CHOICE, Not Breast, is BEST ✧ 3 Ways to Support and Advocate for Your Postpartum Clients' Mental Health Over the Pressure to Breast-Feed

mental health Feb 06, 2021

 

Thank you for investing your time in learning more about how to help this special population! 

 

Before you learn about The 3 Ways, I want to give you a little bit of history on the BREAST IS BEST campaign, and the effects it is having on women who can't breast feed. 

The Breast is Best Campaign was launched in 1999 to encourage women to breastfeed. And it had a positive effect on the women who were able to breastfeed. 

But what about the moms who couldn't breastfeed. Where did that leave them?

Then there was the Fed is Best come-back to support mom's who couldn't, or chose not to breastfeed. 

Ask any mom who had a hard time breastfeeding and you will hear stories of how ashamed they felt for 'failing' at it. And much of that shame comes from what their trusted doctors and health professionals were telling them. 

In PEDIATRICS: The official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, they studied the emotional effects of the Breast is Best campaign, and found that women who could not breastfeed were negatively effected by the slogan. 

Posters and images like the one here that says "Breastfeeding is the best feeding" contribute to a woman's shame around the inability to breastfeed. 

IS Breast Best? 

One of the arguments over why breast is considered best is the intelligence factor - that the longer children are breastfed, the more intelligent they are. 

This video is of my son at around 18 months old, naming the letters and numbers he sees. 

If you are wondering why this video is attached to this blog-post, keep reading...

From an early age, we realized he had a remarkable memory. 

He is 5 now, in Kindergarten, is reading fluently at a late 1st grade level, and recently won Student of the Semester award for showing integrity, leadership ability, character, and always being prepared to help others. 

Why is this significant? 

✧ My son was formula-fed from the time he came out of my womb. 

 I take antidepressant medication that has adverse affects on the breast milk. So rather than the risk of getting off the medication, and compromising the stability of my mental health, I chose to formula-feed.

I have struggled with debilitating anxiety and depression since my early adult years.

After trying all the natural ways to go, with no success, and suicide ideations, I opted to try meds. I always say that the meds are what lifts me just enough to take care of myself, and do healthy things to keep the issue manageable.

I could not risk going back to that hopeless state, and not being able to care for my new baby, and other 2 kids at home. So I chose to formula-feed.

And yes, I did get disapproving attitudes from the nurses in the hospital after Zech was born, when I told them I couldn't breastfeed because of the medication I was taking. (That's me and my son in the pic)

My son at a few days old, formula-feeding.

 ✧ There is mixed research about the effects of breastfeeding vs. formula feeding. 

  • One study in Brazil found that breastfeeding is associated with improved performance in intelligence tests 30 years later, and might have an important effect in real life, by increasing educational attainment and income in adulthood.
  • Another study of European children found that their was no association in the intelligence of preschoolers who were breastfed or formula fed, if the baby was born at a healthy weight.

Now, there is strong evidence that breastfeeding does give the baby immunity. 

And this is a good reason for a mom to try, IF she can. 

But if it means falling into a anxiety-ridden experience, or a deep, shaming postpartum depression, I vote for the formula.

You can't take care of the baby if you are not taken care of! 

 

✧ As Pre and Postnatal Pilates teachers, we REALLY need to emphasize to our clients that breast is NOT necessarily best, when it is negatively affecting their mental health!!

It's best when mom can do so calmly, happily, maybe with a few challenges, but nothing that affects her mental health.

Breast is NOT best when mom is exhausted, stressed, shamed into breast-feeding, and shows signs of postpartum depression. Formula is best when the medications mom is taking for depression and anxiety, or any other health issue, is not safe for baby to ingest. 

What about babies who are adopted? They can't be breast-fed. I have 3 older children who were all formula-fed - 2 due to being adopted, and my step daughter due to her mom's inability to breastfeed, and they are all thriving in life. 2 of them are straight-A students, math-wiz, impeccable artist, and healthy as can be.

My adopted son just got an award for 'most improved' in math. He is healthy and happy, and loves school. 

‼️ Make sure you are not suggesting or implying that breast is best.

Advocate for BREAST IS A CHOICE.
Your postpartum clients should feel NO shame in the decision to formula feed.

✧ Postpartum Depression, Suicide, and Issues with Breastfeeding

→→In many instances of postpartum suicide, pressure to breast-feed, and being unsuccessful, was one of the contributing factors. Research shows that women who tried to breastfeed, but couldn't, were more likely to have symptoms of postpartum depression. (See resources at the end of this post to read more about breast-feeding issues being a risk-factor for postpartum depression) 

Alexis D'Achille was one of those moms. She took her life 6 weeks after her baby was born. (See resources to learn more about Alexis' story, at the Alexis Joy Foundation link)

Her husband, Steven D'Achille, said that her overwhelming struggles with breastfeeding contributed to her feelings of worthlessness . 

Alexis had postpartum psychosis, a very rare, but life-threatening form of postpartum mental illness.  And while not being able to breastfeed is not the only factor, it is a contributing factor. 

✧ Doctors Who Support Women's Mental Health Over Breastfeeding

Women feel worthless because they are told over and over again that 'breast is best.'

So that leaves formula-feeding as a 'less-than' choice.

And mothers feeling like 'less-than' mothers. 

Dr. Stephanie Liu was one of those doctors who emphasized 'breast is best' to her patients. She would screen new moms who were having difficulty breast-feeding, checking only for physical causes such as structure of the nipple, or the baby's oral cavity. 

Before experiencing breast-feeding difficulties with her own new-born, Dr. Liu didn't realize how devastating the psychological effects could be. Now, instead of checking only for physical causes, Dr. Liu asks her patients how breast-feeding is affecting them, emotionally. She would get responses like "I feel like a horrible mother." 

Dr. Caitlin Colvard Mehran, a Los Angeles based Pediatrician agrees that the mother's mental-health is a priority over breastfeeding. 

"The moment breastfeeding becomes too stress full, or the moment it becomes detrimental to the mom, it is perfectly fine to supplement with formula, or formula feed all together." 

Formula is best, when it means mom is saving her mental health.

They cannot take care of and bond with their baby in the 100 other possible ways when they are stressed out over breastfeeding.

Here are the 3 Ways to Support and Advocate for Your Postpartum Clients' Mental Health, Over the Pressure to Breastfeed.  

1. Adjust promotional materials

If you promote to pre and postpartum women, make sure that you are not inadvertently promoting breastfeeding by using only breastfeeding images, or using copy that encourages breast-feeding. (I realized I was only using images of breast-feeding moms, and didn't take into consideration that not all moms breastfeed.)

For example: If you talk about how Pilates can help with a sore back from breastfeeding, add in bottle feeding as well, so that you are being inclusive.  

If you have pictures of moms breast feeding, add in pics of happy moms bottle feeding, similar to the ones you see in this post.)

2. Be aware of your conversation and tone around the subject

Stay neutral to the topic in your conversations. Avoid making unsolicited suggestions, or inserting your opinion that is weighted one way or the other.

Depending on your relationship with the client, if she asks your opinion, educate her on the benefits of both, with a focus on the most important aspect - her mental health. There are some great blog-posts from formula feeding moms who share the positive aspects of breastfeeding. Search - 'benefits of formula feeding' and explore. I have shared one for you in the resources below. 

If your client asks for your help in breastfeeding, refer her to a lactation specialist. I recommend Jacquiline Kincer of Wholistic Lactation. Jacquline has a unique perspective and expertise around breastfeeding, particularly the positions that are best for mom, that you don't usually hear about. 

3. Advocate for the above by educating other Pilates teachers on the topic of mental health and breastfeeding difficulties. 

Please, pass this on to OBGYN's, health-care providers, and other teachers.

Thank you for your dedication to pregnant and postpartum women!

When we teach with integrity, motivation, positivity, advocacy, compassion, and trust (IMPACT) I believe we are helping woman become the best version of themselves so that they are better mothers, partners, and members of their community. 

With Gratitude,

Alison Marsh NCPT

To learn more about my education and background, and the programs we offer, click here

Please help to educate other Pilates teachers on this topic by sharing this post. (There should be a grey share bar at the top of this page. Or simply share the website through the sharing service provided by your web provider)

Resources:

Have you picked up the pre and postnatal client education guide: The #1 Concept to Teach? 

Click Here to get this complimentary guide. 

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