Gisele Bundchen Makes Controversial Statements on Breastfeeding and Making It A “Law”
Gisele Bundchen was recently interviewed by Harper’s Bazaar where she suggested that breastfeeding become a mandatory, “worldwide law.”
Unless you live under a rock, I’m sure you already heard about this… Her comments have apparently sparked a massive outcry against the supermodel mom. For what reason? I can’t really figure it out. Maybe it’s because I’m a lactivist and support breastfeeding, but I didn’t misunderstand Gisele’s comment at all. Seems as if most people took her comment quite literally and became outraged at the thought that women wouldn’t be given the right to choose to feed their infant’s chemical filled formula instead of breastfeeding them. Oh the humanity!
In the controversial interview, Bundchen said, “Some people here (in the US) think they don’t have to breastfeed, and I think ‘Are you going to give chemical food to your child when they are so little?’ I think there should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months.”
After reading the comments left on USMagazine.com article about the subject, I am appalled at the ignorance and stupidity of the general public! Talk about “holier than thou”… WOW. I usually tend to keep to myself and not get involved in controversial issues, especially in public forums, but being a mother and breastfeeding advocate, I couldn’t turn away from this one…
I think it’s awful for other women to talk badly about other women, especially directly. Getting on forums, blogs or other public “soapboxes” and directly attacking another person about their opinion and feeling “safe” to do so because that person you are attacking is a celebrity, is just sooo…. disgraceful.
If you put Gisele down because she only gained 30 pounds during her pregnancy, then you’re just jealous.
If you put her down because she said her labor and delivery was pleasant and “didn’t hurt at all”, then you’re either uneducated on the subject or obviously didn’t have a positive birth experience.
If you put her down because she said “Breastfeeding should be a law”, then you are completely missing the point of what she was trying to say. On purpose.
I really and truly do not believe that she ACTUALLY meant is should a “law”. Like a “go to jail if you don’t do this” law. Obviously that would be stupid… I think people are completely missing the whole point and that is how extremely important breastmilk is for infants. It’s an undisputed fact.
What appalled me the most was the comments about Gisele making the women that “can’t breastfeed” feel bad about themselves. Um, hello? Again, complete lack of understanding on the subject. Unless you have had a double mastectomy or have gotten breast implants, there are only like 3% of women that physically can not breastfeed.
I’m not counting the ones that CHOOSE not to breastfeed because they are taking medications, need to work outside the home and “can’t” pump while they are at work, or the women who adopt. (I personally KNOW women that have chosen not to breastfeed for those specific reasons.)
There is a HUGE difference between deliberately choosing not to breastfeed and being physically incapable.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that in 2004, due to mounting evidence that breastfeeding offers significant lifetime benefits to children, 74% of American women who gave birth breastfed their infants for at least some period of time. This almost reaches the government’s target of 75%. Unfortunately, most women did not continue breastfeeding beyond the first month.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that women exclusively breastfeed their infants for the first six months, and then recommend that they continue breastfeeding at least through the first year as other foods are introduced. Among infants born in 2004, the rate of exclusive breastfeeding through the first three months after birth was 31%, shy of the government’s goal of 60%, and through six months was 11%, below the government target of 25%.
Source: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 56 (2007): 760-63.
The 25% of women that chose to feed their infants formula instead of breastfeeding, I’m sure 99% did not make that choice because they were physically unable to breastfeed. Yes, breastfeeding can be difficult, uncomfortable, painful, inconvenient and even bothersome, but it is VERY rarely physically impossible… “Low milk supply” is a very common excuse to not breastfeed, but having personally experienced that myself and still continuing to breastfeed for 17 months (despite the difficulties, stress, pain, emotional turmoil, exhaustion, etc) I know it’s all too often a lack of understanding, effort, knowledge and support and not an actual supply issue.
Please do not misunderstand me… I’m not speaking out against women who choose to feed their babies infant formula. I’m sure they have their reasons and justifications for their specific situation. The sad truth is most women don’t choose formula because they think it’s what is best for they children… I understand there are circumstances where women “need” to use formula (I wrote “need” in quotes because there is such a think as a milk bank.) but what saddens me is the number of people who just choose not to because they don’t feel like it, regardless of what’s best for their babies.
I think Gisele’s comments are being misinterpreted. I believe she’s merely frustrated with the mother’s that simply choose not to breastfeed without even trying because they don’t want to breast feed in public, they think it will hurt, they don’t feel like it, they think formula is more convenient, etc etc etc.
Did anyone ever stop to maybe picture Gisele laughing and being facetious when she said “I think there should be a worldwide law” ?????
“A newborn baby has only three demands. They are warmth in the arms of its mother, food from her breasts, and security in the knowledge of her presence. Breastfeeding satisfies all three.”
I believe that Gisele’s entire point was that breastfeeding is best and that she’s saddened by the number of people that carelessly choose to not breastfeed because it’s inconvenient or unappealing to them. I don’t think she meant to make anyone feel bad or scorn the few women that physically can not breastfeed.
The US has sexualized breasts so much that we’ve forgotten that their REAL biological purpose is to provide nourishment for our children. That’s what breasts are made for! I really think that was the point she wanted to make. In hindsight, I’m sure she wishes she had stated things a little differently, but in reality, you can’t please everyone… As a celebrity, it doesn’t matter WHAT she says… someone is going to take issue with it and call it out as politically incorrect. That’s just the way most Americans roll……..
More Breast Feeding Could Save 900 Babies a Year
The lives of nearly 900 babies would be saved each year, along with billions of dollars, if 90 percent of U.S. women breast-fed their babies for the first six months of life, a cost analysis says. Read more >>
So I want to know what YOU think about this subject. I know we have a lot of readers who are mother’s and I want your take on this whole subject.
Should all mothers breastfeed their children? Did you breastfeed your child? Should there be more support for mothers wanting to breastfeed? Is there too much pressure on new mothers to breastfeed?
I think you are a little ignorant on the subject to assume that only 3% of women can not breast feed ..You are leaving out all the women who have had breast lifts and cant , You are leaving out all the women on medications that shouldn’t be passed on to there children and your leaving out mothers with disability’s or young single moms who have to work yes you can pump but that alone is a job ..To try and make it a law is sick not all moms are super models or super moms .And also the way you spoke about double mastectomy was kinda ..um harsh have you not read how many women are battling cancer or will be .And also you are side stepping all women who adopt .Yes you can share breast milk but that is sick I would not stick another womens breast milk in my kids mouth .And what about single fathers ? my opinion is that this law is so wrong and this super model lives in a fantasy world where all the issues i mentioned dont affect her .
You are just silly :)
I completely agree with you, London. It is a complete fantasy world where all women can be perfect mums, perfect breadwinners, perfect employees, perfect housewives……we know we are expected to do all of these things at the same time, and be brilliant at all of them. But unfortunately sometimes life just isn’t that simple! People who critisize women who don’t breastfeed for any reason need to look at the bigger picture and have some empathy for those of us who do have to do every single thing ourselves and who are already giving ourselves a hard enough time about every single one of those things not being done well enough.
Did you even READ the blog? I think you should re-read it.
I haven’t really read a lot about Giselle’s comments; this is the first blog post I’ve read about it. I do understand her point, and I am 100% in favor of more education, support and help for mother’s struggling to breastfeed. I know how difficult it is–I struggled for months to establish a good breastfeeding relationship and milk supply for my child. It was agonizing at times and isolating and there were many times I wanted to stop, but I faced a lot of pressure from family members to be a successful breastfeeder. So I stuck it out and we breastfed for a year before my son, despite my best efforts, self-weaned & in hindsight, I”m glad that we stuck it out and got to 13 months.
BUT, I think when you start talking about LEGISLATING breastfeeding as mandatory, you are stepping on some serious issues of choice. I’m a BF’ing supporter, but I am even more staunchly a supporter of a woman’s right to choose what to do w/ her body. Mandating breastfeeding, in my opinion, is chipping away at a woman’s right to make autonomous decisions about what to do with her body and that, regardless of the health benefits of bf’ing, is unacceptable to me.
And implying to a woman who is wrapped up in the struggle to breastfeed, which can be so all-encompassing and absolutely twists up a woman’s sense of self-worth and can make her feel like an utter failure as a mother, that not breastfeeding her child is in fact criminal? That’s just cruel, in my opinion, and the exact opposite of support, education and help.
I sympathize because I too struggled with latch, milk supply, pain and exhaustion nursing my first child. I even got 2 rounds of mastitis that ultimately ended our breastfeeding relationship at 17 months.
You are right that making breastfeeding “mandatory” would be pretty ridiculous, but like I keep saying, I don’t think that was REALLY her point…
I don’t think Gisele meant that we should make it an actual law. I think she was really just trying to make a point and raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding and how more women should at least TRY to make it work, rather than opting for formula right out of the gate…
Fact is: Breastfeeding is always the right choice for the baby, just not always the right one for mom. Breastfeeding is hard, I have done it three times, and I understand that it isn’t for everyone. Maybe when we can have more soon-to-be moms get the right education about the difficulties and how to deal with them, we might have better outcomes for the ones that benefit the most-the babies. To make it a law is not the right thing. I do not want my government being my nanny, but that is a whole other topic.
I totally agree with you that we DO need to get better education out there about breastfeeding. There are so many things going against breastfeeding that is making it an unappealing option to a lot of women, whether it’s a boss that doesn’t allow breaks to go and pump breastmilk, daycares that won’t deal with it, low milk supply (for whatever reason) and the horrible amount of discrimination that happens when women breastfeed their children in public.
Breastfeeding IS hard and for a lot of women, not pleasant at all. I am not one of those women that had a magical nursing experience… In fact, it was pretty miserable and I really didn’t enjoy it at all, but I did it anyway because I knew it was what was best for my baby. I was educated and received the information I needed to make that important decision. Unfortunately, there are a lot of women that aren’t given the proper information in order to make the right decision.
I’d love to see someone like Gisele starting a Breastfeeding Advocacy Organization of some sort to help educated and spread information about the importance of breastfeeding and do something to make it easier for women to at least TRY.
Agreed. I also hated breastfeeding, but stuck it out. I actually ended up loving it by the time I got three months into my third child. I think when new moms hear “natural,” they think it should be seamless and pain-free. It was a newsflash to me when it wasn’t.
I love your website. I am trying to get out of my frumpy, fat ways. You help. I know my husband appreciates it too!
P.S. I also loved your review of Ingrid nailpolish….I had to get myself a bottle ;)
Thank you for being a loyal fan! Let me know if ever have any specific questions or need help with anything! :-)
I believe in choice, even if it’s a choice that wasn’t what I think is best. Part of the beauty of being an American is having the right to make our own decisions. I hate seeing our personal liberties getting more and more limited by the day.
Oh I totally agree with you! I am ALL ABOUT freedom in America, that’s why I live here.
I don’t think Gisele really meant that we should make it an actual law. I think she was really just trying to make a point and raise awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding.
I don’t think including all mothers who take medication in the category of those who CHOOSE not to breastfeed is fair. If someone is being medicated for severe depression, bipolar disorder, epilepsy, etc., it’s not really a CHOICE to take their medication – without it they could die, hurt themselves, or their infant. Certainly some on routine medication may have the ability and thus the choice of going of their medication, but that’s certainly not the case for all.
You keep saying you don’t think Giselle actually MEANT what she said, were you there for the interview? Regardless of whether she was being facetious or completely serious, breastfeeding should be left up to the individual mother. Yes, it would be great if all mothers could breastfeeding for at least six months, but despite your statistics(only 3% of women can’t physically breastfeed) there are many factors that go into deciding whether to start breastfeeding or continue breastfeeding. I feel you are being very judgemental against those of us who had a difficult, painful time breastfeeding. It is seriously demoralizing as a woman to not be able to breastfeed your child. We’re told it’s natural, so when it doesn’t happen, it’s heartbreaking. Good for you for your 17 months, I guess you are better than me. But when my baby gained less than ONE OUNCE the first week of her life when I was exclusively breastfeeding, I felt that giving her formula was really the only option. I’m sure you’ll come up with several other options and make me feel like a sh*TTY mom for that, too. Anyway, it would be great for all babies to be breastfed, I really believe that, but don’t be so judgmental. I actually do think she, nd you, are intending to make those of us who didn’t exclusively breastfeed feel bad. So, we can’t say anything about Gisele only gaining 30 pounds, but she’s allowed to to tell us our breasts should be legislated -oh, wait, she was only kidding about the whole law things, I forgot. Wow, you’ve really pissed me off FH!!
Thank you for saying what I am feeling inside! Just another guilt trip for us, just what I need.
I realize that Gisele was trying to make a point and that requiring women to breastfeed will never be a law. This has always been a controversy before Gisele even said anything, one that has always upset me for some reason. I agree that breastfeeding is best, but they make formula for a reason. I also think that there are woman who breastfeed and those that don’t that both take it too far. I felt so much pressure to breastfeed(from others and myself) and again, I agree that it’s best. I however, after much agony was not able to. The lactation woman at the hospital just kept pushing and even said at one point that “it wasn’t just my decision.” I found out later that she never even had a child of her own to breastfeed. Every time I hear another person pushing the breastfeeding thing on everyone I get upset. I’m OK with them feeding in public(babies need to eat) but do you really have to completely undress to do so. I wouldn’t feel comfortable whipping my boobs out in public and am shocked that other people do. I think that whatever you choose to do is YOUR OWN decision and you should keep it to yourself. I’m now pregnant with child number 2 and am, in a way, dreading the thought of breastfeeding and the pressure I will once again feel to do so. I feel sometimes that when I talk to the “lactivists” that I am speaking to someone in a cult. And I would never even think to go to a breast milk bank to feed my baby someone’s milk that I had never met. I can’t even imagine. My little girl is healthy and happy and never once got a drop of milk from me (although I did try for a long time to feed her). Every time I see a person with a pin or t-shirt with the saying “breast milk is best” it makes me cry. There was actually a young boy wearing one in the hospital when I was there with my first child. What would a 10 year old boy know about breastfeeding? I apologize for such a long message but as you can see this is a very personal topic for me. Whether you are part of the so called 3% (although I personally think it’s more then that) that can’t breastfeed or you choose formula…It’s your choice and you shouldn’t feel guilty for it.
I think that as a society, the US could have more friendly laws that support breastfeeding (time off work, medical coverage for lactation consultants, medical coverage for pumps, flexible schedules, etc.) Our society is just not structured in such a way as to support the long-term commitment toward breastfeeding. I think that is something that should be legislated or would have perhaps been a more constructive comment from Giselle.
However, having said that, I think that it’s important to recognize that women that have trouble and decide to stop breastfeeding are often overly consumed with guilt and conversations like this highlight that guilt rather than support women and breastfeeding.
I know that I really struggled with breastfeeding as I had very premature twins and as you may or may not know, they are often tube fed in the beginning, on respirators, have trouble latching and staying awake to feed. It makes it very, very difficult to exclusively breastfeed. While I had tons of great support both in and out of the hospital, it ultimately just didn’t work. I didn’t have enough milk despite trying medication, nursing the twins every 1-2 hours, etc. It was a very, very difficult decision to stop. I looked into getting milk from a bank but it required a prescription and was reserved for babies with significant medical issues. I still did what I could to breastfeed for 6 months but it was never exclusive and in the early months, I had to pump and add a supplement to my milk for issues. Basically, I think that there are other barriers than just physical to overcome and sometimes those things are insurmountable.
If you know Breastfeeding is best and are able to breastfeed then why wouldn’t you? There are about 400 nutrients in breast milk that aren’t in formula!! I will never ever get that one. I am all for choice, but that doesn’t mean people will ever make the best ones. I mean look at all the fast food crap and pre packaged crap we feed our kids. It’s a choice. IMO a pretty sad one.
Standing ovation for this post.
I am a firm believer in breastfeeding and did so with 6 children, but I would never advocate ‘forcing’ or ‘guilting’ a woman into doing it. With my last two children I could only BF for a short time (about 2 weeks for one and 2 days for the other) because I was on medication that literally saved my life. Our pediatrician advised us that the medication could be harmful to the baby if I breastfed, so I stopped. (Guess I’m in that 3%…where does that figure come from anyway?)
Ms. Bundchen did what a lot of pampered celebrities do; she spoke her mind without thinking. That is what enrages people. Sure she didn’t mean ‘law’ literally, but that is what she said. Sure she can spend half the day ‘working’ on her breastfeeding while the rest of us have other children to tend to (and no nanny to care for them), careers to work at, and bills to pay. She pays people to do all those things, which is great (those are people who need jobs), but she should not get all preachy and tell me what to do with my body (whether she means it literally or not)!! Not to mention that we live in a time when the government is trying to take over every aspect of our lives. Some people (who were not raised in Europe) are getting tired of it!
I think she is intellectually lazy and deserves the feedback she is getting.
I have to agree with those who say that if Ms.Bundchen didn’t MEAN that breastfeeding should be legislated, she should not have said it. Yes, breastfeeding is important, yes, I breastfed my baby. But I think the larger issue here is that parents feel more and more that their confidence in their ability to make decisions for their own kids is being undermined- by experts, the government, even celebrities- all of whom know better than parents. (Yes, some of these people are parents themselves, but that by itself doesn’t give them the magic ability to decide for all other parents.)
Thanks to the experts and celebrities, I am supposed to worry about my daughter’s BMI (and mine), but not let her get a negative body image. If I decide to do x, or not do y, I will find a celebrity blaring in the press about how wrong parents are for not doing y, and how terrible it is that x is even allowed. In this atmosphere, it is so hard for parents to feel confident in the decisions they make.
Another reason this statement of Ms.Bundchen’s pushes people’s buttons is the fact so many folks DO want to legislate their beliefs. Mandatory HPV vaccines were almost enforced in Texas a few years ago, for little girls. (It is known now that the Gardasil vaccine actually increases cancer in people who have been exposed to the virus previously.) And that’s just one example- it seems like it’s happening all the time. Parents feel that the ares where they’re even allowed to choose are shrinking.
So while I agree that breastfeeding is (usually) best, I feel that putting the statement so strongly was asking for a backlash. With most parents already feeling defensive, it was a surefire way to trigger that defensiveness.
I haven’t read all the comments here, but I agree with you. And as for breast surgeries, in a lot of cases, with the way they do surgeries now you can still breastfeed – at least a little. I had a breast reduction 10 years ago, went from a 56 G to a 36B. Breast reductions are more likely to cause problems with nursing than augmentations. I have exclusively nursed (after the first month) 3 children since my reduction and have helped educate other women on how they can build up their supply after having breast surgery. With the first 2 it took a lot of work to get to where I could nurse them without supplementing, but the third one, the milk came in no problem at all.
There’s something about us here in the states. We use excuse after excuse to not breastfeed. I even read over that that some lady said that she pretty much considers breastfeeding for animals. That disgusted me.
Great post!
Preach it, girl!
What I find astonishing is that anyone would dedicate so much time responding to what a fashion model opines. Since when do we turn to fashion models as the voice of a nation? They are not known to be qualified information sources. In one ear and out the other. Hit the delete button. Move on. Sheesh. Some people will pounce on anything.
Unfortunately we have a nation that DOES listen to fashion models. And sports figures and actors and rock stars and the stoned kid down the street. The fact that I happen to agree with Gisele is beside the point. If “famous” people talk, sometimes otherwise unenlightened people will listen and research a topic. If one young woman thinks about breastfeeding instead of just supporting the formula industry like the rest of their family, I consider that to be a good thing.
I love it when celebrities (or anybody else for that matter) say things that I think. YES, we should all be breastfeeding for as long as it works for us and for our babies. AT LEAST six months. I will admit that I cut my daughter off when she was almost 3 but I don’t regret a minute of nursing her. Let’s not forget that those things on our chest that we plump up and push out for the viewing pleasure of the opposite sex are actually for the purpose of nurturing the next generation.
I breastfed all 4 of my children. You know I could see myself saying some off handed comment about making breastfeeding a law. Never in my wildest dreams would I actually expect it to happen or mean it in a way that it were to become law. It’s just a strange way of saying how important we think breastfeeding is for our children and their long term health.
I know that for some women they don’t have enough milk so can’t nurse their baby. Some women physically can’t nurse a baby. I think if someone is on medication that is critical to their mental and physical health they shouldn’t breastfeed!
Then there are women who just don’t want to breastfeed for one reason or another. Obviously I have to respect their decision, even if I don’t agree with it. I wish they’d give it a try before they decided completely against it. They have NO idea what they are missing personally by doing such a beautiful and healthy thing.
I think people are taking this way to far. She made a comment with her opinion and it is for a good reason. I don’t think there should be a law per say, but her intentions were good.
Well said. I get the impression that she just says whatever and doesn’t care if it’s incendiary, but I do think people took it 100% literally, which strikes me as idiotic. Formula is advertised, offered, and PUSHED even in hospitals. And yet when a woman speaks out fervently about breastfeeding she is always accused of attacking, being a zealot, etc. etc. The number of women who simply cannot breastfeed is grossly misunderstood.
I’m glad she is not afraid to speak up. I think it’s good someone considered the epitome of glamorous isn’t afraid to say that she is proud to breastfeed.
I agree that Gisele probably didn’t mean it literally (“law”), but even if she did and she wants formula to be by Rx only, I’m with her. Processed foods in general are killing our youth and our nation and using formula when not medically necessary is part of that.
Agreed wrt processed food.
When I heard her say it I was definitely happy. She can sound disparaging though (anyone remember the pregnant women garbage disposal comment she made in vogue?) so I think she would win more people over with some awareness of her privilege (like not working, for instance) and sounding less judgmental. But I love that some women will just fearlessly put it OUT THERE. And not care.
Just wanted to add my 2 cents worth. I’m delighted to be still breastfeeding my son, he’s 2yrs and 4mths old. There is so little support for breastfeeding in our western culture it’s scary. I’ve had no support from family and only bemused ignorance from friends. The medical/ health service have not been supportive of my breastfeeding either. I think if everyone followed the WHO’s advice to breastfeed to at least 2 years there’d be no kids with allergies / no need for high medical bills, GP visits etc. This is our National Breastfeeding week in Ireland and there is no coverage in the media at all about it, I only heard about it from a friend. Our society is not wet up to support any kind of decent parenting, with only 6 months maternity leave, most mothers give up way before that. Any friends who’ve had advice from their public health nurses / breastfeeding support groups in the maternity hospitals have been told their babies are dangerously underweight and advised to “top up” after every feed with formula. There is a scary lack of information in the medical profession about breastfeeding, absolutely no faith in the female body to provide adequate food for our young, as they cannot measure the fluid intake they assume it isn’t enough. Plus they are using growth charts based on formula-fed babies. New mothers who are overwhelmed by birth and parenting are quick to blame breastfeeding for their difficulties in the early weeks, and very few breastfeed to even 6 weeks postpartum. Don’t even get me started about the scandalous situations in maternity hospitals, high caesarian rates, misinformation about birth and the lack of trust in the female body to birth babies safely and in our own time. I’d love education to start in schools and the fear and ignorance to disappear so every woman can experience the rush of natural birth and breastfeeding, not to mention the emotional and physical benefits for mother and baby. Generations of children have been short-changed and are growing up with trust issues and low self-esteem, causing pain in later life, and I directly attribute it to inadequate security and mothering / parenting in the early years.
In this country I also blame the influence the catholic church has had on our sexuality and self-image as sexual and physical beings. We are so hung up on the sexual imagery of breasts our children are being fed crap because some women and men can’t bear to see them as anything other than sexual objects.
I was going to finish this with an apology for having a “rant” here, but I don’t want to! I’m sick of being treated as an exception and an eccentric hippy just because I breastfeed my infant.
From a breastfeeding, co-sleeping, babywearing, vegetarian, anti-vaccine, shopaholic, high-heel loving, Vogue reading, handbag-collecting, own business-running mother, 32 years old.