There's been some discussion recently about how breastfeeding is "free". Being a data geek, I decided to export my breastfeeding data from my app (for Ashla only):
Total Hours across 2 years: 1700.43
Average Hours Per Week Year One: 20.12
Average Hours Per Week Year Two: 12.58
Total Hours Pumped: 191.82 (One year only)
Average Hours Per Week: 3.69
I am very lucky to have been able to breastfeed both my kids, but between the time investment and the amount of tools I had to purchase as a working parent, breastfeeding is far from free; plus, the emotional and physical toll this took on me. Not to mention the time it took the first three months to pump and supplement my children with additional feedings, so bottle-feeding on top of these stats. Looking at these numbers, breastfeeding alone, on top of working full-time 40 hours per week, and maintaining a household with another older child in tow, was an additional full-time job year one, and a part-time job year two. Tell me, how is that free? And how is that accessible to everyone?
I would never have been able to breastfeed my kids without the support of my family, my community, and my employer. It's a pretty big slap in the face to both breastfeeding parents, and bottle-feeding parents to be told that there's this free option waiting in the wings when so many parents are unable to do this. And furthermore, not all parents want to breastfeed for a myriad of reasons (that are no ones business but their own), and that is valid too. FED is best.
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