Win-Wins for Moms & Babies

I may sound like a big lib to some conservatives, but I don’t care. I think it’s great that the First Lady issupporting breast feeding initiatives including a push to make workplaces more friendly for nursing moms.

Before someone starts condemning working moms, the reality is that many women have to work (especially the single moms who might otherwise have had abortions). One friend of mine actually had a child care provider who would bring the baby to her so that she could nurse. Obviously, an exceptional situation.

Moms who don’t work and nurse could also benefit, say if they’re want to visit their husband for lunch. Makes it much easier if there’s a comfortable place to nurse.

According to the same article linked to above, the IRS has announced that it will start giving tax breaks on nursing equipment/supplies and that flex spending accounts will cover these items, too.

These are two good initiatives that help to soften the drama that having a child is a huge production, only to be undertaken maybe 1.7 times, 2 times at most. They help to make having children seem like a normal, ordinary part of life. Hopefully we can all get behind that.

And for more in the win-win for mom/baby category, here’s astoryabout a mother who, against her doctors advice, chose to postpone intensive chemo treatments until her baby was born. Mom and baby are both doing well. As Carolyn Moynihan points out, it certainly makes you wonder about those stark “choices” that some doctors offer women in these situations.

Update (Feb. 16, 2011): I want to clarify that I’m not necessarily supportive of the legislative vehicle that the First Lady recommends, but I do think it’s a good initiative that deserves consideration.