Elizabeth Grattan - Latest Comments

Re: My Five Year Old Loves My (Naked)Boobs

Harris Powell — Sat, 27 May 2017 00:37:07 -0000

In the 40's as a child it was commom tosee mothers breast feed their babys and we thought nothing of it. I don't know when the "embarrement" started but I never thought any bad thing at all about it!

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

elizabethgrattan — Wed, 24 May 2017 08:29:52 -0000

I never use that cliche. And no where in this piece did I suggest it. So... not really sure where this comment is coming from.

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

Lee Aldrich — Wed, 24 May 2017 02:21:33 -0000

The breast is NOT always best.
My son was born in 1981. Most moms did not breastfeed back then, at least not where I lived, but I did some research and decided that I wanted to do so, at least for his first 3 months.
Bad decision.
I had plenty of milk, no problem there. But my nipples would crack and bleed (hey, doctors, some people are ALLERGIC to the lanolin you told me to use - made problem worse, not better).
I figured out the lanolin thing pretty quickly, and continued nursing.
But my baby wasn't doing so well. He gained weight, but was very colicky. The poor little thing seemed to have a constant bellyache.
It turned out that the little guy had his own allergy problem - it was my breast milk that was causing his distress.
Like most breastfeeding moms, I consumed a so-called healthy diet while breastfeeding that included drinking milk. The milk was the problem.
Switched to formula at about 6 weeks - soy formula. The change in my baby was amazing. No more tummy problems. No more colic. Just a happy, smiley, playful baby boy.

Re: The Privileged White Breastfeeding Woman.

Louise Simpson — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 02:57:01 -0000

Wow I have never read such trash , in the uk this wouldn't happen , people of all colour celebrate together , we as women are united and stand together .
Yes slavery was real yes it was horrific but creating a divide now is putting all the hard work from all coloures to creat a united future .

Re: I Let My Four Year Old Run Away From Home.

HarrietM — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 12:40:48 -0000

This was very brave and strong of you. I am glad that it all worked out. I am glad that you are not working to force your strong child to be obedient and miserable.

Re: The Privileged White Breastfeeding Woman.

HarrietM — Sat, 27 Aug 2016 12:39:03 -0000

Thank you! I am so embarrassed by clueless privileged white women making a bad name for all of us.

Re: Overselling Breastfeeding? How One Author Exploits The Majority To Silence Minority Advocacy.

Diana West — Fri, 13 Nov 2015 18:01:11 -0000

This is an astonishingly cogent articulation of the many levels of inaccuracy in Jung's op-ed (and presumably her upcoming book). I'm sharing it everywhere I can think to link it. Breastfeeding advocates everywhere should read this post to understand the issues. Exceptionally well done, Elizabeth. -- Diana West, IBCLC, Director of Media for La Leche League International

Re: Overselling Breastfeeding? How One Author Exploits The Majority To Silence Minority Advocacy.

Derp — Mon, 09 Nov 2015 13:11:53 -0000

Elizabeth, this article is so important. Jung is everywhere, I just heard her on CBC radio promoting her book. She had the gaul to almost start crying over the struggles of non-breastfeeding moms...so frustrating.

As a mom who breastfed and had her boss send her formula in the mail (anonymously ugh), who found her friends and family confused over the desire to feed her son with her own milk passed 6 months. This mom would have been lauded if she had used formula, the struggle was in the fact no one around me supported me, not even my doctor. When my son was a year and got his first cold my doctor told me he should have juice, to stop with the milk that was "causing mucus". the same doctor figured my son was iron deficient (very pale dad) and had his blood taken (my baby screamed) and tested only to find out his iron levels were normal-high. The doctor said he must be getting solids or milk, breastmilk doesn't have enough iron. So, he accused me of lying when my son at 12 months refused solids and a bottle. Why would I lie? Everyone was on my case BECAUSE I was breastfeeding!

This mom thinks Jung and her message is frustrating and disappointing but most worrying, it's dangerous.

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Stories? This One’s For You.

JustGreat — Sat, 08 Aug 2015 08:26:52 -0000

Anger Issues? I breast fed twins publicly for a year no ones batted an eyelid. Move house.

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Stories? This One’s For You.

Karen Crombie — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 08:00:38 -0000

totally with you on this

Re: Dear Media Peeps: We Need To Talk About Our Coverage on Public Breastfeeding.

Rachelle — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 00:36:12 -0000

Once again you've knocked it out of the park by pointing out how normal breastfeeding is to a demographic that hasn't acted like it understands that fact. It's just feeding babes.

Thank you!

Re: Dear Media Peeps: We Need To Talk About Our Coverage on Public Breastfeeding.

ophelia — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 03:49:48 -0000

WOOOOHOOOO! Loved it! Every time I hear a news story break I cringe knowing that some mom or future mom out there is filing it in the back of their mind & it is undermining their confidence RIGHT now. Heck, even as a seasoned veteran I cringe...as I feel like there is more at stake now for me. When I was nursing my 1st, had a problem arose, at least my child was too young to know this attitude exists. Now that my 1st is no longer little & well aware of what is said around him, I have felt forced to prep him "in case". I have told him he need not defend me or ever feel afraid. I have told him that this is an ugly cultural problem we must work to correct & that *I* am not afraid...so if someone says anything, just let me handle it. He is at an age when he is fiercely defensive of his mama. My bigger worry is if someone says something one day with my husband around, as my son doesn't hold a candle to how my husband feels about someone being rude to me. I have to date never had a direct confrontation, but plenty of rudeness & people not even knowing they were rude....like constantly asking me if I want to go some place "more comfortable". I am not going to spend my adult life letting these things dictate what I do though. I just push forward, even when I feel nervous. It is the ONLY way to end this in our culture.

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

elizabethgrattan — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 10:05:24 -0000

Laura is it?

There are far better ways to get a dopamine rush than trolling comments on the internet.

That you searched google to find a piece about breastfeeding to troll is rather sad.

I'm sorry that your morning has brought you such misery. :/

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

L12 — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 09:48:23 -0000

HAHAH just the sort of response I expected. You're just as bad as the crazy transsexuals- trying to hide behind some sort of pseudo intellectualism,
And your mouth is fifthly by the way. Screaming FU at people who don't agree with you is pathetic. Can't wait till your kid starts kindergarten wanting to suck your boob. Nice.

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

elizabethgrattan — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 09:21:35 -0000

Who wants to be some ethereal example of motherhood? And why on earth would you assume I do just because I exercised my reproductive right to breastfeed my child?

I also don't care that you didn't want to. That's your reproductive right also. Why you think you need to defend that is on you, not me.

As to nursing a toddler, my three year old totally disagrees with you. His knowledge of whether it is "gross" or not trumps yours. Obviously.

As to your breast cancer remark: You do know that false dilemmas are a fallacy in reasoning, right?

Oh wait, you probably don't know what that means. You've used enough flawed logic in this rant to evidence that.

Thanks for dropping by. Hope you get some more chocolate in your diet. It does wonders for serotonin levels.

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

L12 — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 08:34:55 -0000

You are extremely nasty for someone who's supposed to be some ethereal example of mother hood just because you breastfeed. STFU yourself. I had no desire to breastfeed, fully bottle fed and had 3 perfectly healthy girls so screw you and your self righteousness. Let me repeat that: I DID NOT WANT TO BREASTFEED IT WASN'T THAT I COULDN'T. And breastfeeding toddlers and older is just plain gross. Get over yourself. And I am sick of breast cancer awareness too so there. There are many other kinds of cancer that are more in need of attention. This one's been beat to death.

Re: Targeting Your Demographic. How We Orphaned A New Annie.

devans00 — Tue, 06 Jan 2015 11:37:40 -0000

Sounds like Target has the "Hollywood Disease". The movie industry claims movies with Black or other non-White leads don't make money overseas. Without providing solid proof of the position. Obviously, marketing money spent makes a difference.

It's as if Target is afraid their products won't sell if it has a Black girl in the center of the campaign. I thought the Target store red Annie dress model's lack of curly hair disrespected the memory of the traditional Annie and author's muse, little Mary Alice "Allie" Smith. 😏

Re: The Reproductive Rights Discussion No One Is Having.

Camaryn — Thu, 04 Dec 2014 13:46:26 -0000

Thank you for articulating what I've been feeling as an OBGYN, reproductive rights activist, and lactation scientist. Taking WOMEN and CHOICE out of the equation when lactation is discussed, and focusing solely on the milk and the baby, is paternalistic and misogynistic. Well done.

Re: The Reproductive Rights Discussion No One Is Having.

elizabethgrattan — Tue, 02 Dec 2014 07:41:10 -0000

Alcohol consumption by an adult is not illegal. Alcohol consumption by a nursing mother is not illegal. Alcohol consumption as a nursing mother is not necessarily problematic either.

Re: The Reproductive Rights Discussion No One Is Having.

patricia Lancaster — Mon, 01 Dec 2014 19:56:55 -0000

For the case in Chesapeake with the "alcohol present" the mother was actively drinking alcohol while breast feeding

Re: The Reproductive Rights Discussion No One Is Having.

Fishfan — Sun, 30 Nov 2014 08:36:52 -0000

This is a fabulous article. Thank you!

Re: How An Essay Pretended It Was A National Debate. Or, The Difference Between A Journal And Journalism.

ErinErinErin — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 09:39:29 -0000

I am so grateful to have found this piece, belatedly. Thank you for this. I read the article in question in a hard copy of the Post when visiting in Virginia, and I found myself feeling sad, mad, befuddled-- many things. And I've become obsessed with trying to make sense of this conversation that seems to be percolating (largely on the internet? or, certain corners of the internet?), and I've been at a loss. You have articulated so much so well, that I hadn't been able to make sense of myself! Thank you!

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

elizabethgrattan — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 20:46:55 -0000

I didn't say fuck you for using formula. I said fuck you to those who bitched about WBW clogging their newsfeed. It's pretty clear. There is nothing ambiguous about it. Nowhere do I say fuck you to formula feeders. It's a fuck you to any person (even bf moms or dads or whatever) who wants nursing support to be gone. Again, it's very clear. I gave lots of examples of who I was talking to and why. Correlation of formula feeding and also bitching about WBW doesn't make this a fuck you to formula moms. At all. Unless they bitched about WBW and wanted it to go away already.

It's also more than pictures. :)

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

katese11 — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:37:13 -0000

I see what you're saying but how many formula feeders are going to get all the way through this and then read your comments at the bottom? So many will see the title on Facebook and think "Yes, that's me!", read the line about "how you tried and couldn't" and think "Yes, I did try!" Imagine you're a formula feeding mother and you've been led into. thinking someone is on your side and then you get to that first f*** you and feel like you've been kicked. They won't pick up on the subtleties. .. I've read it three times now and your comments and it still feels a bit ambiguous. They will just see that and feel destroyed. It's impactful writing, sure. .. But what's the cost of that impact?

I also question the value of "awareness" (in all spheres) Here in the UK, every mother is aware of bfeeding. .. It gets thrown at you a lot during pregnancy. What we're lacking is support. Rather than special weeks, I'd rather see pledges to put more and better midwives on postnatal units and to end the separation of mother and baby after a c section (it still happens)... That's the kind of change we need, not just posting bfeeding pictures.

Re: Sick Of Breastfeeding Articles? This One's For You.

elizabethgrattan — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 07:24:29 -0000

I can appreciate that there might be pain for a woman dealing with personal disappointments in not nursing. That pain should not cause her to lash out at support for other mothers. In fact, the support during WBW highlights the very struggles those mothers might endure.

There are those who would foster this lash out at support and attempt to exploit her pain to hurt others.

It's not all about me. This is one story, there are thousands like mine. And again, to take support away from me because another either didn't get it or couldn't nurse is the wrong battle through that very real hurt. I can appreciate why it could be a hard trigger, but we need WBW for the health of women and children globally.

And the media has a responsibility to highlight the week and month because of the designation.

I'm not the one burning bridges between mothers. I'm attacking those who do with their calls to hurt us all and use these disappointments as an excuse to end support of nursing.