Breasts like a model’s- August 6, 2010
Our task for #31DBBB today is to write an opinion post. I am chock full of opinions on things that matter to baby mamas and baby mamas-to-be, but I had trouble narrowing it down. Then a light from heaven shown down on my laptop, guiding me to today’s topic.
A supermodel decided to share with us what she thinks about breastfeeding, thus making everyone super pissed off.
Gisele Bundchen, the world’s highest paid model.
She told Harper’s Bazaar UK that she thinks there should be a “worldwide law” requiring mothers to “breastfeed their babies for six months.” This obviously got much attention. A writer for The Los Angeles Times called it an “‘insert foot’ moment”.
First of all, quick civics lesson folks. There’s no such thing as a “worldwide law”. That right there brings me to my opinion for this post. It has nothing to do with actual breastfeeding.
My opinion is, we shouldn’t care what celebrities think about breastfeeding. I think it’s great that she want’s to breastfeed her son. More power to her. I think it’s also fine for someone to feed their baby formula. Go for it. If I want an expert opinion on haute couture clothes, high fashion, or modeling, Gisele’s my girl. She’s at the top of her game there. But, Gisele is a supermodel married to an NFL Quarterback. If she were one of the world’s leading pediatricians married to a Nobel Prize winner, then she’d have my attention with her opinions on infant rearing.
I know what you’re thinking. “But, Amy remember when you got all bent out of shape when you wrote this post after Rabbi Shmuley spouted off about whether breast is best?” Yes, I did, but he’s a guy Oprah brings on as an expert in family life and raising children. Naturally, that will raise more eyebrows.
None of this is to say that celebrity opinions are not valuable. They can bring to light some really important topics for mothers. Tom Cruise or no Tom Cruise, look at all Brooke Shields has done for raising awareness of Postpartum Depression. Another article this week featuring Gisele brought up the PPD issue again. Gwenyth Paltrow and Bryce Dallas Howard both shared their PPD stories. This could be incredibly helpful for many women and maybe influence them to get help.
Gisele did come back on her blog defending her comments. (Please note the fantastic layout with gorgeous pictures of her doing yoga and watering flowers and crap like that. I guess that’s what she does when she’s not modeling her valuable and nutritionally sound boobs for Victoria’s Secret.)
There you go fellow mom bloggers on #3DBBB. All you have to do is be worth $150 million dollars and do a controversial interview in Harper’s Bazaar to have a blog where hundreds of people come to comment. Here we are doing all this work in a blog challenge! Psshhh! We are fools! If only we listened more to our supermodels!
Spread it around:
Oh! I remember your Shmuley post! Nice to be back here!
I 100% believe there needs to be more breastfeeding awareness and support, but trying to REQUIRE it of everyone is an extreme tactic I don't encourage.
It irritates me when people hold celebrity opinions in high regard. If they're educated about the matter, okay, but most of the time they're just spouting off whatever feels good to them (Tom Cruise…) They're people. Usually they're strange people. As a society, we need to remove their pedestal and treat them like the fallible human beings they are.
"My opinion is, we shouldn't care what celebrities think about breastfeeding."
Now if we'd just care LESS about celebrities and more about each other, we'd be in better shape!
Great post. I didn't read what Gisele actually said but from what I understand she was promoting breastfeeding. In the UK we have problems with Girls/Women with babies not breastfeeding because it "makes your boobs saggy". If I was talking in reference to that then I'd probably say the same thing.
If she was just talking about all women then she's an idiot and needs to open a book before she starts yapping, There's so many reasons women can't breastfeed, she needs to do her research.
Don't worry girlie – the ostriches will get to her soon enough! No one, really NO ONE escapes the ostriches! 😉
I agree that we shouldn't care what celebrities think, but the reality is that there are a lot of people who DO listen. And young women can be influenced by their "role models". I think it's great that she wants to encourage breastfeeding, but by saying formula is poison she makes moms who CAN'T breastfeed (like me) feel a little bad about giving our babies formula even though we don't have a choice.
Ha! This is pretty funny and puts it all in perspective. Good job. I still hate that she said that, because it stings for someone like me who had a horrible breastfeeding experience which I just happened to write about today.
I completely agree that it's ridiculous when celebrities act like their opinion even matters to the world as a whole. I think it's a wonderful thing when women are willing to try breastfeeding & make an effort for it to work. It's so great for the baby, but it's definitely not the ONLY thing for baby & it can be so emotional for a women when things don't work out! Mothers should be supported no matter what method they choose to feed their babies. I know several moms who, for whatever reason, decided breastfeeding wasn't best for them & they have every right to do this & their babies are healthy & thriving & who are we to tell them what to do with their baby? Gisele needs to do what she thinks works for her & let every other woman do what works for them. I used to like her, but she's been annoying me since becoming a mom. She's all "oh my labor didn't hurt & I want to force women to breastfeed" and I want to force her to eat a sandwich.
Wow I just got more upset than I think I meant to…whoops
all I can say is, the true expert on raising your child, is YOU. i tried some of those parenting books when I was pregnant with Vanessa and I can honestly say the best advice I received was from learning from other moms' experiences and customizing their tactics to fit my situation.
Great post Amy.
My mom actually told me about this when I was on my way home the same day the story came out. She was outraged and I told her well you can't make a worldwide law so I am sure she wasn't serious. Plus some women just don't produce enough milk so with her trainer, cook, and nanny she can give as much advice as she wants but I won't be following it.
By the way, I passed on an award (well three) to you. http://www.measmom.com/and-the-awards-go-to/