breastfeed.
So, why do we promote #WBW16? Why do we share breastfeeding stories throughout August? Why does an organization who supports choice and education affirm this seemingly single-sided movement?
Sadly, as a culture, we are still trying to recover from years of misinformation and poor education surrounding breastfeeding. Many employers still fail to provide basic rights to their breastfeeding employees. Many family members still do not recognize the benefits of breastfeeding for mother and child and fail to offer any support. Many medical care providers still advise women without regards to the updated recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics.
WOMEN DESERVE MORE. If you are going to make a choice, you deserve to have that choice supported with current evidence-based information. The Motherhood Collective believes that we are each responsible for the maternal health of our communities; and until our entire culture is prepared to support your maternal choices, we will continue to promote awareness months—because your #maternalhealthmatters.
So, if you choose to formula feed, we support you. If you choose to pump exclusively, we support you. If you choose to supplement, we support you. And, yes, if you choose to breastfeed, we support you too!
