Summary

The website content discusses the insensitivity of Bette Midler's tweet suggesting breastfeeding as a cost-free solution amidst the U.S. baby formula shortage, the complexities behind the shortage, and the impact of celebrity opinions on public discourse.

Abstract

The United States is grappling with a significant baby formula shortage, exacerbated by a recall from Abbott, one of the three major companies controlling the market, due to contamination fears. The shortage has been compounded by supply chain issues, pandemic-related stockpiling, and restrictive trade policies. Amidst this crisis, Bette Midler's tweet advocating for breastfeeding as a no-cost alternative has sparked controversy, with many criticizing her for being tone-deaf to the challenges faced by many mothers, including those in the LGBTQIA community and those with medical constraints. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding that not all parents can breastfeed and that such statements can be harmful and dismissive of diverse family structures and individual circumstances.

Opinions

Ilyse Hogue, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, criticized Bette Midler's take on breastfeeding as a solution to the formula shortage, implying it was out of touch with reality.
Bette Midler faced backlash on Twitter for her insensitive remarks, with many calling her obtuse for not considering the complexities of breastfeeding and the diverse situations of parents.
Dr. Rebekah Diamond warns that the assumption that parents can rely solely on breastmilk is misguided and potentially dangerous, highlighting the need for accessible formula.
Bette Midler's advocacy for the LGBTQIA community is questioned in light of her tweet, as it overlooks non-biological mothers and the realities of infant feeding within the community.
The article opines that celebrities, including Bette Midler and Kim Kardashian, can obscure public discourse when their privileged perspectives fail to reflect the struggles of the average American.
The author suggests that Bette Midler's comments do not support American mothers, contrasting with her portrayal in her famous song "Wind Beneath My Wings."

Parenting

Tone-Deaf Bette Midler Tells Women To Try Breastfeeding It’s Free

Bette, respectfully, this is a very bad take. — Ilyse Hogue, former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America

Source: Wikimedia, Author’s composite photo on Canva.

Baby Formula Shortage — What you need to know

More than 40% of formulas are out of stock in supermarkets across America, a crisis that has been building for months and is the result of pandemic supply challenges aggravated by the closure of a major manufacturing plant in February.

Abbott one of the 3 American companies that control over 90% of the market, had to recall products because, in one of their manufacturing plants in Michigan, FDA discovered traces of the pathogen Cronobacter sakazakii, and as a result, two babies died.

Do not use recalled Similac, Alimentum, or EleCare powdered infant formulas produced at Abbott — FDA warning

When this happened the supply chain was adversely affected. And it was like a perfect storm for the infant formula shortage, the bacteria, the virus, and US trade policy have made the problem what it is today.

Who could have imagined that when the pandemic struck, baby formula like toilet paper became a hot item to store, but when things got back to ‘normal’ people began to use what was in their stockpile, making it very hard for manufacturers to plan how much they need to produce for the market.

The US trade policy didn’t help either, infant formula is one of the products that are illegal to buy from European companies and even in neighboring Canada. A policy that has been approved by then US President Trump.

As a result, the U.S. baby formula industry is minuscule, by design. A 2011 analysis by USDA reported that three companies accounted for practically all U.S. formula sales: Abbott, Mead Johnson, and Gerber. — Excerpt, The Atlantic.

Bette Midler

While US President Biden is addressing the problem, the conversation on Twitter takes an ugly turn.

Bette Midler tweeted what many believe is insensitive, her reasons are unknown, she herself is a mom and presumably a working mom when she had her daughter.

And since Bette Midler refuses to delete her tweet, people are calling her obtuse.

Breastfeeding is a complex issue. While we all know and even science says that breastmilk is best for babies, many women struggle in providing breastmilk to their babies and it’s not out of choice.

And if you agree with Bette, you better read this article.

The popular conception that parents can simply rely on breastmilk is misguided and dangerous. — Dr. Rebekah Diamond, assistant professor of pediatrics at Columbia University

Bette Midler a known advocate of the LGBTQIA community should know that not all mothers are biological mothers.

Sometimes the only milk we in the community can provide for our babies is infant formula and we should not be shamed by it, even the biological mothers who for any other reason can’t provide breastmilk for their babies.

What happens if babies don’t get enough formula?

This is a major fear that many parents are experiencing right now.

“Until solid foods are given, breast milk or formula is the primary source of nutrition for infants,” Dr. Lee explained. “Because of their rapid growth, infants have specific nutritional needs, and proper calorie and nutrient intake directly correlates to physical growth and cerebral development.”

Babies who don’t get enough vitamins and other nutrients to help their tissues and organs grow and function suffer serious short- and long-term health hazards. Pediatricians pay close attention to variations in a baby’s weight and height throughout the first few months of life because they can be key developmental indicators. — Dr. Dale Lee, medical director of Clinical Nutrition with Seattle Children’s.

Opinion

While celebrities can amplify issues they can also obfuscate public discourse especially when they start believing that everyone else has the same lives as they have, take the case of Kim Kardashian when she said, ‘Get your f u— ing ass up and work,’ when she made her former assistant eat 99 cent meals.

Bette Midler is a celebrity millionaire, her life doesn't reflect the lives of many American mothers, biological or not.

In this instance, Bette Midler is far from being the wind beneath the wings of American mothers.

Thank you for reading.

Sources:

What’s Behind America’s Shocking Baby-Formula Shortage?

Supply of baby formula has dropped 40% since April

‘Please Help’: A Nationwide Baby Formula Shortage Worsens

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