Thursday
May072009
Breastfeeding Nazis
Thursday, May 7, 2009 
Day in and day out, I keep hearing and reading the term Breastfeeding Nazi used to describe lactation consultants, La Leche League leaders, breastfeeding advocates and other lactivists. I think it is completely inappropriate.
- First, lactivists have not killed millions of people like the Nazis did. People that advocate for breastfeeding are doing so to give babies the best possible start in life and to save lives. In fact, improved and increased breastfeeding could save millions of lives each year. According to UNICEF:
It has been estimated that improved breastfeeding practices could save some 1.5 million children a year. Yet few of the 129 million babies born each year receive optimal breatsfeeding and some are not breastfed at all. Early cessation of breastfeeding in favour of commercial breastmilk substitutes, needless supplementation, and poorly timed complementary practices are still too common. Professional and commercial influences combine to discourage breastfeeding, as do continued gaps in maternity legislation.
- Second, calling someone that is an enthusiastic advocate of something a Nazi trivializes and minimizes the suffering of the victims of the Holocaust. Even if you feel like you have been a "victim" of extreme lactivism, you cannot in good conscience compare that to the complete and utter horror that the Nazis carried out.
So stop. Please stop. It is not appropriate. Not funny.
Don't believe me? Want to know more? Then read the perspective of Kathy Kuhn, a Jewish lactation consultant. Or the perspective of the child of a Nazi prisoner of war camp.
Reader Comments (182)
I completely agree. I had heard the term lacti-nazis which I did not appreciate. I am Jewish for one and don't really find Nazi humor funny. But I also find it insulting that if you are passionate about or advocate for breastfeeding you are given such a degrading name. You don't hear too often of Breast Cancer Nazis or Autism Nazis. I wonder why. Not really.
[...] http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/05/07/breastfeeding-nazis/ [...]
[...] http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/05/07/breastfeeding-nazis/ [...]
[...] that I am a breastfeeding supporter, a hard-core breastfeeding advocate, a lactivist (but not a “breastfeeding nazi“, please and thank [...]
Thanks so much for setting that straight. It obviously applies to all the other expression where the word nazi is used as a prefix to show that the person shows pedantry and fanaticism on a certain subject. (spelling et al) English not being my mother tongue, I was always shocked to see how lightly this word is taken and used on the internet but also, increasingly, spoken around me, especially, but not only, by younger people. Incidently, I'm actually German and although I do not live there any longer, still believe not many Germans would so losely use this term.
On the other hand I was also pretty taken aback by the way some people react and attack to breastfeeding, not only, but especially in the US (in Germany, it's has always been just a normal, natural thing). The vehemency that some breastfeeding advocates display seems to me only a reaction to an absurd display of intolerance and even hate by some people who clearly need to get a life. how sad that your VERY important post received exactly those kind of reactions.
Some people never learn. They would indeed have made great Nazis.
"All it takes for evil in the world to triumph is for good people to stand back and do nothing."
Okay, I'm not going to say that it's "evil" to use the term breastfeeding Nazi or touch on the good/evil parts of that quote. But my point is, one person can make a difference. Especially in this digital age when what one person says can be posted, e-mailed, forwarded, tweeted to hundreds, thousands of people within seconds. If EVERYONE thought that "I can't change society, might as well go sit on my thumbs." then yeah, nothing would change. One person can make a person. It would be depressing to think otherwise.
That should read "One person can make a *difference.*"
I try to avoid this topic like the plague because it incenses me so much, but I'll post just this one time.
Breastfeeding Nazi isn't used to describe LCs. It's used to describe that horrible other type of person that persecutes women who don't breastfeed. A bit over the top? Maybe. But like one commenter said, it's probably used because of the Seinfeld Soup Nazi episode. Did you laugh at that episode? Probably. So, seriously, lighten up. I doubt for one second that anyone using the term belittles the Holocaust. I imagine it is used to relate to the Nazi's rigid, totalitarian way of thinking - not their actions.
Do we need a label to distinguish a caring LC as opposed to someone 'claiming' to be an LC who offers a struggling new mum NO alternative but breastfeeding, pressures them to breastfeed and guilts them into doing so by telling them that formula will damage their baby? Damn right we do. I despise anyone who preys on the vulnerability of a new mother.
@thefeministbreeder - your 'smart friend' sounds like an idiot. Nobody will ever have all the information. And the aggressive know-it-alls certainly don't bother to find out (and quite frankly there are MANY reasons a woman can't breastfeed and guess what - it's none of your business and they don't have to share their medical history with you just to justify their decision). I suspect LCs are feeling a little defensive about being associated with those people who are likened to nazis. But you need to own that. Because there are women out there who behave appallingly and abuse their right as a human being by preying on the vulnerable.
I went through hell and back to breastfeed my child. I was so angry because so many people were telling me just to give her formula. That was because they were concerned about me and in particular my mental health. I appreciate that. The breastfeeding nazis told me to 'feed through it' and made underhanded statements about 'we all know formula is bad for our babies' while pretending to be supportive of my right to choose. They were concerned for my baby's health. Back off - that's my job.
My baby is solely breastfeed and is about to start solids (but I will keep breastfeeding for as long as my baby wants me to). I had no help on either side and worked it out myself by using formula in the first week while my split, infected, bleeding nipples had two days to heal. It remained the most painful experience for 4 months but that small break I gave myself allowed me to heal - mentally because I didn't heal physically and it was agony. But I needed that to get me back on to the breastfeeding track.
So to all the women out there who maintain that formula is the last resort and should be avoided at all costs - you are WRONG. It played a critical role in my ability to breastfeed. And by shoving your ANTI-FORMULA views down the throats of broken women you have probably cost more babies a fulfilling breastfeeding relationship than you care to know.
[...] http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/05/07… [...]
[...] http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/05/07/breastfeeding-nazis/ [...]
I'm not sure I even remember what the original blog was about....oh yeah, casually tossing around the term nazi, not ok. Point taken. But to echo the voices of some of the other women, please be aware that lcs and other lactation facilitators out there (mine was from the WIC program) are ugly and scary, and also spreading various misinformation that makes it harder to breastfeed. My daughter is 4 months and drinks formula to supplement breastmilk. Why? Economics. I am the sole financial support for my family, I make two dollars an hour more than my boyfriend would, so he is a stay at home dad while I work. I work fifty hours a week, shifts of up to 13 hours. (Barely make a living wage, him working instead is not an option, not that it should matter because it is what it is) And I'm a cook. I do not have the luxury of pumping whenever I want (my job is supportive, but I cannot walk away from cooking food to pump for 15 min...I fit it in when I can).when I do pump, I only get 2-4 ounces. My daughter would starve if all she got was breastmilk. I have tried all kinds of things to increase my supply and I am not giving up, but you would not believe the ugly ugly things people in the lactation professions have said to me and the downright stupid things, such as using a pump is wrong and will ruin your supply- I would have lost my milk completely a long time ago if I wasn't pumping. I also almost had to give up when no one believed the intense pain I was experiencing...I was doing it right, and did not receive any help until one of the pediatricians prescribed newmans nipple cream for me...I was hurting so bad I was sitting on my hands to keep from tearing my daughter off and throwin her down in her crib. But my pain was completely dismissed by 6 of the people involved in lactation and medical care we saw. No breastfeeding is not easy. But I'm also sick of being belittled and ripped apart for not sitting at home on my ass dreamily nursing my daughter perfectly. I would love to be a stay at home mom with 100 percent breastfeeding, but I sure haven't found a way to make that work. And yes, I do feel bad about that. But I don't need someone else maliciously commenting on my life. Breastfeeding is the best choice for your baby, obviously, but it is not the only choice, and sometimes is not a choice at all. Please remember that and be gentle or if you can't do that, butt out. And this is not targeting all breastfeeding advocates, just please please be aware!
[...] the “breastfeeding mafia” or “breastfeeding Nazis”? (a point well made by PhD in Parenting [...]
@ Charlotte
I completely agree with you, these strict "no formula" people are not nice. There is nothing wrong with supplementing with formula. You child comes #1, and she should not starve or go dehydrated. Formula is fine if your child likes it and takes it with no problem. Yes, not all of us can sit at home breastfeeding the baby, some of us have to work all day. It sounds like you are trying hard to provide your baby with some breast milk, and that's great. It sucks that WIC people can be so harsh, you should complain to their office. You should try another agency for support on lactation though I am guessing at this point you are a pro at breasfeeding anyway...one thing that helps with blockages is Gerber Pads, you can just heat them up in microwave for 15 sec and then put them on to warm up, then massage, pump or make sure the baby is facing toward your blocked spot if the baby is helping you to get "unblocked"
I really dislike the term Breastfeeding Nazi. Possibly as I am afraid people think I am one :0 but more because it does give breastfeeding in general a bad name - this is a real shame. Sometimes the modern world gives women no chance to fulfill their own choices when it comes to feeding their babies which is really sad.
It should be that if a woman wants to breastfeed her baby, they should be given all the support they need by their families, health professionals and society at large. This is too often not the case, which, ironically, is exactly what some of those 'breastfeeding nazis' want to see changed. But equally, some of the things I have read here and elsewhere about the types of comments that are said to women if they are struggling or deciding to stop breastfeeding for whatever reason (and there are many), are truly awful.
Thank you Annie, a really great post. Anyone who uses the term 'Nazi' to refer to somebody clearly is not thinking about what they are saying. It is just ridiculous and if it wasn't so sad and inappropriate it would be laughable. I have heard the term used SO much in relation the La Leche League here in Ireland. In fact the complete opposite is true...Nestlé and their 'policies' would be much more closely likened to such a group...Nazi..., La Leche League, other groups, lactivists and breastfeeding advocates, are, if anything, the opposite!
Keep up the great, interesting posts!
[...] are not appropriate and will not be tolerated within our community. If you choose to use the term ‘Breastfeeding Nazi’ (or similar phrases) in a comment, be aware that there is a 95% chance your comment will be [...]
[...] breastfeeding advocates try to make them feel guilty. Some people label nursing advocates as “Breastfeeding Nazis” for pushing their agenda down everyones [...]
Finally, someone who actually can articulate a full sentence. I am in agreement with your posts, but would like to add, people use hyperbole all the time to emphasize their point. To use the term Nazi is to emphasize the perceived fanaticism of a group of people no matter the belief being espoused. It truly has nothing to do with the atrocities of WWII, rather it is emphasizing the fanatical behavior one engages in while supporting said cause.
[...] makes me sad not because I am a genocidal fascist who wants to see mothers suffer through mastitis (for crying out loud, can we just stop with the [...]
[...] are not appropriate and will not be tolerated within our community. If you choose to use the term ‘Breastfeeding Nazi’ (or similar phrases) in a comment, be aware that there is a 95% chance your comment will be [...]
[...] quite dislike the term breastfeeding Nazi. Working to promote what you consider the very best thing for babies is not the same as [...]
@Andrea: I breastfed, and in public, but with a blanket to cover myself. About 2 years after my twins were weaned, I went to Starbucks and there were two women literally bare to the waist out front on the patio. I was grossed out by their choice, and I averted my eyes, but it was too late. It was like a bucket of water in my face.
It's not normal to be a topless female in public in America I agree it is their right to NIP. But I was just going to get breakfast, and it was a bit of an unexpected shock. I think what Jef fails to realize is that SOME women want the right to BF without being uptight about it; being briefly exposed might also be a shock, but at least only a few people might be shocked, and not the 60 or so that passed through Starbucks for one hour. Those women could have at least left only one breast unexposed, but they were literally shirts completely open, BOTH breasts bared, baby on one of them. And this was why I was shocked; seeing just the kids' head on one side would have been OK to me. This was in Austin, Texas. I think this is what Jef was talking about, some few instances of eXtreme BFing. :^) The funniest part was that both women were obese, raising the Eeeew-factor, and I picked out immediately who their husbands were in line, they looked so, well...pained... I think bc people were disgusted and talking about it inside, and the BFers were outside.
I went through cracked, bleeding nipples, too. I was always a very slow bleeder; when giving blood, they would cut me off bc I took longer than 30 mins to fill the bag! And since milk comes from a mother's plasma in her blood, it makes sense that it took me at least 5 mins for my milk to come down. I was so jealous of women who could BF instantly. My baby had to learn patience as a newborn...actually he didn't, bc we used a supplemental nursing system (SNS) to fake him out at first, and once he was "trained" we had the proper latching to deal with. It was very painful for me, but that is what moms do. It was SO worth it, not just for the nutrition for my son, but the close bond we had, the convenience of no bottles, and formula is damn expensive. But....the experience enabled me to talk other new moms through it. My cousins gave birth a week apart and swapped babies all the time, LOL. But the "village" no longer exists for us. I ended up using a pump to start my flow then would latch him on instead of using the SNS. And no, I did not drag my BP out in public to jump start my flow, ha ha, I just didn't go anywhere until the BFing was running well. I know that most people didn't even realize I was BFing right next to them in church....yes, you can be THAT discrete....as long as baby doesn't make smacking sounds or is at the age where they like to play while they nurse. Mine would pinch me or play with my necklace and try and yank it off, all while nursing. BFing is a beautiful thing, but not when it's used as some kind of point to prove.
[...] that I am a breastfeeding supporter, a hard-core breastfeeding advocate, a lactivist (but not a “breastfeeding nazi“, please and thank [...]
Another lovely success story! "It was very painful for me, but that is what moms do". So true :)
Excuse me KC but did you really say that the term Nazi is intended to describe German historical ideology and practices? Really? Do you believe this is true of all Germans? It seems to me that you are equating the term Nazi for German. Big mistake! Nazi "practices and ideology" were utilized by Adolf Hitler and his followers. Not all Germans. Think before you speak (or in this case type)! In your haste to use fancy words you have made yourself out to be an ass!
Breastfeeding nazis starved my kid and killed the joy of being a new mom for me for many months - this is mostly my fault for letting them. It turned out that my body just could not make enough milk - no matter how many hours I breastfeed and then pump, drink herbs and take pills - so yes.. "breastfeeding nazi" is exactly what I call these people who are judging and making a mother feel less of a mother because her boobs are not filling up with milk.
Can you believe that five years further on a well known formula feeding advocate still tolerates the use of this offensive term on her public facebook "support" page? All the while claiming that she wants to promote "kindness and understanding" for all types of feeding choices. I fail to see how denigrating breastfeeding advocates is at all acceptable or supportive.
Hey P Pink -
I assume you're referring to me in your comment, so I thought I'd respond. To tell you the truth, I agonize over whether to put some sort of FB "block" on the term (I think you can do that?? I'm stupid with Facebook stuff). But I think people would come up with other permutations that some would find equally offensive. The way I tend to deal with comments is on a case-by-case basis - if I think someone is referring to breastfeeding MOTHERS in a negative way, I come down on them like gangbusters (provided I notice the comment - I don't have additional admins and I'm not always online). But if someone who has come to my page for support after having a traumatic experience due to breastfeeding pressure is venting, and refers to certain behavior from LCs, breastfeeding advocates, etc, as "nazis", "breastapo", etc., I do allow it. I'm not sure it's the right call, but I actually do believe that in some cases, the behavior of certain people does feel like a fascist regime. I do not think this term should be used as a synonym for breastfeeding advocate, but I also don't think "nazi" is on par with some other hurtful terms. Nazi is a system of beliefs. No different in my mind than how some of us hurl around terms like "rightwing loony" or "religious right" when people don't agree with our politics - we mean this in a negative sense. Neither is right, but both are done when someone is feeling like their rights are being infringed upon by someone whose belief system runs contrary to theirs.
Anyway - I'm not saying it's right, but I did want to clarify - because while I definitely want to promote "kindness and understanding" for all feeding choices, I have zero interest in promoting kindness and understanding for those who refuse to do the same. And when I hear the term "breastfeeding nazi", that is the person I imagine: someone who believes breast is best at all costs, and refuses to accept that a woman can be a good mother and an informed individual and still choose formula.
I wrote extensively about this here:
http://www.fearlessformulafeeder.com/2012/04/why-we-shouldnt-use-the-term-breastfeeding-nazis-except-when-we-should/
Ooof- just re-read my comment and realized I implied nazis were on par with right-wing conservatives. Not what I meant at all! Nazi Germany wiped out half my family so I don't take the term lightly - what I meant to say is that we use political/ideological terminology as insults all the time. I don't think people are literally comparing intolerant lactivism with ethnic cleansing, any more so than they are referring to the KKK when they talk about right wing conservatives. I believe they are confusing the term "nazi" with "intolerant", "dogmatic", "cruel".
So FFF, name calling is supportive? What is it supportive of, exactly? It supports the degradation of others. Breastfeeding advocates are people. Lactation consultants are people, just like mothers are people. When you allow bad behavior, you are condoning it. Supporting one person does not mean demeaning another. Name calling is not respectful, and allowing it does not foster respect. That is why I don't tell my children that it is okay to call certain people names just because they think the person deserves the title.
FFF - It is never OK to call anyone a Nazi - except for those few wackos who still support the Aryan superiority ideology. You make a big point in the blog post of how you were taught to "never forget", but you seem to miss the point of why it is important. The dark emotions that the Nazi Party used to create the conditions of the Holocaust are unfortunately never far from any of us. Those dark emotions seem to be constantly present in the rhetoric directed towards breastfeeding supporters on your FB page. Given the obvious high esteem your regular posters have for you, I would expect that occasional admonitions from you would be sufficient to tone down their rhetoric.