|
What we know
intellectually and how we feel emotionally aren’t necessarily the same. This
quiz is designed to help you get a better sense of your feelings, beliefs and
attitudes about breastfeeding. Once you’ve identified what you bring to the
experience personally and emotionally, you are in a better place to move forward
in thinking about your breastfeeding and parenting journey.
Answer these 9
questions. Then read the commentary and information that follows.
(You can either click on the commentary after completing the quiz,
or you can read it as you go along by clicking on the "shortcut to commentary"
link that follows each question.) Remember that there are no right or wrong answers!
Note that some of the questions are designed more for expectant
moms, but if you're already breastfeeding, you can still answer them.
1. Which best
describes how you were fed as a baby?
A.
My mother fed me formula from the beginning and everyone she knew bottle-fed.
B. I don’t know.
C. My mother wanted to breastfeed, but it didn’t work out.
D. My
mother formula fed some of her children, but breastfed others for at least a few
months.
E. My mother breastfed me and/or my siblings for at least a year and
remembers it fondly.
Shortcut to
commentary
2. To what
extent have you been around other nursing mothers?
A.
I’ve never known anyone who nursed or seen anyone breastfeed.
B. I don’t personally
know anyone who has, but I’ve seen mothers breastfeeding in public.
C. No one in my family has ever breastfed but I have friends or
acquaintances who have.
D. I don’t know many people who have nursed, so I’ve sought out
nursing mothers in places like La Leche League.
E. Lots! My friends all nurse, various family members have nursed,
and it feels like the norm in my community.
Shortcut to commentary
3. My overall
attitude toward breastfeeding is (or was, when you first started out):
A. I’ll give it a try for a few days and if it doesn’t work out, I’ll switch to
formula. It’s just as good.
B. I don’t think I’m going to like it, but I’ll do it for the baby’s sake.
C. I’ll nurse for a while, but once I go back to work, I’ll switch
to formula. I may supplement earlier than that because it will make it easier
for others to feed the baby.
D. I plan to nurse exclusively for six months and continue
non-exclusively for a year.
E. I
plan to nurse for as long as my baby wants to, hopefully for at least two years, and vow that no formula will
touch his or her lips!
Shortcut to
commentary
4. What or who
most influences your breastfeeding decisions?
A.
The media.
B. Family and friends. If they disapprove, I will probably not
continue.
C. My health care providers
D, My partner, but if we disagree I will still do what I feel is
best.
E. No one. I feel confident in my decision and am not influenced
by other opinions.
Shortcut to
commentary
5. Do
you think that your birth experience will (or did) influence your ability to get
breastfeeding off to a good start?
A.
Not at all. What does childbirth have to do with breastfeeding anyway?
B. Only
in the case of a C-section because that might make it harder to nurse right away and room-in together.
C. I don’t think
where the birth takes place or who attends the birth makes a difference. As long as
a baby is born healthy, nursing will be
fine.
D. I think some of the more serious drugs might affect how alert my
baby is, so I’m going to try (or did try) to avoid taking them during my
labor.
E. Definitely!
And I'm doing (did) everything possible to prepare for an intervention-free birth
experience.
Shortcut to
commentary
6. Which
statement most accurately describes your thoughts about giving birth?
A.
Why bother with labor at all? I’d rather have a scheduled C-section.
B. It doesn’t matter what I think. My doctor has told me I have
(or had) to
have a C-section.
C. I’m terrified. Thank god for drugs! I want(ed) an epidural as soon
as I feel (felt) that first contraction.
D. I’m
all for a natural birth, but I trust my doctor
or midwife’s judgment about what is best.
E. I trust my body to do what it was designed to do and am ready to
embrace the experience even though it will hurt.
Shortcut to commentary
7. Which
of the following best describes your thoughts about how babies should sleep:
A.
Babies belong in their own bed, in their own room, and should be taught how to
sleep through the night as soon as possible.
B. Babies belong in their own bed, in their own room, but parents
should respond to them when they cry.
C. Babies need to sleep alone, but should be in the same room as
the parents.
D. Every baby is unique, each family is unique and parents have to
discover what works best for their own situation.
E. Humans are mammals. Mothers and babies should always sleep
together unless there is some reason preventing it.
Shortcut to commentary
8. Your
first reaction when you see someone nursing in public is:
A.
That’s disgusting. I could never do that.
B. I don’t know. I’ve never seen anyone nurse in public before.
C. I’m glad that mother is nursing, but she should find a private
place to do it.
D. What a beautiful sight. Good for her for not retreating to a
bathroom!
E. I not only think it’s great, but I would go up and tell her so.
Shortcut to
commentary
9. How long do
you think a mother should continue nursing?
A.
Just for the colostrum or the first couple of weeks.
B. For a couple of months or until she goes back to work.
C. A fixed period of six months or a year.
D. Until she and her nursling are ready to stop.
E. For two years or more.
Shortcut to
commentary
Back to Top
Scoring:
There are 45 points total.
For each A, give
yourself 1 point
For each B, give
yourself 2 points
For each C, give
yourself 3 points
For each D, give
yourself 4 points
For each E, give
yourself 5 points
Your
overall score tells you a lot about your feelings and attitudes toward
breastfeeding and some of the issues intimately associated with it. The higher
your score, the more likely you are to embrace the experience, with all it’s
potential highs and lows. In fact, if you scored above, say, 46, it may be
helpful to remember that not everyone is as the same place you are and that’s
ok. We’re each on our own path.
The
lower your score, the more likely you may want to seek out additional
information or think about the issues raised here. This doesn’t mean that your
feelings are somehow wrong. But how committed and determined you are – about
anything, really – may offer some indication as to how successful you will be
and, hopefully, how much you will ultimately enjoy the experience.
Remember that breastfeeding, like parenting in general, is a journey that you
and your child will take together. It is ever-changing, requires an open mind,
and there is no one right or wrong way to do it.
Click
here to read more about the issues raised in
each question.
Back to top.
|
