$60 Million Supermodel Gisele Bundchen Needs to Shut Up and Stop Dictating Breastfeeding to Women

Be quiet and get a life -- a REAL life, Miss. Perfect Supermodel Mom, Gisele! When you pronounced to the world in the new September issue of British Harper's Bazaar that there "should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months," you became new mom enemy #1.

How dare a pampered 30-year-old model who earns $60 million a year tell the world's far less fortunate non-supermodel moms that they are negligent for giving "chemical food to your child when they are so little"? That chemical food would be baby formula.

Here's Gisele's full statement, so you can absorb it yourself: Some people in the U.S. "think they don't have to breast feed, and I think, 'Are you going to give chemical food to your child when they are so little?' I think there should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months."

By the way, Miss Know-It-All Gisele is the mother of a 7-month-old son, Benjamin, and is married to the equally wealthy Patriots quarterback, Tom Brady. The pair is sooo wealthy in fact that they are building a $20 million, 22,000 sq ft mansion with a six-car garage in Brentwood, CA.

To say that she has ANY concept of what real life moms and especially real working moms have to cope with when they are trying to breastfeed is the UNDERSTATEMENT of the year.

This is a woman who is waited on hand and foot while she shoots her Victoria's Secret Angel, Dolce & Gabbana, Versace, Valentino, Ralph Lauren, Michael Kors, and Louis Vuitton advertising campaigns and her dozens of Vogue and Harper's Bazaar covers. I know -- I've been on those type of shoots, and supermodels like Gisele are beyond pampered by the stylists, editors, photographers, and hair and makeup people from even before they set foot on set. That's what work is like for her! Does that sound like YOUR office or work environment?

Read on about why supermodel Gisele Bundchen needs to shut up!

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Comments

[angie74]

03:59 PM on 08/16/2010

One of the real problems in North America is that women have been lead to believe that feeding their babies the chemical soup that is formula somehow is just as good as breastfeeding. It is not, for reasons well established in science. The immune system protection, the bonding, the nutrition - there is no level on which breastfeeding is not better than formula. It's also free. Unless a woman has an inability to produce enough milk or she is on medication that makes breastfeeding dangerous, she should breastfeed. If you don't want to provide your best for your baby, why did you have one in the first place?????

[mnkygrl10]

11:53 PM on 08/07/2010

I'm an American living in Australia. Whenever I tell an Aussie that breastfeeding beyond 3 months is frowned upon by many Americans, they're shocked.

Although I wish Gisele had worded it differently--"If you are able, you should bf for at least 6 months" is less controversial, but then, had she said that, her statement may not have received any attention at all.

Recent studies on extended breastfeeding:
http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/06/21/new-study-supports-exclusive-breastfeeding-for-first-six-months/

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60B63220100112.

[marehare]

12:09 PM on 08/19/2010

This is so untrue. I nursed my kids for 10 and 11 months. Mostly all women I know also nursed their kids.
I do notice that latino mothers often don't nurse their babies and therefore don't lose their pregnancy weight.
This is why they get fatter every baby they have.
Nursing is the best way to lose the weight and also give your baby excellent health.
It's free, and healthy.

[Indie3000]

10:09 PM on 08/07/2010

It looks like you are the one doing the dictating.

[the-lexicon]

10:07 PM on 08/07/2010

Even rich babies do better on breast milk.

Maybe you're simply not aware of how it works in the 3rd world, where formula manufacturers like Nestle encourage mothers to try formula. They do, their milk dries up, they're now forced to BUY what they were formerly able to produce themselves, and most often, the formula gets mixed improperly or unhygienically, resulting in far worse infant health.

What's so hard to understand about that?

[Imo Verit]

10:06 PM on 08/07/2010

Got milk?

[Chrisjsamp]

10:01 PM on 08/07/2010

You need to do a little research. Breast feeding, the colostrum in particular, has an enormous impact on the health and nutrition of newborns, especially in developing nations. Among its many benefits, breast feeding can help protect against disease and prevent irreversible cognitive damage to infants due to malnutrition. Do a little research... health organizations all over the world have the research and work tirelessly to educate mothers about breast feeding. It saves lives and prevents untold suffering.

[creasedemon]

09:22 PM on 08/07/2010

She's entitled to her opinion. In fact, breastfeeding is more healthy. I don't care if you're less fortunate or not...formula is not as good for your baby. Period.

[Leper]

09:35 PM on 08/07/2010

She is entitled to her opinion, yes. But when she says 'there ought to be a law..." then she is effectively saying that no one else is entitled to theirs. That's why her statement is rubbing people the wrong way.

[OregonDoug]

09:19 PM on 08/07/2010

I'm glad she said it. Her fame and wealth don't negate the truth of it. Obviously, a "law" is extreme, but getting it out there that being breast fed is by far the preference is a good message anytime. I was born in the mid 50's when "the miracle of modern science" created formula, which is better than breast milk. Bogus!

[LSarge]

09:04 PM on 08/07/2010

Maybe I'm missing the point here,but I see the main issue as this notion that a model decided there should be a "worldwide law" mandating 6 months of breast feeding, not whether or not it is beneficial to do so. Can we hope for exceptions to this "worldwide law" in the case of mothers who take medication or who simply can't manage the regimen? Another woman's choice is none of my business,or Gisele's either. While there is plenty of evidence that breastfeeding is more beneficial, I know that I and my siblings and cousins were bottle-fed and we are all just fine thank you. I think the "breast nazis" go a little too far with the scare tactics. It's a choice a mother makes with her pediatrician.

[Leper]

11:43 PM on 08/07/2010

I think that it was hyperbole on Gisele's part. I think that she was trying to make her point strongly and went overboard. I've heard other people say stuff like this (on points other than breastfeeding) and when pressed if they really believe it they would say "no".

I can understand why people are getting upset over this but if you really think about it: "a worldwide law", well that doesn't sound feasible at all so it is not likely that she meant this literally.

I think everyone needs to step back and take a deep breath (me included).

[angie74]

04:06 PM on 08/16/2010

You're right that it is a choice, but not all choices are equal. This isn't just the mother's lifestyle choice, this is her baby's health and future. I am a new mom, and am astounded by the number of dirty looks I have gotten while nursing and the number of other moms I have talked to who just said "breastfeeding is not for me." I know a few moms who can't breastfeed physically, and another who is on serious medication for MS which would be dangerous for the baby. But to decide not to breastfeed because you want your tits to stay perky, or because you can't be bothered - well, there should be a law against THAT.

[Kay St]

08:36 PM on 08/07/2010

Smokers also get defensive about all the negative attention their behavior gets. Not breastfeeding your child is irresponsible behavior and those who choose not to do so for frivolous reasons deserve to be called out. Public policy makes sure everyone knows that by choosing to smoke, they endanger their health and that of others. Women should be made aware of the health benefits there are in choosing to breastfeed. Thank you, Gisele (whoever you are!)

[LSarge]

09:06 PM on 08/07/2010

Are you so sure that no one would ever find any reason at all for you to be "called out"? How about respecting other people's right to make their own choices.

[OregonDoug]

09:23 PM on 08/07/2010

In Oregon, there have been two kids who have lost their lives since their parent's church believed that faith in god would heal their child. The parents of one spent some time in jail, rightly so. My point, there is a limit to the choices that a family has with their child(ren). I'm not saying this is one of those limits, but not breast feeding your baby (if you can, I appreciate not everyone can), is wrong.

[Troff]

07:25 PM on 08/07/2010

Gisele is right, you're wrong. Good night.

[gunnergoz]

05:08 PM on 08/07/2010

When it comes right down to it, the USA is one of the least family friendly countries in the world. Our corporate and business-first mentality says that employers' rights take precedence over maternal rights and certainly over the everyday issues that concern mere families. We give less maternal leave, require more of working mothers and give much less in return. The government, handmaiden to the corporations, yields to them in this. I think Gisele may be ignorant of what life is like for ordinary mothers, but the fact remains that US mothers get short shrift from employers and government when it comes to consideration for their duties to their children.

[shorjun]

05:18 PM on 08/07/2010

Yes, US corporation and governments are not supportive. But that's still no excuse.

[femmyror]

05:03 PM on 08/07/2010

So all you people agree with Gisele that there should be a LAW that says that women have to breastfeed?

Also, it is pretty annoying when the wealthy/famous tell us mortals how to live... Gwyneth Paltrow comes to mind.

[angie74]

04:11 PM on 08/16/2010

This isn't about her being rich. The fact is, someone needs to give North American women and their doctors a huge wakeup call to stop believing the PR of the formula companies that breastmilk and formula are equal. They're not. Maybe if women knew they were feeding their babies a poor substitute they would start breastfeeding more. Then again, lots of people feed their kids fast food burgers, overly processed quasi-foods and loads of sugar on a regular basis. Maybe most people here just don't care what they put in their kids' bodies.

[femmyror]

08:54 AM on 08/17/2010

So you do think there should be a law?

[playsindirt]

04:53 PM on 08/07/2010

I breast fed both of my sons for for 15 and 14 months, respectively, and it's HARD work. I applaud her message but breastfeeding is a personal choice and not for everybody. I was lucky enough to be able to stay at home with my children. If I would have had to pump I couldn't have done it. I never got the hang of pumping and neither of my boys tolerated artificial nipples. It is a huge time commitment as anyone who as ever done it knows. And I have plenty of friends who simply couldn't do it. They were too high strung, they thought it was "gross", they didn't want to give up alcohol or watch their diets continually, they had full-time jobs, etc. I think Fuller has more of an issue with the messenger and not the message.

[Ale]

04:52 PM on 08/07/2010

So, in your world, opinions about breastfeeding and laws are only valid if they are from working class folk?
You honestly sound bitter and spiteful, attacking the messenger for expressing an opinion without really having anything intelligent to say about the actual message.