I saw these commericials as I live in VT and they annoy the hell out of me. We breastfeed for 7 months no and my weight has not gone anywhere!

I was with 2 men who saw a woman breastfeed her baby. Though she was covered, they said it looked nasty and she should go home. I asked them, would they have minded if she was Kim Bassinger instead of a motherly looking lady. They emphatically said, NO! I even had a woman tell me that breasts were made only for enticing men, and the milk produced should be dried. What pure, stupid ignorance! When did we ever start thinking that man makes it better than GOD?! It's that sort of thinking that has always gotten us into trouble. A- Bomb trouble! Breastfeeding makes baby-feeding so much easier - sit in a comfortable chair and sleep while baby breastfeeds. No heating up endless bottles. No COLIC BABY crying all night because its immature stomach can't handle MANufactured baby milk. No ear infections because breast fed babies are less likely to get ear infections. Just try staying sane when your child cries endlessly with one of those! My breastfed daughter has NEVER had one. Here comes the bonus... If you don't introduce meat too early, your Baby's poop won't smell to high heaven. Whoa! So, go for it ladies. Get a backbone, and breastfeed! The supreme health of your baby is at stake! My child GLOWED from breastfeeding, and still does....

I breast fed until my kids were old enough to be weaned. No I was not censored. On the other hand, I didn't make it a point to make sure everyone around me knew I was nursing. I learned how to very quickly arrange blankets etc. so that the baby simply looked like it was asleep. I was so fast and natural at it, I could be in a face-to-face conversation with someone and start nursing the baby and they wouldn't even realize it. I could nurse anywhere, anytime, and no one was the wiser.

Many of my friends have become new mothers in the past year and it astonishes me how much anxiety they have about breastfeeding outside of their home. Babies need to eat. Breastfeeding is the best option, assuming the mother is capable (and 90%+ are)...it's also the easiest, most convenient, and most rewarding. I have heard of nurses and pediatricians pressuring mothers into at least supplementing with formula and not providing lactation support to new moms (breastfeeding is a learned skill, and it takes practice and support!)

I'm not sure when our culture got backwards about this, but I know I will be much more "out there" about breastfeeding my next child in public. I'm for any and all ads promoting breastfeeding. It's natural; it's not gross. It's normal, not weird. It benefits new moms and babies, so as far as I'm concerned anyone who thinks breastfeeding is wrong/bad/gross/inappropriate does not have a valid opinion.

I breast fed both my boys exclusively. I wanted to them to have the best nourishment possible and all my research pointed to nursing them. The benefits to my children are endless and yes, I definitely benefited from the weight loss. I nursed both boys for their first year and my pregnancy weight melted away! I didn't experience any scrutiny (if I had, it wouldn't have mattered). People just need to be more openminded and do what is best for them and baby!

It's true. I breast fed both my sons. I continued to eat a lot, but the weight came off anyway. Breast feeding is an awesome and natural weight loss tool. It doesn't happen over night, but it works. (And it's also true that your baby is amazingly healthy while nursing.)

I never had any problems with judgment, but I had my children in my mid to late 30s. I think being older gives you a level of confidence that radiates to the people around you. I've nursed in plenty of public places (restaurants, parks, libraries, etc.) and nobody ever said anything negative. If anything, I got support and positive feedback.

I believe anything they try to do to increase awareness and support for breastfeeding is great. Too many people are ignorant to the benefits because they think that breast are for sexual intimacy only. They produce milk for a reason, hello! Not for he men to enjoy! There are countries in Africa, granted 3rd world, but closer to human origins than we are, that find it disgusting that Americans look at breasts in a sexual way. Because of stupid people forcing formula on them, babies have died because of diarrhea caused by the the lack of clean water to mix it with.

I never noticed a significant effect on my weight, but I wasn' keeping track, and didn't really eat the best, but I can say that breastfeeding is awesome!

Because of poor guidance and naivety, I supplemented my first child and he ended up having tubes put in his ears at 18 months old. He was otherwise pretty healthy, but I still wonder how he would have done if I was able to keep up with his demand, which was only high, I'm positive, because of what he was used to getting from the formula. For months I tried to increase my supply, ( because of naivety, I never knew to just stop the formula), which never happened. It didn't help that I worked with a bunch of ignorant people either who didn't support me. I ended up weaning him at about 8 months old.

My second child, I nursed exclusively for 6 months and continued until she was 13 months. She is super healthy and super smart, (which could be inherited, maybe not). She has never had an ear infection and hardly ever gets sick, even when my son does.

I have gotten weird looks from people, but not a lot, and I didn't care anyway. My response is and always will be to the affect of mentioning the skimpy clothes they observe everyday, or the young men's underwear they have to see everyday. If they can put up with that then they can handle me giving my baby a censored boob, fully covered by a blanket! No skin showing whatsoever.

I can't wait for some idiot to comment. If you don't like it, don't look. If you find it disgusting, so is a 15 year old's butt cheek hanging out of her short shorts, for grown men and pubescent boys alike to see, or you shoveling cholesterol, fat, and sodium laden McD's in your mouth.

I also breast feed my son until he was ready to be weaned. No, I never had any negative responses from anyone around me-quite the opposite actually. As the mothers above have stated I learned to be discrete when in public & people generally didn't even know what I was doing.

As far as the weight loss goes, I definitely lost the initial baby weight right away. While that factor is a good incentive for a mother who maybe might not otherwise choose breast feeding, it does take a bit of commitment if they are fearful of the "public" reaction. Hopefully mothers can ignore any negativity & do it as it is one of the most rewarding experiences a woman can have with her child

I am breastfeeding my 8-week-old baby as I type this! I think the commercial is great. Breastfeeding definitely burns a lot of calories, though it also makes me hungrier than I've ever been in my life!  I started pregnancy overweight and only gained 12 lbs while pregnant, so I was well below my starting weight a couple weeks after the birth, but I hope that I do drop more with the breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is not easy, especially at first when our girl was bfing 12 hours a day, and I think I've been much more sleep deprived because of it, but I 'm doing it for the baby. The fact that exclusively breast-fed babies don't have stinky poo and possible weight loss (or at least being able to eat what I want without gaining) are nice side benefits.

I am still breastfeeding my 3 yr old son and while I never had any issues bfing him in year 1, year 2 brought many eyeball rolls and "are you kidding" remarks. In year 3, forget about...we just lie...no one knows.

I have to say I'm not so sure about the bfing and weight loss link. I could eat whatever I wanted and still lost weight in year 1, but towards the middle of year 2 it started creeping back on and I was breastfeeding just as much if not more than in year 1. A 2 year old doesn't spend as much time at it as an infant...but let me tell you, a 30 lb 2 yr old knows what he's doing and the energy drain on me was incredible. I think the weight loss comes because a bfing mom is constantly carrying around the baby...it's the weightlifting. You start with an 8lb weight 12 hrs a day and go to a 25 lb weight 3 times a day. Once my son was walking really well and I wasn't holding him at all...on came the lbs. and he still feeds 3x a day.

We have continued bfing because of the incredibly obvious effect on my son's health. At 3 he has never had an infection, never puked, never had diahrrea. From an early age he had allergies to pollen, dust etc. lots of congestion. BFing allowed him to clear his sinus's without medicine. A few time I've had him on Ibuprofen for pain of teething but that's it. He plays everyday with 6 kids on our street who are all in public school and all get the crud from time to time...but so far so good. I am amazed at how sick most of the kids his age get. All the nasty virus' we've been lucky not to have.

Don't get me wrong...it's no field day to BF. I don't think it's even realistic to do it if you work...unless you are just a milk producing machine. I never had enough to pump like most women...my hungry infant sucked me dry by 3pm and was still hungry! It is exhausting like nothing else. It's really tough on your marriage...dad definitly has to be on board because it leaves him out of the infant stage completely. It becomes a separate bedroom type thing because otherwise no one is sleeping ever. My son bf every 1-2 hrs until he was 8 mos old. Then he went to every 3-4 hrs. Dad can't work in that kind of sleep dep. It's also really tough to leave a bf baby with a sitter...even grandma because they aren't easily soothed by others once they are attached to mom; probably won't go to sleep without bfing. They are all different but if you have a fast growing and hungry baby...you lose a few years of couple time competely.

BFing is good for baby and mom. It creates a completely different bond although it wasn't until about 12 mos of bfing that I thought that was true. It is not supported by our society which makes it extremely difficult to continue..not because someone tells you to stop but because everyone makes you feel like you are making it all too hard for yourself...martyr syndrome. You are still dragging around at 8 mos when everyone else is sleeping, working out and has 2 hrs of free "naptime" during the day. It's hard on the old ego. The truth is, my son is smart, healthy, friendly and extremely high energy. He is funny and connected and good looking =>. I don't know how much of that has to do with bfing but I'm glad it's all worked out. If I decide to have another...I don't know. I'm tired.

Breast feeding didn't stop the colic in my first born, but when I had my second daughter, my older daughter got chicken pox. My immunities were passed to my infant and she was protected. The consequences of an infant getting chicken pox are very serious. Breast feeding was easy, economical and healthy. I have also seen studies that it can increase IQ's.

Considering this is breast cancer awareness month - what about the statsitics that breastfeeding decreases a woman's chance of getting breast cancer -especially if you have genetic history (mom, grandmom, sister, aunt etc) That, on top of all the health benefits for baby - granted breast feeding is hard, especially for a new mom and a new baby who've never done it before - but with encouragement, and help it those challenges can be over come... and there's always exclusively expressing if you're not one for nursing, or have a child who can't nurse. (weak muscle tone, preemie, cleft palate)

I breastfed all three of my kids - the first for 16 mos, the second for 20 mos and the third for 12 mos. I always seemed to carry some weight around that I lost when I stopped bfing, but that was totally worth it to me. My kids, now 7, 10, and 12 are very healthy, and very smart. I never received any negative remarks while bfing - and I would do it in mall food courts, playgrounds, wherever. I didn't use blankets to cover the baby, but I was very discrete. I was also in my late 20s when I had my first, and was prepared with comebacks for anyone who objected.

I breastfed my son until he was 25 months and am still breastfeeding my 16 month daughter. I don't care what any ignorant people think about it. I lost the pregnancy weight fast after both pregnancies due to the breastfeeding.

I breastfed my son until 18mo and am now breastfeeding my 2mo old daughter.  I can totally understand why so many women choose not to breastfeed.  I have often said that the first 1-2 months was worse than childbirth itself.  I have a high pain threshold, but it hurt horribly at first.  I bled, I chafed, I cried and I cringed every time my son wanted to nurse.  Eventually he got better at latching and my body adjusted so it didn't hurt anymore, but I still struggled to produce enough for him even with the help of Mother's Milk tea.  Even though I took a class on breastfeeding prior to delivery, I was totally unprepared.  Everyone paints it as totally natural and beautiful.  I felt like a total failure as a woman.  Had I not been such a firm believer in the health benefits over formula, I would have given up.  All that said, weight loss was the last thing on my mind and it wouldn't have been the motivator to keep at it in those first months.

My son is four years old now and seems so much healthier than most kids.  The first two years, his only trips to the doctor were for wellness visits.  Now that he is in daycare, he averages one sickness related doctor visit per year.

There was no question that I would also breastfeed my daughter, but I have to admit that I was not looking forward to it and am just now getting over the initial hump of pain and frustration as we both adjust.  There is no doubt that it is a sacrifice.  That would be a better pitch for an ad supporting breastfeeding.  Pitch the benefits, admit that it is a sacrifice and can be challenging and then offer free community breastfeeding support hotline and in-person consultation.  Making it about weight loss is speaking to moms that, if they are that self-focused and shallow, aren't going to be willing to stick with in the inconvenience and often pain of breastfeeding.

I totally agree with BowZam's comments. I remember telling my husband we needed to make t-shirts, brown with pink letters that said "breastfeeding sucks".

Those first 4 mos were terrible. My son would sleep for 30 minutes and wake up wanting to feed AGAIN! My nipples hurt so much I would just cringe when I heard him stirring. I knew in order to have enough milk I needed to bf him often but I would never have made it if my husband wasn't supportive. He would say, just one more day and then if you still want to quit it's fine with me. Of course I kept at it. My sister had told me it would be 6 mos before I had enough milk every time he fed but as you know 6 mos is an ETERNITY when you have an infant...especially your first. The years fly by but the days...can..be..so..slow.

I know my experience isn't everyones...but it seems to be "the other" experience people have. Either you have an infant that feeds 20 minutes and sleeps 2 hrs or you have an infant that feeds constantly and sleeps 20 minutes at a time in between.

I agree that focusing on weight loss is tempting, but silly. The truth is that when you stop breastfeeding you lose about 7 lbs - so it's all just bad info. Focus on nutrition, that's what keeps your energy level up. If you want to lose weight, take the baby out of the stroller and carry her around all day. Most women know that weight comes and goes...focus on the health of the baby and tell the truth about breastfeeding. Otherwise it's just one more guilt trip. Breastfeeding is just that first hurdle of motherhood..the one where you learn that this role can really suck but you just do it anyway because it's THE BEST THING FOR YOUR CHILD. I think if you don't breastfeed, that lesson can take longer to learn.

I breastfed both children (the first for only 7 months due to cultural pressures to stop then/lack of correct information and the second until 28 months when SHE chose to stop). I became a certified lactation consultant during the 6 years between my children, so of course, I knew that I would breastfeed my 2nd until she self-weaned once I realized the massive benefits of long-term breastfeeding.

I will always live with the regret of weaning my first child so soon. I felt like I had to work against the system in order to breastfeed my first. I didn't feel much support from my pediatrician and I was surrounded by ads that made formula seem just as good. When he wanted to nurse often in the evenings, I sometimes doubted my own body in being able to meet the needs of my 9-lb infant. However, I posted the benfits of breastmilk on my fridge and stayed committed. My son thrived and stayed in the 90th percentile (even being "off the charts" according to my pediatrician at his 4month checkup!) However, after the 6month mark, I started to feel pressures from society to stop and I erroneously believed that the first 6months were all that really mattered when it came to breastmilk. When we switched to formula, my son became constantly congested. We finally realized that he was sensitive , or perhaps even allergic, to the cows milk in formula. Over the next 5 months, we switched formulas several times, tyring to find the right fit. Little did I know that my milk was the only right fit! Through this experience, I decided to become an advocate for breastfeeding, to be that support that new moms need to make breastfeeding a success, that is so lacking in our society. Becoming a certified lactation consultant is the best career move I ever made! Being passionate about my work and the reward that I receive in being able to be that support is unbelievable!

Two more points I'd like to make as a lactation consultant:

1. Studies show that the majrioty of weight loss is experienced in the 2nd 6 months of breastfeeding,. Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months (that means, NO solids, formula, juice, or anything, if possible) with the addition of solids slowly over the next 6 months and beyond will yield the greatest weight loss. My weight MELTED away between 6-8 months after my 2nd delivery. I got down to 12 pounds lighter than I'd been in 15 years through breastfeeding. I've now gained 7 pounds of that back since stopping nursing 3months ago and I'm hating it that I have to actually work at it now!

2. I'm so sorry to hear of moms that experience bleeding, cracking, severe pain when beginning to breastfeed. Some women even think that pain is a normal part of learning to breastfeed. However, getting help from a certified lactation consultant that can assist you in learning correct latch techniques can GREATLY reduce this discomfort. Granted, there probably wil be some tenderness in the first week and I've definitley worked with some moms that still have pain even after getting help, but I would urge moms to seek out a certified lactation consultant for help at the first sign of PAIN.

NOTE: I DO realize that I am very lucky to have been blessed with healthy, full-term children that were able to latch well from the beginning. I DO realize that breastfeeding is harder for some new moms than others. Some new moms do EVERYTHING right in their quest to breastfeed and still fall short of their goals. ANY amount of breastmilk is good for your baby - find the help you need, do the best you can, and NEVER, EVER feel guilty over this.

I think it's really sad that in order to get a mother to breastfeed her baby we have to appeal to her vanity and self-centeredness. Breastfeeding is a wonderful experience that promotes the bond between mother and baby. Most importantly, it provides nutrition that can't be matched and positive results in the health of the baby that will last a lifetime. At times, it requires the mother to be selfless, waking up at night to nurse, or dealing with sore breasts. But after all, isn't that what motherhood is all about--denying yourself for the benefit of your child? I find that most women choose not to breastfeed for purely selfish motives. It's not convenient for them, never mind what's best for the baby. I have a 21 month old and still nurse him and am nursing him throughout my current pregnancy. Occasionally I get comments from my family about stopping. I think the best response is to be confident. I am educated and informed on the positive benefits of long-term breastfeeding, and it quiets my family very quickly. Most of all, I enjoy the special time with my son. Sadly, our me-first culture that is developing is losing out on this irreplaceable time.

I breastfed my baby till she was one and self-weaned.  I lost weight really fast without trying and was below my pre-pregnancy weight when I stopped breastfeeding.  When I stopped I put on ten pounds because I didn't reduce my food intake.  I am pregnant again and I plan to breastfeed again. I loved it and felt lucky it was easy for me and my baby.

Too bad that the benefits to the baby alone aren't enough to convince moms to breasfeed. I'm still glad doctors are promotoing it though.

I completely sympathize with the moms who tried (some stuck with it, others not) who endured some of the pain involved. I also experienced brief (and very sharp) pain starting the second week my son fed. It would occur the first second he latched and then quickly disappear. Luckily, that pain too went away all together after we both 'figured it all out.' I'm glad I didn't give up. It was so great not having to carry bottles and formula everywhere, saved an awful lot of money, he wasn't sick, no coughing in the middle of the night, it was easy after the first month and he was quite chubby. I can't imagine having bonded quite as well with him had I never tried to breastfeed. It was truly a great experience for those 14 months. Even through the brief pain, I would do it all again.

Learning to breast feed was one of the hardest things I have done in my lifetime. I would never judge someone who couldn't do it and didn't want to. But I'm glad I did. I actually had family tell me if you breast feed you won't lose weight. But I did. I am back to my premarriage weight and eating 500 more calories a day. I believe this ad and am glad they're using this angle. It is truthful and people are motivated by different ideas.

FYI "languishing in Jersey"..... About a month into breastfeeding my daughter, she got terrible colic, screaming her head off for a whole day. Mother's in my family AND her doctor said it was normal. I did not buy that! For me, screams meant the child was in pain. I contacted La Leche league and they asked if I drank milk. Just so happened, I had started increasing my whole, cow's milk consumption. They told me that it was not uncommon for babies to have an intolerance to cow's milk when the mother consumed it. I immediately stopped drinking milk and eating cheese, while increasing my salads, fruit, and veggies. It took about 6 hours before the milk passed out of my breasts and my exhausted, water fed baby could eat again. After that horrible day of her crying and me trying to figure out what was wrong, I had no other colicky episodes. So I was breastfeeding my daughter something she could not handle. See, colicky babies don't know how to tell you they are having constant stomach pains. So, I say, see the baby's doctor about milk or another intolerance. Cereals are also a bad one for babies when given too early. After 6 months and you are introducing your baby to regular food, they will have many stomach aches. A, good soother is homemade, warm, stewed apples with cinnamon. Your baby will sigh! Peace out....cat

I got a lot of pressure from my mother-in-law and my own mother about breastfeeding. They claimed that my daughter only wanted to be near me to get my milk. One day, when my mother was complaining, my Grandmother told her to hush. She said, "You breastfed till you were 5 and love it!" I died laughing at the look on my mother's face. Yeah, there can be pressure but just ignore it. Now this is what the old folks did... Prepare for breastfeeding before you have your baby by rubbing a dry, bumpy wash cloth on your breast; it will desensitize them. Pump milk into a bottle every day or breastfeed another child, and you will make more milk. Eat, lots of fruit, veggies, meat; makes your milk nutrient dense and creamier. Don't go on a strict, low calorie diet; your baby needs the calories & nutrients. Once I had my daughter, I became a light sleeper so putting her to bed with me and my husband meant that she turned to me and breastfed for those "every 30min feeds. Some may not agree with that, but my husband and I rested very well from that point on. Peace out...Cat

Unfortunately, the science doesn't support this theory. Older information, from 1997, 1998 promulgated this idea, but more recent information, such as:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/09/16/health/webmd/main643898.shtml?CMP=ILC-SearchStories
finds that it is not true.

I am breastfeeding my son who is now about 9 weeks old.

Now I am not your typical breastfeeder, I run my own business, I carry a Chanel handbag and I wear Louboutin's. With that being said, I wanted to give my baby the best and I thought that breastmilk was just that.

But I am here to tell you, breastfeeding is hard.

At least it was for me. I didn't have a baby nurse or family near by to help. I also had a terrible birth experience with an emergency c-sec and a baby in NICU for 48 hours. Breastfeeding was painful, and people are very judging of you. Breastfeeding is an art, not a science. My husband is amazed that I am still doing it and stuck to it. We don't live in a society that promotes it or makes it easy by any means. I almost gave up many times. But now it is going great and I am glad that I was tough enough to keep going.

But I am here to say that now all mothers lose weight from bf. I lost about 35 pounds, I gained 40...But it is not easier than formula, you still have to watch what you eat. You still need to feed a baby a ton, and even more than formula feed babies. My baby still had colic and thrush in his first weeks of life. He does sleep thru the night now for about 8 hours, but I think that is because I have him on a great schedule.

The one thing I wish people would have said to me before I started this journey was that not all those myths of bf ring true. And to tell people to bug off, I had so many people grab my breast and tell what I was doing was wrong. If they want people to start breastfeeding more... they need to start with the public and the hospitals... there are so many people who want to but quit. They also need to show many types of woman breastfeeding, not just hippie moms or stay at home moms.... professional women can do it too. And they can do it in a way that fits into there life.