C'mon Mayor Boob-berg

As a new mama currently breastfeeding a now 8 month old, I was at first thrilled and then horrified when I heard about NYC Mayor Bloomberg's interest in encouraging new moms to breastfeed. Unfortunately, Mr Mayor's plan to, "lock up all formula" at the hospital is not only absurd, but treats new moms as if we are some sort of petulant child who needs our hand slapped for reaching into the cookie jar.

Granted, there are some other parts of his "Latch on NYC" campaign that I do think have merit. But as far as I know, there are a whole bunch of things he has not considered. So, if you really want to encourage breastfeeding, Mayor Bloomberg, here are a few ideas you haven't tried out:

1. Provide a complimentary follow-up IN HOME visit from a lactation consultant. Maybe even 2. The first week or two are hellish for many of us and it's when we are most desperate for information on how to hold the baby, if the latch is correct, if we're feeding enough/too little/etc

2. Set up a free 24 hour hotline for mamas who are at their wits end and on the verge of giving up. Which, I imagine, is most of us in the beginning.

3. Make it easier for women to establish their supply by providing women with AT MINIMUM 3 months maternity leave so they can bond and breastfeed on demand.

4. Educate the workforce about how to support their breastfeeding colleagues.

5. Create mandatory pumping rooms in every office. Heck, in every public building.

6. Put pumping/nursing stations all around NYC.

7. Allow nursing supplies/pumps/covers/bras to be a tax write-off or petition to have them covered by health insurance.

8. Provide mamas-to-be with a "congrats you're gonna be a new mama" carepackage that includes helpful, factual information about the benefits of breastfeeding.

9. Let mamas-to-be know that formula is not the devil. And if you use one bottle a day of formula amidst all of the breastmilk you are still doing a bang-up job for your baby.

Mr. Bloomberg, you'll never have your boobs ripped at, gnawed at, pulled at. You'll never have to worry about buying a whole new wardrobe while you nurse because your chest is 3 times larger than it was a year ago. You'll never have to fork over thousands of dollars to put your boobs back where they were in the first place. You'll never have to worry about chapped, bleeding, cracked nipples. So, please back away from my boobs. It's my decision if I want to breastfeed or not. 

Look, I would love to see more moms be successful at breastfeeding. But it does not start with locking up formula. It starts with providing support, resources, and opportunity. So why not begin there? If you need any more ideas, Mr Mayor, please feel free to call me.