Mindbomb Monday

In the 1970's the founders of Greenpeace came up with the idea of using electronic media to communicate revolutionary ideas, they came up with the tactic "mindbomb" whereby they would use simple images, delivered by the media, that would "explode in people's minds" and create a new understanding of the world.
On some Mondays I hope to share an image that might be considered a "mindbomb" that could get people thinking throughout the week ahead.  I won't include any words with the image as I hope the image alone will speak for itself.  Sometimes I will use images found online, other times it will be my own photographs and they will reflect something that has spoken to me from the past week.  It might be shocking, inspiring, confrontational or uplifting.
If you would like to join in please share your "mindbomb" in a comment.

World Breastfeeding Week

This week is World Breastfeeding Week! and the theme this year is "Breastfeeding Support: Close to Mothers".  This is a cause that is close to my heart as I have recently qualified as a Breastfeeding Helper for The Breastfeeding Network.
This means that, once I get my badge, I can help mothers, at my local well baby clinic in an official capacity, who want to breastfeed.  I am really excited to get started with helping other mothers because I feel passionately for breastfeeding and really want to help those mothers who are struggling but need extra support. 
I really enjoyed the course run by The Breastfeeding Network and met some really amazing women on it. I would highly recommend it to any mother who has breastfed and would like to help others.
There are several reasons why I wanted to become a Breastfeeding Helper:

• The first is that I have seem so many women, friends and strangers alike who desperately wanted to breastfeed but have really struggled and have had to give up, I would like to help women like these to continue breastfeeding so that they and their babies can get of to the best possible start in life and motherhood.
• I read a book called "The Politics of Breastfeeding" by Gabrielle Palmer and it totally changed my view on Breastfeeding.  Before I read it I thought that there were a lot of women who "just couldn't breastfeed" but after reading this book I found out that the number of women who medically can't breastfeed is tiny (about 2% I think)  and one of the reasons many women struggle and give up is because of a lack of support.
• I strongly dislike formula companies and their insidious advertising techniques and the way that they undermine breastfeeding.  They are not there for mothers and babies they are there to make money.  By helping mothers to breastfeed I would be helping to undermine formula companies.
• On reflecting on my own experience of breastfeeding I realised that my experiences could help other mothers who want to breastfeed. 

Wow, I could actually write a whole blog post about each of these bullet points!  There is so much more to say.

I feel really strongly that if women received more support they would have more success in breastfeeding.  They shouldn't have to go out looking for it, catching a bus to the next town to attend a clinic, it should be there, ready and available. 

If you feel you can support World Breastfeeding Week, visit the website and follow the link,
Or else you can donate to The Breastfeeding Network.


 What are your thoughts about breastfeeding support or the lack thereof?