The show starts out with Lynette & Stefanie catching up on some haters that have been targeting Stefanie for her Nick show as well as their love of the show ‘Couples Therapy’ featuring among others, teenager Courtney Stodden (pictured here). Stefanie then shares a segment of the X Factor featuring Carly Rose Sonenclar who Stefanie thinks will be this year’s outright winner. After catching up, Lynette & Stefanie welcome our guest, Suzanne Barston, author of ‘Bottled Up: How the Way We Feed Babies Has Come to Define Motherhood, and Why It Shouldn’t’. Suzanne tells the ladies her story and how after having one child with nearly no problems her 2nd child was totally the opposite.
Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:11:41 — 32.8MB)
X Factor – Carly Rose Sonenclar
Links
Buy Suzanne’s book Bottled Up on Amazon
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Show Credits
Producer: Gary Smith
Hi,
Just listened to the episode and found it really eye opening I had no idea there was so much shame felt by formula feeders. I was lucky enough that breast feeding came very easy to me with both my children but I did have to feed my second who is now 11 weeks formula for the first few days of his life and never gave it a second thought. He was born a very unexpectedly large 10 pounds and screamed the 1st 24hrs of his life we were told he was dehydrated because of his size and the colostrum was not sustaining him. We gave him formula with out hesitation while i pumped so my milk would come though and as soon as it did he went back to the breast with out any problem at all. I was told by 2 independant parties that there is no such thing as nipple confusion because the sucking action is so different.
Anyway felt compelled to share my little story, hope you are all well, im now off to the amazon link to buy Suzanne’s book.
Emma
Perth, Australia
I completely agree that there is far too much judgement in motherhood and we all need to respect eachother’s choices. We all need to make the decisions that are best for our family, our baby, and our body and unsolicited advice/ judgement is never appreciated.
That said, the discussion today was a wee but one sided. There was an acknowledgment that we shouldn’t be debating the health benefits, but then those benefits were debated, through refuting a number of studies. Some of those issues with the studies cited were valid, other points I have actually read counter arguments against… I do think there are clear health benefits to breast feeding, but that doesn’t mean that bottle feeding isn’t a very healthy and responsible alternative- of course it is.
My main issue is with the claim that women who ‘choose’ not to breastfeed are the ones who suffer (as opposed to those who have tried and weren’t able). I have found that the women who do chose and are honest about it are totally content with their decision and tell me they’ve never felt judged, this is just what they’re doing. I think we heard that in today’s discussion from Lynette. Of these three women, she is the one who just really didn’t feel like bf’ing, makes no apologies, and it’s no big deal to her.
It’s when women enumerate their issues and reasons for not breastfeeding that they will get the most push back. Why? Because truthfully there are ways of working around so many issues (including pain, low supply, poor latch, and allergies). Of course there’s no requirement to struggle through, and electing to switch to formula is also totally fine- but in most cases it is a choice and not a medical necessity. Contrary to what might be the norm in California, on the East Coast it’s very common to be urged to introduce formula to deal with these obstacles, and for women who really want to stick with bf’ing that’s a disaster because it does destroy supply and demand.
Longest comment I’ve ever written! I just wanted to present a slightly different viewpoint, as a mother from a different location who did stick with breastfeeding despite some struggles and judgement. I truly do respect formula as an excellent alternative, but there also needs to be information available to tell women that terrible pain can be normal for a few months, that low supply doesn’t mean your child is malnourished, and that if you really do want to breastfeed you don’t have to feel pressured to introduce formula. Not that you’re a ‘bad’ mom if you don’t want to breastfeed of course, just own it either way.
L, I couldn’t have said it better myself. Great comment! I just listened to the show, and felt the urge to leave a comment, but anything I might add would probably seem redundant.
Heather
Cleveland, OH
I also agree! I am on the east coast and see the same things. I think that women need to stop attacking each other over mothering choices and be more supportive .
I do not have any children and I live in Iowa- My sister recently had her daughter and she decided long before that she did not want to breast feed. She just didn’t feel comfortable with it. My sister didn’t have any medical issues at all. And no one cared. Our mom breast fed us all and I plan on trying when I decide to have children but I don’t have a negative opinion of the alternative.
I am just shocked to hear that mothers are being judged like this. I was completely unaware that this was an issue until this podcast. That is a personal decision that is up to the mother and who cares? My neice is beautiful and healthy and so is my other neice that was also exclusively formula fed and is now three years old. Who really cares? I think of LA as being progressive but wth ppl?
I have the same OB as both of my sisters and she is a great Dr- I heard her say one time ‘My job is not to judge you, it’s to treat you regardless’. I absolutely love her and shouldn’t this be every Drs approach? I just cannot believe that this is actually an issue. I think you’re right, ppl have officially ran out of problems. Seriously ppl need to get over themselves and worry about their own problems before they start judging others.
Can you have Gary not speak on air anymore please? He sounds like he’s about to cry all the time.
I love Gary on the show and it’s hilarious to hear a single childless straight guys take on some of these topics! I think I’m in the majority here….
Completely disagree with BN. I enjoy Gary’s comments and hearing his take.
OMG shut up! Gary helps make the show what it is.
I agree with lynette
don’t dance with the tards : )
Lynette
I can’t tell you how relieved I am to hear your opinion of Jill Zarin’s narcissism on WWHL. Way back when, I remember listening to your interview with her on your show. You seemed to be a big fan of hers… made me question if you were too nice of a person to read that in her personality. Not that I want you to hate on anyone (like the haters giving Stephanie a hard time about her show), but it worried me that people could manipulate you. Glad you can “read” people so they don’t take advantage of your niceness…
OK, will stop commenting now…
My wife and I were happy to formula feed our two boys. I embraced the evil glares of the boob Nazis and fed my boys in a way that worked best for us.
Thank you so much for making a full podcast on this subject and reciprocating my same frustrations! I try to remind myself that people find topics like this to blab hurtful nonsense about because they’re egotistical enough to believe their perfect world exists for everyone. The adage of “walk a mile in their shoes” is completely lost on them.
Similarly, people who get behind a keyboard seem to forget they’re talking to a real person when they rant about something as inane as a TV show. Once people lose their sense of civility and start pulling nonsensical and unfounded arguments out of the air, I stop listening. They clearly have bigger problems to address than an adult-themed TV show airing at 7pm. That’s the point when you realize they’re not really talking about you or the TV show anymore.
Thank you for being honest and keeping it real! Keep up the great work!