"Clean House"
I have been watching this show here and there lately, for ideas on decluttering and selling stuffs because I am attempting to do this with my own house. This show doesn't really focus on organization nearly as much as I thought it would. They make a few suggestions, but not much at all. One thing I have noticed though is the host seems to give out an awful lot 'child-rearing advice' when it has nothing to do with the show. The others on the show will make snide little comments and ignorant remarks as well. It is extremely aggravating.
Today I decided to watch a show because they seem to have a little morning marathon going on and I need ideas. I have only seen a few other shows from the series, so I thought I should give it another chance. Can you say mistake? Sure, I knew that ya could. The couple on this particular show has two children. One who is about ten and the other is two. We find out during the show that mom and dad co-sleep with the two year old. When the host asks, rather frustrated, WHY this is, mom whispers something in her ear. Turns out mom and son are breastfeeding. Host is horrified and when she leaves the room with mom and dad the others are standing there making their ignorant and unwarranted comments regarding the matter. WTF??? This is not a parenting show, this is not a medical show, this is not anything having to do with raising a family. This show is strictly about cleaning and decluttering a house, which, yes, can have a positive effect on any relationship, but does not mean the host and her cohorts are qualified to make the comments regarding raising family that they feel the need to make.
(emphasis mine)
One of the comments that I found particularly upsetting was when the guy who was going to be redecorating/redoing the youngest child's room said, "I need something for a two year old so he can grow up." Umm, he's two years old. To insist or in any way insinuate that co-sleeping or breastfeeding beyond a particular age or at all prevents a child from growing up is not only ignorant and frustrating, but quite sad as well. Co-sleeping and breastfeeding do not stunt a child's growth. We are one of the few cultures that does not routinely practice co-sleeping, but we are very quick judge those who do and supply false or incomplete information regarding co-sleeping and breastfeeding. And breastmilk does not suddenly become nutritionally invaluable after a year. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of life and "continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child." (1) The AAP also recommends that "mother and infant should sleep in proximity to each other to facilitate breastfeeding." (1) Translated, mother and infant should at the very least be in the same room, which is still a form of co-sleeping and promoted by the AAP. The AAP also goes on to say, "Exclusive breastfeeding is the reference or normative model against which all alternative feeding methods must be measured with regard to growth, health, development, and all other short- and long-term outcomes." What this means is that breastmilk is the standard by which all other forms of infant nutrition should be compared...if breastmilk is the standard, then everything else is substandard. This is not a dig or an insult, it is a very basic fact. The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of life and then goes on to say "infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond." (2)
Woman are constantly told they can't. It doesn't matter what it is. Women are led to believe they are incapable of so much. Breastfeeding is something our bodies were/are specifically designed for and the act of breastfeeding is incredibly empowering. Not only are we capable of growing human life within, but we are capable of sustaining human life once it has entered the world. Breastmilk is a living substance that is ever changing to meet the individual infant's needs. No other substitute can compare. Why do we allow the dairy industry, the pharmaceutical companies, self-proclaimed experts on Style t.v., etc, to convince that we and what our bodies produce exclusively for our children are not enough? Especially the dairy and pharmaceutical industries who have a vested interested in our failure.***
I will stop now, but I ain't happeh. Hrmpf!
References:
(1) http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496#SEC6
(2) http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/infantfeeding_recommendation/en/index.html
***My entry is in regards to those who are physically capable of breastfeeding and do not have any of the medical conditions or other contraindications that are not conducive to breastfeeding listed by the AAP, WHO, or other legitimate health organization.
Today I decided to watch a show because they seem to have a little morning marathon going on and I need ideas. I have only seen a few other shows from the series, so I thought I should give it another chance. Can you say mistake? Sure, I knew that ya could. The couple on this particular show has two children. One who is about ten and the other is two. We find out during the show that mom and dad co-sleep with the two year old. When the host asks, rather frustrated, WHY this is, mom whispers something in her ear. Turns out mom and son are breastfeeding. Host is horrified and when she leaves the room with mom and dad the others are standing there making their ignorant and unwarranted comments regarding the matter. WTF??? This is not a parenting show, this is not a medical show, this is not anything having to do with raising a family. This show is strictly about cleaning and decluttering a house, which, yes, can have a positive effect on any relationship, but does not mean the host and her cohorts are qualified to make the comments regarding raising family that they feel the need to make.
(emphasis mine)
One of the comments that I found particularly upsetting was when the guy who was going to be redecorating/redoing the youngest child's room said, "I need something for a two year old so he can grow up." Umm, he's two years old. To insist or in any way insinuate that co-sleeping or breastfeeding beyond a particular age or at all prevents a child from growing up is not only ignorant and frustrating, but quite sad as well. Co-sleeping and breastfeeding do not stunt a child's growth. We are one of the few cultures that does not routinely practice co-sleeping, but we are very quick judge those who do and supply false or incomplete information regarding co-sleeping and breastfeeding. And breastmilk does not suddenly become nutritionally invaluable after a year. In fact, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding exclusively for the first six months of life and "continued for at least the first year of life and beyond for as long as mutually desired by mother and child." (1) The AAP also recommends that "mother and infant should sleep in proximity to each other to facilitate breastfeeding." (1) Translated, mother and infant should at the very least be in the same room, which is still a form of co-sleeping and promoted by the AAP. The AAP also goes on to say, "Exclusive breastfeeding is the reference or normative model against which all alternative feeding methods must be measured with regard to growth, health, development, and all other short- and long-term outcomes." What this means is that breastmilk is the standard by which all other forms of infant nutrition should be compared...if breastmilk is the standard, then everything else is substandard. This is not a dig or an insult, it is a very basic fact. The World Health Organization (WHO) also recommends exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months of life and then goes on to say "infants should receive nutritionally adequate and safe complementary foods while breastfeeding continues for up to two years of age or beyond." (2)
Woman are constantly told they can't. It doesn't matter what it is. Women are led to believe they are incapable of so much. Breastfeeding is something our bodies were/are specifically designed for and the act of breastfeeding is incredibly empowering. Not only are we capable of growing human life within, but we are capable of sustaining human life once it has entered the world. Breastmilk is a living substance that is ever changing to meet the individual infant's needs. No other substitute can compare. Why do we allow the dairy industry, the pharmaceutical companies, self-proclaimed experts on Style t.v., etc, to convince that we and what our bodies produce exclusively for our children are not enough? Especially the dairy and pharmaceutical industries who have a vested interested in our failure.***
I will stop now, but I ain't happeh. Hrmpf!
References:
(1) http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;115/2/496#SEC6
(2) http://www.who.int/nutrition/topics/infantfeeding_recommendation/en/index.html
***My entry is in regards to those who are physically capable of breastfeeding and do not have any of the medical conditions or other contraindications that are not conducive to breastfeeding listed by the AAP, WHO, or other legitimate health organization.