|
|
|
Buying Gently Used Baby Clothing
Remember that adorable outfit you bought for your newborn - the one that cost you nearly $40, and got worn three times before it no longer fit? For such tiny things, baby clothing is expensive - and as fast as babies grow, they seldom see much wear....
Here's What to expect at a Baby Shower
A baby shower is a great way to welcome a new child and congratulate the new mother. Many mothers appreciate the help in purchasing the items they will need for their new baby. Commonly, baby showers are given only to new mothers or mothers who...
Hints And Tips On Scrapbooking Baby’s “Firsts”
It is true to say that a lot of people begin to get the scrappin’ bug after their child/children are born and usually their first attempt at scrapbooking is making a baby album.
Having a child is one of the most important events in our lives...
The Chinese Year of the Rooster
The Chinese Year of the Rooster The Chinese Year of the Rooster starts on February 9 and lasts until January 28 2006. There's a table below telling you the dates of other Chinese astrology signs. There are twelve Chinese year signs in the Chinese...
The Research, Findings and Benefits Of Baby Sign Language
The Research, Findings and Benefits Of Baby Sign Language
From all the studies conducted in this field the benefits of introducing your baby to sign language are vast.
Baby sign language;
· Can empower your baby to communicate with those...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Breasts - baby-feeders or sexual objects?
Breasts in North America are a taboo: going topless on beaches is
not generally accepted, breastfeeding in public is often frowned
on or seen as 'indecent exposure', women going topfree is
considered shameful and immodest behavior.
On the other hand, entertainment industry and the media
constantly show women wearing very scant clothing that barely
covers the nipples and just draws more attention to the breasts.
Fashion swimwear covers less and less of the female body each
year. Media and advertisements signal to people that breasts are
sexual, and only beautiful when big and protruding. But we know
big breasts is a fallacy since women in ads and movies use push-
up bras and breast enlargement to artificially 'enhance' the way
their breasts look like.
Just think what young girls learn about breasts if they
continually see this 'propaganda' without a balancing view of the
real purpose of breasts! Breasts are to be hidden, they are
sexual, forbidden. Parents teach their children the same way,
and many times children don't see a single pair of naturally nude
breasts apart from their own (if they are girls) while growing
up. It is totally possible that a child grows up in North
America and never sees a baby breastfeeding!
How many pairs of real breasts have you ever seen? For many
young women, most of their knowledge about breasts comes from
movies and magazines, so it is no wonder that even teenagers talk
about getting breast implants, and that most American women seem
to be unhappy with their breasts.
If women are obsessed about their breast size and shape to the
extent of surgery, men aren't doing any better. For many men
female breasts are a source of sexual inspiration, fascination
and fantasy. They get inspired from looking at pictures where
they see some cleavage, where breasts are enticingly almost
visible, yet hidden. The pornographic industry gets much good
about the taboo-ism of female breasts by letting men see these
taboo items for good money.
It is not so in Europe or in many other parts of the world.
European women commonly go topless on beaches, and many European
countries also have nudist beaches where people sunbath naked,
yet the atmosphere is decent and non-sexual and people are at
ease. The sauna culture in some European countries makes people
used to seeing nakedness, and they don't view breasts as any
special thing or taboo. Primitive tribes in hot climates wear
very little clothing and it's no big deal to them. It seems that
North American culture is almost alone erotizicing the breasts to
such an extreme.
Carolyn Latteier, the author of Breasts, The Women's Perspective
on an American Obsession, said in a TV program "All about
breasts, "In many cultures, breasts aren't sexual at all. I
interviewed a young anthropologist working with women in Mali, in
a country in Africa where women go around with bare breasts.
They're always feeding their babies. And when she told them that
in our culture men are fascinated with breasts there was an
instant of shock. The women burst out laughing. They laughed so
hard, they fell on the floor. They said, "You mean, men act like
babies?"
She also said in the same program that of the women she
interviewed, the ones that were happiest with their breasts were
breastfeeding women. They weren't thinking about, "Is it too
small? Is it too big?" They were doing something wonderful -
that which is the REAL purpose of breasts. [1]
Breastfeeding in USA
An infant formula industry study found that only 31 percent of US
infants are still being breastfed at 6 months, and even though
experts recommend exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, one study
found that only 13% of breastfeeding mothers at 3 months and a
MERE 1% at 6 months were doing so. [2]
Why do women fail to breastfeed or wean too early? There are
many reasons. Some mothers think breastfeeding is 'yucky'. The
husband or partner might think woman's breasts are for sexual
purposes and become jealous over the nursing mom's breasts, or
start thinking that the baby is doing something indecent and
pervert when it feeds.
The numerous women who have negative experiences about
breastfeeding pass them on to their friends. Doctors know very
little about breastfeeding and about the dangers of
bottlefeeding. Actually, a study found that the majority of
pediatricians believe breastfeeding and formula-feeding are
equally acceptable methods for feeding infants. [3]
Some women have
problems in breastfeeding but don't receive
enough support and help to overcome the difficulties. Many have
difficulties with breastfeeding in public because of other
people's attitudes towards exposing their breasts. With some,
going to work prevents them from breastfeeding and/or pumping
breast milk.
One major factor undermining breastfeeding in US is the way
infant formula companies advertise their products. They send
free samples to pregnant mothers and to hospitals, give free
gifts to doctors and nurses, and leave the impression in their
pamphlets that formula is almost as good as breast milk. No
wonder the 'supplemental bottle' is often used when there is just
a minor solvable problem with breastfeeding!
Another reason why babies are weaned early is because people have
misconceptions about weaning. Most people in Northern America
and in other western countries think that breastfeeding is only
for the first couple of months of an infant's life, or mostly up
to year. However, in most other cultures worldwide children wean
much later, and in most of the history children weaned much
later. According to Katherine Dettwyler's studies, comparing
humans to our closest animal relatives shows that the natural age
of weaning in humans should be between 2.3 and 7 years. Children
who are allowed to wean themselves, usually do so between 2 and 5
years of age. [4]
It seems that everybody agrees that breast milk is better, but
that the whole society is negative about breastfeeding? Why is
that? In the course of history many different parts of the
female body have been fetishes for men, for example ankles,
necks, and tiny feet (in China), so why are North Americans so
obsessed with breasts as sexual objects in our age?
In my opinion the reason is because the whole society is about to
forget what is the real purpose of female breasts. That is shown
for example in Katherine Dettwyler's experience in her 'Women and
Culture' course in the fall of 1993. One of her undergraduate
students was totally flabbergasted to discover that the
biological function of women’s breasts was for feeding children.
With obvious shock and disgust evident in her voice she asked,
'You mean women’s breasts are like a cow’s udder?' [5] If you
can see breasts as 'wonderful milk-making machines' meant for
babies, then you won't worry anymore what men think of your
breasts or what they look like!
We have a vicious cycle on our hands: the less women breastfeed,
the less people get to see the real purpose of breasts. At the
same time media everywhere constantly touts the perverted view of
female breasts, which makes people view breasts as sexual. That
in turn makes it harder for women to breastfeed, since many of
the reasons for not breastfeeding are linked to the erroneous
idea that woman's breasts are sexual organs.
So the less women breastfeed, the harder it becomes for women to
breastfeed. This cycle self-promotes the view that female
breasts are sexual and that women are mere sex objects, which can
lead to more pornography, sexual crime and abuse of women - all
the while little children are robbed of their best nutrition.
The cure?
Women, breastfeed your babies! Men, understand the real function
of female breasts! Everybody, forget about breasts being sexual!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
References [1] Carolyn Latteier in the TV program
"All about breasts" Transcript available at
http://www.newshe.com/allaboutbreasts1.shtml
[2] Breastfeeding trends through 2000 Ross Products Division
http://www.ross.com/aboutRoss/Survey.pdf
[3] Pediatricians' Practices and Attitudes Regarding
Breastfeeding Promotion PEDIATRICS Vol. 103 No. 3 March 1999, p.
e35 http://www.pediatrics.org/
[4] A Natural Age of weaning, Katherine Dettwyler
http://www.prairienet.org/laleche/detwean.html
[5] Katherine Dettwyler as quoted in Breastfeeding at Municipal
Pools in Canada http://mediaworkswest.com/BACE/BMPC/BMPC-
Part8.htm
-------------------------------------------------------
About the Author
The author is a breastfeeding mother with a website 007 Breasts at
http://www.007b.com/ discussing how media and society have
influenced us to see female breasts as taboos and sexual objects
and how this relates to breastfeeding. Other topics are why women
fail to breastfeed, wonders of breastmilk and breastfeeding, bras
and breast health, breastfeeding pictures, normal breasts gallery,
topfreedom.
|
|
|
|
|
| Babies Online FREE Online Birth Announcements: Create your free ... |
| Create a web page for the new baby with pictures plus information for new and expectant parents. Free. Password protection available. |
| www.babiesonline.com |
|
| BabiesToday.com - Baby advice for raising health, happy babies ... |
| Community, articles, interactive tools, ideas, expert advice for you and your baby during that first year. |
| babiestoday.com |
|
| Celebrity Baby Blog |
| The only website dedicated to celebrity babies (and their parents)! ... 10Copyright 2011 Celebrity Baby Blog Inc., Celebrity Baby Blog tm ... |
| www.celebrity-babies.com |
|
| Babies"R"Us Home - Baby Products and Baby Gifts - Toys"R"Us/Babies ... |
| Babies R Us is the leading retailer of baby products, baby supplies, baby gifts, baby bedding, and baby accessories. |
| www.toysrus.com |
|
| Parenting Babies and Toddlers |
| Articles and links on all aspects of raising babies and toddlers. Free newsletter, active forum and chat room. |
| babyparenting.about.com |
|
| Ty |
| The creator of Beanie Babies. Features information regarding new and retired beanies. Includes club, trade board, and electronic cards. |
| www.ty.com |
|
| Ty: Beanie Babies |
| Angeline, Attic Treasures, Baby Ty, Basket Beanies, Beanie Babies, Beanie Boppers, Beanie Buddies, Beanie Kids, Bow Wow Beanies, Classic ... |
| www.ty.com |
|
| Baby gifts, baby shower gifts, new baby gifts, newborn baby gifts ... |
| Puzzles, developmental toys, carrier toys and shower gifts. Free gift wrapping included with orders. |
| www.geniusbabies.com |
|
| Pregnancy: Humorous week-by-week calendar and free pregnancy tickers |
| Humorous week-by-week pregnancy calendar and pregnancy tickers - 100% free. |
| pregnancy.baby-gaga.com |
|
| Infant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia |
| An infant or BABY is a very young child. The term "infant" derives from the Latin ... Quite often babies are called infants until they reach the age of one. ... |
| en.wikipedia.org |
|
| Amazon.com Baby Store: Clothes, gifts, toys & bedding for babies ... |
| Online shopping from a huge selection of baby products at the Amazon.com Baby Store; clothes, gifts, toys & bedding for baby boys & baby girls, ... |
| www.amazon.com |
|
| FUSSY BABY |
| Get help dealing with a fussy baby, including ways to soothe and calm your baby when he is fussy and reasons why babies fuss. |
| www.askdrsears.com |
|
| Babies Galore - Shop Online for Children Aged 0 - 2 |
| Babies Galore are specialists Baby Cots, Baby Strollers, Baby Prams, High Chairs, Car Seats, Toys as well as many other Baby Products. |
| www.babiesgalore.com.au |
|
| 123 Baby Names: Baby Girl Names & Baby Boy Names, Meanings and Origins |
| 123 Baby Names: Baby names. ... Whether you’re looking for baby names for your boy or girl, or if you want to find out the origin of your own name, ... |
| 123-baby-names.com |
|
| where babies come from in germany |
| Where Babies Come From in Germany Click on the image to progress. |
| www.planetdan.net |
|
| babies san francisco :: pamper the pets you love |
| www.babiessf.com/ - 3k - Cached - Similar pages |
|
|
| Baby Shower Favors - Baby Shower Gifts - Personalized Baby Shower ... |
| Offers party favors, baby sock corsages, and diaper cakes. |
| www.bamababiesandbirthdays.com |
|
| National Statistics Online |
| Ellie, last year’s second favourite name for baby girls, has fallen into sixth place. Olivia is the only new entry to the top five, up three to number four. ... |
| www.statistics.gov.uk |
|
| Egg Babies |
| The Egg Babies are individually hand sculpted in polymer clay by hand. The babies range in size from ... The eggshell emphasizes how fragile new babies are. ... |
| www3.telus.net |
|
| Baby Place: Pregnancy, Birth and Babies |
| A parenting resource for all aspects of pregnancy, birth and baby care. Includes free stuff for parents, health resources, morning sickness treatments, ... |
| www.baby-place.com |
|
|