Head in the Sand as a Parenting Method

I was on a parenting message board yesterday doing some reading. I'm not sure why I still subject myself to the ignorance displayed on many of those boards, but it is interesting to see what "regular" moms are up to. Someone started a thread asking the other mothers if they were surprised to find out that so many parenting choices are controversial. She wanted to know what those controversies were; she says she's writing a research paper on the topic.

I began to read the responses, which all seemed benign. Women were listing the subjects that moms seems divided over, but no one was attacking another over her own choices. All in all, I found it amazingly civil for that forum. Then I got to another post by the woman asking the questions. She mentioned that when she became a mother, she was shocked by the debate over breastfeeding. She described going to a playgroup somewhere that had posters proclaiming "Breast is Best" on the walls. She was offended because she felt as though they were questioning her choice to formula feed, and stated that her decision was a good one.

It strikes me that anyone who is offended by pieces of paper might not be as happy with her choice as she would like everyone (including herself) to believe. There is also the fact that breastfeeding is superior to formula feeding. I understand that there are actual circumstances where formula is necessary, but in most cases in our society, there is a choice involved. I am astounded at the great number of mothers out that who parent based on what their friends and relatives and baby-product-sponsored-parenting magazines say instead of basing their choices on facts. Pretending that formula feeding has no down side is like sticking your head in the sand and ignoring the fact that our children's mounting health issues have nothing to do with the choices we make.

Here's an article that fits that parenting model. A woman was asked to nurse in the bathroom of her YMCA instead of in the children's area. They told her that a toddler went home and "mimicked breastfeeding" and his/her parent complained. What kind of person is offended when her child pretends to do something so innocent and natural as nursing her baby? Is it really so awkward to have to explain breastfeeding to your child?