I made a gaffe this big....
I saw recently that President of France Nicolas Sarkozy has stuck another fancy shoe in his mouth. His gaffes of late have been pretty bad I will admit. However, upon reflection I don’t think this one is as bad as everyone is making it out to be. Apparently while talking to young mothers at a family benefits agency he said:
’Carla is feeding the baby. I think it’s much better for protecting against allergies and illnesses.
‘But the woman, it’s both a joy and a kind of slavery.
‘However it does free men of blame because we don’t have the problem of bottle-feeding. You don’t have to get up at night, although out of solidarity, I do open one eye.’
The president added: ‘But you know, she is worried about not having enough milk.’
Um, I don’t get it. THIS is what has the French Press and US mom bloggers in a furor? The man is talking about breastfeeding. Maybe I am too much of a lactivist to see how this is bad. Let’s break this down. First of all any press is good press. With all the discrimination and ignorance surrounding breastfeeding the fact that a WORLD LEADER is not just talking about breastfeeding but promoting it is a GOOD thing. Anyone remember the last time a president of any country talked candidly about breastfeeding? Yeah, I didn’t think so.
In the first part of his “Gaffe” he states WHY breastfeeding is good; “ I think it’s much better for protecting against allergies and illnesses.” He’s right, give that man a prize! Next, and here’s where people lost their collective &*^%…he dared to say that breastfeeding is” both a joy and a kind of slavery.” As a mother of three children who nursed for a little over 7 years I can say with certainty that breastfeeding can be a blissed out joy fest. It can also bite the big one, (literally and figuratively). Motherhood (parenthood for that matter) isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes it can feel like you are trapped and sometimes, sometimes you can feel like you have no autonomy and are at the whim of these tiny demanding beings. There, it needed to be said. You know what else needs to be said? Being a public figure has got to suck. Having every word you say scrutinized day in and day out must be tiresome. Who here among us is without stupid moments/mistakes/mouths full of foot every now and then? Really, good, then put down your rock and let’s focus on what’s important. Like breastfeeding education and awareness.
Monsieur Sarkozy went on to say that they don’t have the problem of bottle feeding. Again as a lactivist I rejoice whenever anyone points out that bottle-feeding is a hassle. I know it is, we supplemented with my first daughter. Fully waking to make a bottle while your babe is screaming falls into the “SCREW THIS CRAP” category. He caught and is catching the bulk of scrutiny and judgement from a litany of mommy bloggers because of this admission about breastfeeding;”You don’t have to get up at night, although out of solidarity, I do open one eye.” GASP! He’s being accused of being a lazy good for nothing husband who let’s his poor helpless wife nourish and nurture the baby without his help. Come on folks. Put the rock down for one second to see this scene in a different light. This scenario sounds to me like these to might be, dare I say it? BED-SHARING?!?!?!
It sounds like it. Ooh MORE scandal! I can remember many a night of our baby (pick one) waking up in the middle of the night and with both eyes still closed, I would lift up my night shirt (yeah, I wear one) and put my wee babe to my breast and she would drift back to sleep as would I. On the rare occasions I would open an eye or two I would see Mr. Kirby giving me a quiet “I love you” wink. No one ever had to get up. I don’t see how this would make Mr. Kirby a lazy so and so and I don’t see how it should make a villain out of the president of France.
Lastly he was candid about Madame Sarcozy’s fear of not producing enough milk. I remember that fear. Should he have shared any of this info. I don’t know much about politics and etiquette, but isn’t it a tad bit refreshing to hear about breasts and a politician and NOT have it equal sex scandal? Speaking of sex I think that most of the negative press he’s getting over this is indicative of how many of us are brought up in shame with regards to our bodies and their functions. Oh no! He said breastfeeding is a joy and something you feel a slave to. Big whoop. Get on him for his political gaffes, he’s a politician after all. As a father who is pro-breastfeeding, put the rock down and don’t be such a boob.
