magazines & messages

[shadowbaby4]

Owen's school sent home another issue of Parent & Child, which I'm reading solely for the rage it induces. Makes me realize how much I've got right as a parent. I think about things. I have a brain and I'm not afraid to use it! It horrifies me how many parents just accept the messages they're given by the advertising industry without examining

Comments

[pearlsforswine]

God, YES to everything you said! I could write a whole blog post in response to this. All mainstream media, especially magazines, are just glorified advertisements. The fashion mags are the worst, devoting whole articles to how great the products their sponsor-of-the-month is peddling. If you want a truly lulzy baby gimmick, google "pee-pee tee-pee for the sprinkling wee wee". I will say that I had one of those demonic robot reading teddys when I was a kid and I loved it. My mom read to me often (I'll say a minimum of once a day) but that creepy thing was my security blanket.

When my son and I were ready to head home from the hospital one of the nurses informed me that I needed to stop breastfeeding and give him only formula because he had lost 7% of his body weight (which was one ounce). I was devastated! She gave me a huge "goodie bag" with Enfamil samples and coupons and I began formula feeding immediately, worried about his health and assuming the doctors knew best. A couple of days later I learned that the weight loss was completely normal but by then the damage was done and I couldn't produce enough for him. The end result: I feel like a complete failure as a mother and spend at least $160 a month on formula.

[shadowbaby4]

It's shocking how few hospitals are educated about, and supportive of, breastfeeding. I'm lucky to live in a fairly progressive area that way, but I don't think most moms are that lucky. I'm sorry you got such unhelpful advice.

Oh, and I've actually got a picture of the Pee Pee Teepees on my phone. I spotted them in a store and couldn't believe people actually buy them!