Last week I heard a news story about the hospitals in the
city of New York
refusing to give formula to mothers who were able to breast feed but were
choosing bottle feeding instead. All of the pundits and “experts” on civil
rights started to weigh in on the topic. I found this most interesting in
relation to the Supreme Court decision allowing the government to tax individuals
and small business owners who choose not to purchase health insurance. This
entire law is based on the assumption that health care costs are getting out of
hand and the way to provide access to everyone is to make those of us who are
not burdening the system pay “our fair share” so that those who choose not to
be responsible for their health can have the care they need. This is not a
sustainable plan and never will be.
Hospitals and doctors alike agree that the people who are
most burdening the system are those who suffer health problems from a
compromised immune system – our first and foremost protection against disease.
How is the immune system compromised? Everyone would agree that our environment
is full of toxins that we breathe in, drink or eat daily placing an inordinate
burden on our first line of defense against disease. Constant exposure to these
toxins eventually causes a break down of our defenses. I support government
regulations that monitor our food and water supply and force producers to stop
poisoning our water, air and food with chemicals and other toxins. Everyone has the
right to access to clean water, fresh air and nutrient rich food that supports
our immune system and helps keep it functioning to prevent disease. But
everyone also has the responsibility to give every infant born in this country
the best shot at developing a strong immune system in the first place – through
the mother’s milk.
The immune system is not developed when a child is born – it
is very fragile. A strong system results from the immunities passed to the
child from the mother in the form of the mother’s milk. All doctors agree that,
especially during the first six weeks of life, infants need to be breast fed.
Six weeks is a minimum. My pediatrician recommend at least six months of
nothing but breast feeding for my child so long as the child was thriving. I
had scheduled check ups during those first six months as the doctor monitored
my child’s overall health and development. My girls grew into healthy, strong
adults with few health problems that required medical attention outside of
letting their immune system take care of the problem. I also monitored their
diets so long as they were under my control and limited their intake of foods I
knew to be harmful to them. My pediatrician also recommended vaccines and the
schools required that I have them vaccinated in order to attend public schools.
I chose to obey that law, but now I am not so sure I would want vaccinations
for my children, yet I wouldn’t be allowed to refuse because the medical
profession has deemed it necessary. Therefore, my right to choose something different
has been taken away. If the government can step on my individual
rights for the overall good or to “promote the general welfare,” with so much medical
evidence about the effectiveness of breast feeding as a true preventative and effective
health care measure that everyone can afford, why not start there? Forcing women
who are physically able to breast feed costs no one any money and works. It just
seems to me that this is where we should start if we want the best quality of life
and quality health care for everyone in this country.
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