Black-and-white issues

Photo by Charles Rondeau

Apparently, yesterday's post about the TIME magazine cover struck a cord with many of you. But I thought I should post a short follow-up, in case some of you are confused about my position.

You see, I have really strong opinions about what I think is best for babies. No, really?? Yes, really. And I tend to share those opinions, and back them up with the facts I find. But that doesn't mean I think less of you if you don't agree with me. No one's going to agree 100% with another human being. It just doesn't work that way. 

Remember that the next time you see a mom putting a disposable diaper on her child. Or a mom out in public nursing her toddler. Or a mom losing her cool when her child has pushed one too many of her buttons. Maybe that mom just needs someone to extend kindness.  

It's so easy for us to jump to conclusions ... to form opinions ... to judge. I'm as guilty of this as you are.

I believe a mother should breastfeed her baby if it is at all possible. I'm not sure I agree with breastfeeding kids in preschool. My thoughts are ... a pump and a cup. But that's just my opinion. And that is exactly what it is ... an opinion. While it is factual that breast milk is best for a baby, formula-feeding does not equal bad parenting.

I believe babies should be in cloth diapers ... for their health, if nothing else. Bottom line is that disposable diapers pose all sorts of health risks for kids. If you can protect your kids from that, why wouldn't you? While it is factual that cloth diapers are best for baby, throw-away diapering does not equal bad parenting.

Those are my black-and-white issues, among a few others. But many of the issues are gray for me, so I won't comment. I just wanted to clear up any confusion following yesterday's post for those of you who know I'm a strong breastfeeding/cloth diapering proponent. My position hasn't changed ... but perhaps my attitude has ... just a bit.


What about you? What are your black-and-white issues? 

Did you know it was World Breastfeeding Week? The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA) and advocates for breastfeeding in more than 170 countries are celebrating WBW for the 19th year with the theme, "Breastfeeding: Just 10 Steps. The Baby-Friendly Way".

Why is this important? Well, according to researchers, the best feeding option globally is the initiation of breastfeeding within the first half hour of life, exclusive breastfeeding for a full six months and continued breastfeeding through the second year or beyond. Notice, the second part there -- "exclusive breastfeeding for a full six months." That kind of contradicts the popular advice many mothers are given to start giving their infants cereal to help them sleep through the night -- sorry if this sounds harsh, but... that's a bunch of rubbish!! Introducing food too early can be harmful to your children in so many ways, including causing food allergies that may stay with them for the rest of their lives!

The worry demon

There's an awful lot going on in the world of products-to-stay-away-from. It can get awfully worrisome, can't it? Sometimes you just feel like burying your head in the sand -- the less you know, the better, right? Well, maybe as far as your mental health goes, but if you care about your family's safety, knowledge is key.

A few years ago, while researching for a series of articles on pregnancy and infant care I was hired to write for a client, I discovered the disturbing facts about disposable diapers. When it was time for one of my children to have a baby of her own, I couldn't help sharing what I'd learned. Sure, I could've kept quiet. After all, her life would have been a bit easier had she used disposable diapers. But knowing the facts about the dangers lurking in the chemicals in disposables, Jessica made the inconvenient choice to go with cloth, despite the fact that she was working fulltime! I can't tell you how proud I am of her for making that decision.