Kids First!!!: Breastfeeding Practices in France

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Breastfeeding Practices in France

I decided to research the breastfeeding practices in France. Surprisingly so, breastfeeding is strongly discouraged in this country. France has the lowest breastfeeding rate in the western world. Breastfeeding – particularly after two or three months – is regarded in France as something akin to drinking your own urine.The author of the article, Fiachra stated, "As a gynaecologist reminded a friend of mine the day she confirmed her pregnancy: "Your breasts are for your husband, not your baby."(Gibbons, 2011).

I knew that the people in France place sex and body physique at a high degree however a mother should not have to compromise the health and nourishment of her baby. No woman should feel like she has to compare making the decision to breastfeed her baby to drinking her own urine. It was also mentioned that if a woman chooses to breastfeed her baby, it is a possibility that it will send her companion into the arms of either of mistresses or gay colleagues(Gibson, 2011).How ignorant is that?!?

I didn't realize that breastfeeding in France is a no-no and if the mother decides to do it, she is ridiculed. What a shame!! I am grateful for the freedom that the United States gives me everyday. I am free to make certain decisions without someone dictating to me what I should or should not do.

Reference:

Gibbons, F. (2011, April 1). In France, Breast is definitely not best. The Guardian. Retrieved from
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/apr/01/france-breast-breastfed-baby-death

1 comment:

N.DavisJuly 8, 2012 at 5:34 PM
Wow ... very interesting to read about the way that france views breastfeeding. With all of the research out there on the inportance for breastfeeding and the health effects on newborns it's interesrting to see how they veiw it. Thanks for sharing.
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A Sincere Thanks to All of My Colleagues and Professor Morgan!

I would like to say thank you guys for being such a great team of early childhood professionals!! I learned much from reading all of your discussion posts, blogs and chatting with you all in our student lounge. My passion has become greater because I have taken this course and would like to thank Professor Morgan for being a great instructor. I wish you all the very best throughout your graduate experience!! Again, it was pleasure being acquainted with each and every one of you and lets continue to advocate as much as we can for our children and their families!

Destiny's Personal Childhood Web

Welcome to my childhood web. I will introduce to you five people that have truly been a blessing in my life and have helped me tremendously from my childhood to my young adulthood. I dedicated this blog to all of them!!

Say hello to JoAnn. She is my mother, my best friend, and the love of my life. Mom has nurtured me ever since I was a tiny seed in her stomach. She carried me through a full nine month term, spent many hours in labor through her delivery, and almost lost her life, due to major blood loss during delivery, just so I could be present on this earth today. I can always remember going to her as a child and asking her questions just begin a conversation with her. She would always give me the best advice from a mother and a woman's point of view. My mom always made me feel comfortable and never made me ashamed of her. She is a hardworking woman that carries much respect, pride, and integrity. This is where I get my traits from. She has made me feel special every day of my life by always encouraging me to do better and to never give up no matter what the situation may be. I love this woman to death and wouldn't trade her for the world!! I love you MOM!! xoxo

Meet my Dad. His name is Roy. I never knew that my dad's real name was Robert Earl until I heard my grandmother, Lucy call him by that name when I was 12 years old. So that is one thing that will remain interesting to me forever. My dad has nurtured me from birth to now. He is what I call a "real father". He was always in the home with my mother and I. He was very active in my schooling. He took me to school everyday, gave me money for lunch and attended my school events. He never wanted to see me fail therefore he pushed me to make nothing but A's. This is why I am as serious as I am when it relates to my grades. Sometimes I can be a little hard on myself. My father wanted to see me grown academically and I am glad that he pushed as far as he did. He cares about me so much that he puts my life in front of his. My dad carries so much on his back however he is always placing someone else before himself. I'm glad that I am able to have him as my Dad. I hope that he one day he will get what his heart truly desires because he deserves it!

Say what’s up to Lori. She is my "young" big sister! I say this because she doesn't look her age and she is so down to earth. When I lived in NY, I can remember being around Lori everyday as if she was my second mom. She never had a problem playing the big sister role. She was also involved in my schooling. She attended every graduation and wanted me to succeed and go further than her. I love our "girl talks" and hanging out with her. Surprisingly, we have never had an argument. Lori has always had my back in every situation that I have gone through. She reassures me everyday that I can reach out to her for a helping hand. She is my peanut butter and I am her jelly!!! :) I love my sister!!! She is a "pretty girl that rocks"!

Say Hey to Ms. Leatherwood! She was my first grade teacher and will always be my favorite. There was something special about Ms. Leatherwood that no other teacher had. She had such a powerful drive about her wanting her students to succeed. She put in overtime for my classmates and I whether it was staying hours and hours after school for tutoring, support us through a after-school event or simply having little pep-talks to get us back on board. A very pleasant lady that gave her students "tough love". I remember one day in our classroom while every one of my classmates got tapped by her ruler except me. The entire class with the exception of me was disciplined for poor behavior. When it was time for her to tap me, she looked into my eyes and told me, that she saw something in me that no other student had. She knew that I was a good girl and trouble never surrounded me. She skipped me and tapped the next student. Ms. Leatherwood is the reason why my passion for teaching means so much. I love Ms. Leatherwood and I hope to reunite with her one day soon!

Last but not least, meet my baby girl Saniyah!! I know that you all are probably thinking Saniyah is only a toddler. How can she influence you as a child? Well, I knew as child, that I wanted to have a child as special as her when I got older. She makes me feel special everyday. Looking into her eyes everyday gives me the strength to fulfill my dreams. This little lady has impacted my present life to the highest degree just by her presence. She looks up to me and depends on me to be the very best mother by nurturing, protecting, and raising her right. I'm not going to have any other choice to be involved heavily into her schooling. Education is a must and the phrase "I can't" makes no sense in my mind. I will instill in her the same educational values that my parent's, teacher's, and relatives have instilled in me. Mommy loves you Saniyah!! xoxoxo