Brits Get Feisty About Breastfeeding

Kate Garraway, a British TV personality, has recently stirred some controversy in the UK because of the promotional photo you see here. Yes, that's her pretending to breastfeed a calf, all part of the publicity effort behind Garraway's documentary, "Other People's Breast Milk," which looks at mothers who get breastmilk from outside sources, via donations from surrogates or by having relatives and friends nurse their children.

"To many this might seem weird, but they challenge us that it's
actually much weirder to give our babies cows' milk than it is to drink
milk from another woman," Garraway told the Daily Mail. She also expounded on her feelings in this lengthy essay for the Daily Mail.

That essay in turn sparked an extensive rebuttal from another British broadcaster, Ulrika Jonsson, a mother of four who thinks the notion of cross-feeding or using a wet nurse is "not only bonkers but bordering on abhorrent." She adds: "To me, my child at another woman's breast is far more unnatural than giving my baby boy cow's milk."

Obviously this isn't the first time this issue has been raised. Time magazine wrote about the trend here in America more than a year ago. But the subject still sparks furious debate when it's raised, whether at home in the States or abroad.

Now, my motto is judge not lest ye be judged. (With the caveat that I totally judge people who refuse to judge not. Which kind of contradicts my motto. Anyhoo…) If some moms are comfortable cross-feeding and feel that's what they need to do to give their children breastmilk, so be it. Ultimately, each of us has to do what feels right and responsible to us as parents. I know I personally would have problems asking someone else to nurse on my behalf for a lot of the reasons Jonsson mentions, most importantly, the bonding issue. When I had trouble breastfeeding, my pediatrician emphasized that I could still bond with my son even during the times when I had to resort to the bottle.

And that was nearly as important to me as giving him the nutrition he needed. At the same time, calling cross-feeders wackos is just as bad as heaping criticism on mothers who choose to go the formula route. Since I don't host any TV shows in the UK, my opinion may not count as much. But those are my thoughts and I am sticking by 'em.

Image: DailyMail.com