Unit 6 Blog Post

It really has been a challenge trying to complete my rough draft on a 3-day holiday weekend! What makes it worse is my children and I have traveled to North Carolina and we have never been here before. It is very hard to concentrate on school work being in a new environment.
I didn't put too much thought into my topic being influential in future research. People have had the notion that breastfeeding is overall the best way to provide food for their baby. Since my opinion is not to be put in my paper I will give it right now. My topic is The Promotional Effects of Breastfeeding. My thesis is: Many encourage and promote breastfeeding because it may have an effect on a child's intellect, nutrition, and bond with its mother. In my opinion, though I do believe that breastfeeding should always be considered, I don't believe it should be pushed on women. They should be encouraged to do it but if someone is pushed so much at something eventually they will not want to do it. Think of a new mother who is so excited that she will be having a baby. She has no idea of the fatigued she will experience after labor and then the work she will have to endure once she gets home to care for a helpless little infant. She will be looking for ways to take it easy in caring for her newborn. Now, if she has been pushed so much at the hospital to breastfeed, that probably will be the first thing to go out the window once she is discharged home.
I think that women should consider breastfeeding and even though I do believe it is the best choice for a developing baby, it is up to that mom to decide. There are also exceptions, medically, where a mom cannot breastfeed. What if a mom had a normal pregnancy with no complications but then a problem arises in the infant after birth that prevents mom from being able to hold her child or be able to breastfeed, it would be depressing to her. Women should be given a choice and should not be penalized for choosing not to breastfeed. With the many formulas available that promote the same nutrients as breast milk, that child will have the same opportunities as a breastfed child in life.