The Skeptical OB

Excuse me while I catch my breath from laughing so hard. Kate Tietje, Modern Alternative Mama, has ventured into the world of moral reasoning and the results are just as hilarious as her attempts at medical advice. Combining the ethics, narcissism and contempt for expertise of a Donald Trump with the medical knowledge of a […]

It’s not up to me to accept or reject Ina May Gaskin’s apology for her racist comments: …[M]y answer to a Texas Conference Q & A question has caused a great deal of hurt, and was insulting and demeaning to many, especially Women, and People, of Color. While the intent behind my answer was anything […]

In the wake of a lecture by Ina May Gaskin, sponsored by the Texas Birth Network, birth workers Tasha Portley, R.N, M.S.N, C.C.M, C.P.ST, Erricka Bailey, CD, Jasmine Banks, L.A.C have created the petition Demand ICAN and TBN Trust BLACK Women. Yesterday during a session at the Texas Birth Network “Birth Roundup” registered nurse Tasha […]

I’m looking foward to partipating in the March for Science in Washington, DC this Saturday. I’m bringing my March for Science T-shirt, my rain gear and my passionate commitment to the value of science in improving the human condition. Therefore, I was disappointed to read Arthur Lambert’s piece in STAT, Why I’m not attending the […]

Yesterday I wrote about the ways in which maternal foodwork reinforces privilege: Those engaged in intensive maternal foodwork may claim — and may even believe — that they are improving their children’s health, but the primary purpose of intensive foodwork is to demonstrate privilege. In other words, rather than rejecting consumerism, women who embrace intensive […]

One of the most important aspects of being privileged — whether that is through race, class or the size of your bank account — is to make sure everyone else knows that you are privileged. That’s just as true about motherhood as in any other area. It can be accomplished through conspicuous consumption (extraordinarily expensive […]

Social media is the lifeblood of the natural childbirth and lactivists movements; advocates have been fattened on alternative “facts” and therefore rendered ignorant of the truth and indignant at anyone who dares to correct them. Consider this Facebook comment from Scarlett Lynsky: Amy Tuteur- Professional Troll, Woman with a Vendetta. Angry at anyone who breastfeeds or […]

Breastfeeding is excellent. If lactivists confined themselves to that message, they’d be on solid ground. Instead they insist that breastfeeding is perfect. Since nothing in nature is perfect, their aggressive efforts to promote breastfeeding are leading to injuries and deaths. And in attempting to justify those injuries and deaths, blithering idiots write pieces like This […]

The lactivist attack on the Fed Is Best Foundation is a perfect example of shooting the messenger. According to Wikipedia: “Shooting the messenger” is a metaphoric phrase used to describe the act of blaming the bearer of bad news. In this case, the bad news is that the relentless efforts to promote breastfeeding are leading […]

Baby Landon Johnson died a preventable death from insufficient breastmilk, but he is making a big difference nonetheless. Landon’s story has lit a fire under the breastfeeding industry. Oh, not to make sure that other babies don’t die, too. Be serious! The lactation industry has mobilized all its resources to prevent cognitive dissonance and loss […]