Linda Hall: No use crying over new milk

Linda Hall

A parcel arrived for me at work recently.

It was in a little chilly bin with a sticker saying "please keep chilled".

Intrigued, I opened it to find a bottle of Lewis Road Creamery Breast Milk.

I laughed. What's this all about I asked myself, then read the press release about the company repackaging one of its popular brands for charity.

What a great idea I thought.

For just three months the homogenised cow's milk would have a red label with the words "Breast Milk: the cow's milk that funds the cure."

For every bottle sold 20 cents would be donated to finding a cure for breast cancer.

Good on them. I bet there are not many readers who don't know someone who has either had breast cancer or knows a friend of a friend that has.

Any money going toward a cure for cancer gets the thumbs up from me.

So I was really surprised when people got upset about it.

New Zealand Breastfeeding Authority chief executive Julie Stufkens said the move was disrespectful towards women.

She said she was concerned mothers would mistake the product for breast milk.

I think we need to give women a bit more credit. It clearly says on the label that is it cows' milk. And please, would anyone really think there was breast milk available in a bottle?

I know you can get some unusual things in the supermarket these days but breast milk.

Thank goodness for Le Leche League New NZ spokeswoman, Lisa Manning. She said people might pick it up, curious as to what it was but would soon realise it was cow's milk. "I don't think people are that daft," she said.

I couldn't agree more.

Today there are rules for everything including climbing ladders.

Schools, businesses, and it seems any club that has more than two members, face so many rules and regulations that people aren't allowed to use their common sense any more.

Of course there have to be rules but people are not stupid. We know what is dangerous for us and what's not. We know that the bottle of milk with breast milk written on it sitting on the supermarket shelf among all the other bottles of cows' milk is not really going to be breast milk.

And if it offends some people ... fine, don't buy it. Although why breast milk is offensive to anyone I don't know. Milk comes out of a cow's udder, not exactly the prettiest thing to look at.

However, it seems anything to do with breast milk and breastfeeding causes "burps".

Some say mothers must breastfeed at all cost. Personally I think if they can yes, of course it's the first choice.

But mothers should not under any circumstances be made to feel guilty because they can't breastfeed.

Nobody has the right to judge someone who chooses not to because we have no idea what their reason is and quite frankly it's none of our business. As long as the baby is thriving and mum is happy no one needs to interfere.

Sometimes I think people get so caught up in what they think is the right thing to do and say they forget that most people still know how to use their common sense.

-Linda Hall is assistant editor at Hawke's Bay Today.