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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]There are two problems with the new statement:

1. It is very unclear. For a first time mom that buys into all the benefits of breastfeeding to the baby, but for whom it does represent a burden (as it does to many women), should she try to get to the 12 month mark? The 24 month mark? What is the goal, if the mother is doing it solely for the baby?

2. On the first point, I know some of you will say that women can make their own decision about this and that I am saying women do not have agency (lol). Well, if that's the case, then unfortunately this document is totally unhelpful. Once again, it grossly exaggerates the benefits of breastfeeding to both baby and mother. I am sorry, but as an example, the idea that breastfeeding reduces childhood obesity is absolutely, utterly absurd and unsupported by the research. It also suggests that breastfeeding has even greater benefits for Black babies, but the most recent research suggests the opposite. This document then uses these purported benefits to advocate for practices that may be harmful to babies, and which all mothers I know pretty much hate (like being required to room in at the hospital after major surgery, or keeping pacifiers away from babies), and have no proven benefits.

My reaction to this document is not just about the AAP's decision to "support" breastfeeding for 2 years, which I find disingenuous for a variety of reasons. It's that the document as a whole reads like a piece of propaganda written by KellyMom and then made to sound "scientific" by  a couple of White doctors who footnote a Black pediatrician to justify their extremely lazy racial equity analysis.[/quote]

Actually the reduction of obesity from breastfeeding (likely not  bottle feeding or feeding expressed BM in a bottle) is one of the more logical effects of breastfeeding because babies will self-regulate intake better than parents pushing baby to finish bottle.  Similarly to the effect of less dental malocclusion in breastfed babies.    I’m not sure why you think this document is different from all other guidelines published by health organizations but I STRONGLY believe that women are capable of reading the document weighing the evidence it presents (including weak evidence) and making the best decision for themselves and their babies.

The organization is the American Association of PEDIATRICS so of course it focuses on BABIES and CHILDREN not women.  Their mission is the well being of children not adults.  Unfortunately I do think there is a gap in the focus on women’s health in the immediate postpartum period.  I had numerous risk factors for delayed and inadequate milk suply which COULD have been recognized my OB. Supporting breastfeeding should have involved giving me a heads up and proving education on pumping (including the need to have a pump in advance, support needed to pump while being a solo mom caring for a newborn etc.) but of course breastfeeding is an OB thing so none of this occurred. I had to beg and beg for an LC the hospital and by the time they saw me 2+ days after birth my nipples were so bruised and injured that they pretty much just gave me a nipple shield.  The peds in the hospital didn’t take my risk factors into account looking solely at my baby and only acting when her bili was rising and weight loss was too much.  Of course then I had to beg for formula when they were discharging me (despite knowing my baby required donor milk in the hospital) It was a train wreck that I foresaw but wasn’t able to do anything about without appropriate medical support.

So in the end I agree women are not optimally supported in their choices BOTH for breastfeeding and for formula feeding.  Still grateful for the extension to 2 years because it is will help me counter the judgement I am encountering feeding my baby past one. The new statement is less presciptive about feeding to one which should alleviate some of the pressure on women who want to stop earlier. [/quote]

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