Comments on: The Economics of Breastfeeding: A Cost-Benefit Analysis http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/ ...exploring the art and science of parenting Thu, 18 Mar 2010 02:58:18 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: My Picks for Best Breastfeeding Blogs and Posts | PhD in Parenting http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-34405 My Picks for Best Breastfeeding Blogs and Posts | PhD in Parenting Mon, 18 Jan 2010 19:56:51 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-34405 [...] The Economics of Breastfeeding: A Cost-Benefit Analysis [...] [...] The Economics of Breastfeeding: A Cost-Benefit Analysis [...]

]]> By: Chrystal http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-32062 Chrystal Tue, 29 Dec 2009 19:09:43 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-32062 Excellent article. I don't understand why people argue so vehemently against something that is clearly what nature intended. My "decision" to breastfeed did not impact my potential earnings. In fact, while I was on maternity leave (and yes, I took 22 weeks off), I was offered a promotion upon my return. My management did not see the fact that I was breastfeeding and would need to take breaks to pump as a negative (I was fortunate and we had a nursing mother's room specifically for pumping). However, I decided not to return to work after my maternity leave. That decision was in no way impacted by the fact that I was breastfeeding. We just decided it was best for our family for me to stay home with our daughter. Excellent article. I don’t understand why people argue so vehemently against something that is clearly what nature intended. My “decision” to breastfeed did not impact my potential earnings. In fact, while I was on maternity leave (and yes, I took 22 weeks off), I was offered a promotion upon my return. My management did not see the fact that I was breastfeeding and would need to take breaks to pump as a negative (I was fortunate and we had a nursing mother’s room specifically for pumping). However, I decided not to return to work after my maternity leave. That decision was in no way impacted by the fact that I was breastfeeding. We just decided it was best for our family for me to stay home with our daughter.

]]> By: Are we asking the wrong people to comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes? http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-16642 Are we asking the wrong people to comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes? Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:03:17 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-16642 [...] for both the baby and the mother. It can lead to deaths as well as increased health problems and increased health costs (whether you have a public system or a private insurance system, you do pay for other [...] [...] for both the baby and the mother. It can lead to deaths as well as increased health problems and increased health costs (whether you have a public system or a private insurance system, you do pay for other [...]

]]> By: Societal Barriers to Breastfeeding « MomsRising Blog http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-16231 Societal Barriers to Breastfeeding « MomsRising Blog Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:51:53 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-16231 [...] We need to keep providing medical, technical and moral support to women who are struggling with breastfeeding. That will always be a requirement. But to truly facilitate breastfeeding, we need to break down these barriers so that all families and all babies can benefit from the health benefits of breastfeeding and the economic benefits of breastfeeding. [...] [...] We need to keep providing medical, technical and moral support to women who are struggling with breastfeeding. That will always be a requirement. But to truly facilitate breastfeeding, we need to break down these barriers so that all families and all babies can benefit from the health benefits of breastfeeding and the economic benefits of breastfeeding. [...]

]]> By: Societal Barriers to Breastfeeding http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-16224 Societal Barriers to Breastfeeding Fri, 11 Sep 2009 03:38:23 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-16224 [...] We need to keep providing medical, technical and moral support to women who are struggling with breastfeeding. That will always be a requirement. But to truly facilitate breastfeeding, we need to break down these barriers so that all families and all babies can benefit from the health benefits of breastfeeding and the economic benefits of breastfeeding. [...] [...] We need to keep providing medical, technical and moral support to women who are struggling with breastfeeding. That will always be a requirement. But to truly facilitate breastfeeding, we need to break down these barriers so that all families and all babies can benefit from the health benefits of breastfeeding and the economic benefits of breastfeeding. [...]

]]> By: lauren http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-8417 lauren Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:34:21 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-8417 All I can do is laugh after reading the case against breastfeeding and other works. Really?? Is there even a case against it, I still have not heard ANYONE deny that it is preferred. And Economics is a SOCIAL science, there is no simple cost/benefit analysis that can be reduced to simply a loss of income by breastfeeding. Ha ,what a joke, I think the author actually makes her case in favor of breastfeeding by showing that more educated women (that earned the higher wages before they even had children) are the ones breastfeeding. All I can do is laugh after reading the case against breastfeeding and other works. Really?? Is there even a case against it, I still have not heard ANYONE deny that it is preferred. And Economics is a SOCIAL science, there is no simple cost/benefit analysis that can be reduced to simply a loss of income by breastfeeding. Ha ,what a joke, I think the author actually makes her case in favor of breastfeeding by showing that more educated women (that earned the higher wages before they even had children) are the ones breastfeeding.

]]> By: Let me provoke you…and beg for your votes | PhD in Parenting http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-7454 Let me provoke you…and beg for your votes | PhD in Parenting Tue, 09 Jun 2009 04:04:18 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-7454 [...] humiliated, I don’t sulk. I post. That was true when I lashed out at Hanna Rosin in the Economics of Breastfeeding and in The Case Against Breastfeeding: Is it Anti-Feminist. It was true when I told facebook what I [...] [...] humiliated, I don’t sulk. I post. That was true when I lashed out at Hanna Rosin in the Economics of Breastfeeding and in The Case Against Breastfeeding: Is it Anti-Feminist. It was true when I told facebook what I [...]

]]> By: The Scientific Benefits of Breastfeeding | PhD in Parenting http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-5978 The Scientific Benefits of Breastfeeding | PhD in Parenting Fri, 15 May 2009 01:06:23 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-5978 [...] my post on the Economics of Breastfeeding: A Cost-Benefit Analysis and the follow-up to that post, I mentioned a study called Maternal Employment, Breastfeeding, and [...] [...] my post on the Economics of Breastfeeding: A Cost-Benefit Analysis and the follow-up to that post, I mentioned a study called Maternal Employment, Breastfeeding, and [...]

]]> By: Sean http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-5679 Sean Sun, 10 May 2009 16:32:03 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-5679 I agree with you, but the only point which seems to be lacking is the incentive effect of greater protection for breastfeeding mothers (and for women of childbearing age and potential generally) on hiring and promotion decisions. And I think it's also a bit inevitable. For me it's not so shocking to discover that there may be an economic price to pay for looking after your children properly. It involves sacrifice of personal interests very narrowly construed for the interests of the child. This is what parenting is about. In the end the cost-benefit is enormously positive, provided that you have the right metric and objective function ! These are complex societal issues to which I don't think anyone has perfect answers, but yes, again, broadly I agree with you. Unfortunately I think you have also forgotten the major economic benefit as well. Insofar as breastfeeding proxies for attachment parenting (and I'm afraid it does), the result is happier, healthier, and more productive future adult members of society, less likely to engage in destructive and self-destructive behavior and more likely to help others and generally increase the overall level of happiness in society. Now that really is important....! I agree with you, but the only point which seems to be lacking is the incentive effect of greater protection for breastfeeding mothers (and for women of childbearing age and potential generally) on hiring and promotion decisions. And I think it’s also a bit inevitable. For me it’s not so shocking to discover that there may be an economic price to pay for looking after your children properly. It involves sacrifice of personal interests very narrowly construed for the interests of the child. This is what parenting is about. In the end the cost-benefit is enormously positive, provided that you have the right metric and objective function ! These are complex societal issues to which I don’t think anyone has perfect answers, but yes, again, broadly I agree with you.

Unfortunately I think you have also forgotten the major economic benefit as well. Insofar as breastfeeding proxies for attachment parenting (and I’m afraid it does), the result is happier, healthier, and more productive future adult members of society, less likely to engage in destructive and self-destructive behavior and more likely to help others and generally increase the overall level of happiness in society. Now that really is important….!

]]> By: Family Friendly Working Blog » Blog Archive » Breastfeeding Awareness Week: Breastfeeding and Work http://www.phdinparenting.com/2009/04/24/the-economics-of-breastfeeding-a-cost-benefit-analysis/#comment-5661 Family Friendly Working Blog » Blog Archive » Breastfeeding Awareness Week: Breastfeeding and Work Sun, 10 May 2009 10:01:06 +0000 http://www.phdinparenting.com/?p=1623#comment-5661 [...] is a debate going on about the hidden cost of breastfeeding. Over at PhD in Parenting, you can find out about research on “how breastfeeding is beneficial to a baby’s health and [...] [...] is a debate going on about the hidden cost of breastfeeding. Over at PhD in Parenting, you can find out about research on “how breastfeeding is beneficial to a baby’s health and [...]

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