Mike Bloomberg's Nanny-State Tackles Breast Feeding; Mayor Plans To Hide Baby Formula

dorothy

tell the mayor to get out of my bra---I don't tell him what to do with his "stuff"---don't tell me!

randini692000

What happened to a womans rights? Socialism at work people and it'll get worse unless we stand up against all the "nanny state". just a little preview of obama care?

jonathan.nyc topcommenter

Who in the world, besides James King, is opposed to mother's milk?

Found one! Idiot Lou Dobbs.

http://mediamatters.org/video/2012/08/03/lou-dobbs-new-york-city-breastfeeding-initiativ/189124

lisaj501

Okay, now I know that the Mayor of New York is OFF HIS ROCK!!! To even suggest a thing like this to a hospital is outrageous! Mayor Bloomberg, you are a politician and not a very good one at that! Stay out of our personal lives and stop telling us what we can and can not eat or drink & in what quantities we can consume it. You do not have a medical degree and have no idea what you are talking about. It is a mother's choice whether to breast feed or bottle feed their child. It is a decision that is not made lightly by the mother either. What are you going to do next, tell women they can't have drugs during child labor?!?!? Don't even try that one unless you are willing to push a baby out of your penis. You do not even understand that children started getting "FAT" after the school systems across the country took out Mandatory P. E. classes. Put Physical Education back into the school curriculum and you will see thousands of children lose all that excess weight. We sure as hell don't need you to tell us how to raise our children or what we can and can't feed them or how much. The problem with this country is that there are too many politicians like you running it.

slevine670

We read your posting with interest and wanted to respond and address several inaccuracies.

The piece states “Starting September 3, the city will encourage hospitals to hide baby formula behind locked doors in an effort to encourage (trick) new mothers into breast feeding (double sigh). Additionally, hospitals that participate in the mayor's breast bullying will be forced to document the medical reason for every bottle of formula a baby receives…New mothers won't be denied formula, but they'll have to specifically ask for it. Should they ask for it, the mother will be required to receive a stern talking-to from hospital staff about how much better breast-feeding is than giving a baby formula.”

This is actually not the case:

- In fact, the initiative does not require hospitals to “hide” or “lock up” formula, nor does it restrict access to it for those who want it.

-Parents who want formula will not have to convince a nurse to sign it out by giving a medical reason. Parents can and always will be able to simply ask for formula and receive it – no medical necessity required, no written consent.

-For 3 years, New York State Law has required that mothers be provided accurate information on the benefits of breastfeeding. The City initiative does not require that mothers asking for formula receive a lecture.

Ultimately, our goal is to support a mother in whatever decision she makes when it comes to nursing her baby and this initiative specifically is designed to support a mother who decides that she wants to breast-feed by asking participating hospital staff to respect her and refrain from automatically supplementing her baby with formula (unless it becomes medically necessary or the mother changes her mind).

Bottom line: It does not restrict the mother’s nursing options in any way – nor does it restrict access to formula for those who want it.

- Samantha Levine

Spokesperson for Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg

NYCguy

@slevine670 Then why the need for latch on? Advise a new mother once (as any doctor should) then from then on its her choice

JeffreyME

@NYCguy @slevine670 Read the initiative for yourself, and you will learn that hospitals often do thing such a give breastfed infants supplementary formula feedings, even though such feedings are contrary to accepted and medically endorsed practices. Please remember, hospitals and doctors often behave in ways that are for their own convenience, and not necessarily that of the "patient". Please read the initiative -- which is totally voluntary -- then decided for yourself.

NYCguy

the initiative is voluntary, for now. Who's to say it doesn't go the way of the soda ban, bypassing the city council and become law.I'll say again, I have no problem with doctors informing a mother of the benefits of breastfeeding. But when you restrict access to non breastfeeders with lectures per feeding, and nurses having to fill out forms for formula, your are now coercing people to do what the government wants.

slevine670

@NYCguy Exactly -- it is about supporting her choice. As I said in my last paragraph, Latch On NYC is is designed to support a mother who decides that she wants to breast-feed by asking participating hospital staff to respect her and refrain from automatically supplementing her baby with formula (unless it becomes medically necessary or the mother changes her mind).

NYCguy

@slevine670 @NYCguy I ask again. Why the need for this initiative. Why must bottles be signed out? Please explain this quote. Does it reflect the mayors policy?Quote: "The key to getting more moms to breast-feed is making the formula less accessible. This way, the RN has to sign out the formula like any other medication. The nurse’s aide can’t just go grab another bottle"Lisa Paladino, of Staten Island University Hospital

We pay for healthcare. I don't think we need the government coercing us into making decisions. While breastfeeding is best, Infant milk is not bad by any stretch.After giving birth the last thing a mother needs is to be hassled about feeding her child.

walkingallthetime

Baby formula is to be used to save a small percentage of babies, not to enable generations of women to give up breastfeeding our nation's children.One only has to look at the pinched faced children of JLo, second generation never breastfed (at least) to see what the effects of generation of generation of canfeeding does to humans. In my family, we are working on the fourth generation of never breastfed humans.I recently saw a commercial with many children, and, was easily able to spot the ONE breastfed child amongst the group.Sorry folks. The canfeeding of generation after generation of our nation's children has been as bad on the females as it has their children.We have a society of weak titted women more interested in paid work loyalty (because jobs last forever, you know) than properly feeding their very own children. I have a friend who will argue otherwise with me, but, I think our US nation's women are just plain lazy.

didyoureallysaythat

@walkingallthetime Wow! I am glad to see that you support your argument with the likes of your personal observations of a celebrity and a commercial you saw. It's a wonder that more Americans aren't as informed as you are; maybe we just don't watch enough television or read enough People Magazine. What the hell is paid work loyalty? I don't think I have ever had a job where my loyalty was there instead of with my family because I was being paid. Maybe I just wasn't paid enough. I guess the next time I see a "pinched-faced" child, I will automatically know that he or she must not have been breastfed. Thank you for your clever insight.

NeonMosfet

Makes sense. You can't buy breast milk on food stamps.

Angela Garcia @NeonMosfet

smallchange

1 Like

You know what makes people all around a little bit healthier? A living wage.

NeonMosfet

@smallchange That's why they're pushing breasts anywhere but up. No one has to pay you milk money. But the dynamic is still emotionally charged. The temptation is too great to force poor women in wet nursing. It's not a question of, is human milk better, it's a question of, whose breast?

Angela Garcia @NeonMosfet

lepere02

Just like Bill Clinton knows what a woman's role is so does Bloomberg.

Stop complaining and do the tasks nature intended.

Go Bloomberg! Get rid of the Womens rights movement!

jonathan.nyc topcommenter

"The move is the latest in Bloomberg's over-reaching health initiative (read: insulting attempts to protect you from yourself). "

It's well-known that New York City has made great strides in reducing smoking. In this process people's health & longevity has been greatly improved and civil liberties have remained intact.

The Village Voice was in opposition every step of the way.

You've got no credibility on health matters.

didyoureallysaythat

@jonathan.nyc To state that this is a health matter is purely ignorant. This issue is not about whether or not breastfeeding is the best way to feed an infant. It is about whether or not a parent has the right to decide for herself whether or not she wishes to breastfeed. Considering that statistics show that 90% of NYC moms start out breastfeeding, one has to question justification for this type of program. I am assuming that you have never given birth or experienced any of the tremendous amount of pressure that new mothers feel, so I will forgive your ignorance.

omaximus

@jonathan.nyc You have no credibility on matters relating to personal responsibility or civil liberties. You are a sheep plain and simple willing to sacrifice your freedom for the comfort of subservience to the nanny state. An unthinking coward, plain and simple.

jonathan.nyc topcommenter

@omaximus Your "on message" according to plenty of powerful corporations. But you call me a sheep.

Thanks for the kind words.

Momof4healthygirls

I have brought 4 daughters into this world (now ranging from age 1 to 15) and all of them are bottle babies. I unsuccessfully tried to breastfeed with the first. Didn't even attempt with the others due to personal reasons. I know that breast is best in the eyes of many but sometimes there are circumstances (beyond medical) that make it undesirable or completely impossible for some mothers. To force them to get a "talking to" if they choose formula is ridiculous. What's "right" for one mom may not be "right" for another. To force a documentation of medical reasons goes beyond what they have a right to do.