Jenny Colgan: Jordan's great, but she's let us down a bit

I genuinely like and admire Jordan, I think she's great. She does everything her own way and doesn't give a toss what people think - compare her to, for example, the needy car crash that is Jodie Marsh. She's incredibly pretty, ballsy, brainy and a hands-on mum, and it's made her a millionaire a load of times over. Okay, it would have be brilliant if such a role model could have made it to the top with a little bit less masturbatory fluid involved, but on the whole I think Britain should be proud of her. I even think it's a shame we didn't let her go to Eurovision at nine months preggers in that vinyl pink catsuit. After all, it's not like we're ever going to win Eurovision again, so we might as well have shown that we didn't care.

Anyway, she has, though, just let us down a bit. Not in naming her daughter Princess Tiiamii (with the randomly placed accent to make it 'a bit unusual'), which is fab, but in her current interview in 'OK' magazine.

"Are you breastfeeding?' asks the mag.

"No, it's brilliant!" she says, then mentions she's got crates of disposable baby milk bottles, just pops one in and throws the bottles away without having to sterilise. Then follows an extremely large pic of her with aforementioned disposable bottle, label turned towards the lens. "I don't want a baby drinking from me" she adds. "I don't care what people say - you don't have to breastfeed."

Now, I hate prosletyizers of all shapes and sizes, including the hairy- faced breastfeeding fascists who holler "TUMMY TO MUMMY!!!!" at any given opportunity and imply that your child will be an obese asthmatic underachiever if they miss a single drop of the good stuff, regardless of how much blood you may have to shed to achieve it.

Of course bottle-fed children are completely okay. But breast is best. It just is better. And Jordan is such a role model, for so many girls, particularly young girls, in nearly everything she does, that for her to dismiss it with an 'I don't care what people say' (whilst entirely characteristic and in keeping with her take-no-prisoners personality) is nonetheless pretty upsetting. There's no reason people with implants can't feed. There's lots of reasons why people who 'don't want a baby drinking from me' should at least give it a shot.

There is another clue to why Jordan isn't at it though, in a later question:

OK: How have you managed to lose weight so quickly?

JORDAN: I honestly don't know. I blend fruit for breakfast and don't have lunch.

Well, that'll certainly get rid of your milk supply for you.

Comments

[Halia]

Oh for heavens sake - can we drop the self rightoues 'of course breast is best' thing already?
A happy healthy child and mum is best - and there are cases when breastfeeding DOESN'T result in a happy healthy family.
There is no logic in making such a sweeping generalisation, but I suppouse its not such a good media soundbite to say anything longer.

This is the advice/guidance I'd like to see given to health workers;

"there appears to be a correlation between the anitbodies found in breast milk and a reduced risk of allergies, if the birth mother is present and able to breastfeed then this is the recomended form of nutrient for babies under 6 months of age.(able in the full sense of the word - physically, mentally and emotionally).
There are certain medical conditions which could make it inadvisable to breastfeed- severe depression, anorexia, HIV. In the case of mental or emotional issue please refer mother to appropriatly trained staff if you believe the mother or child is at risk or if the mother asks for advice, do NOT udner any circumstance attempt to carry out unqualified and 'ad hoc' counselling or to try and persuade the mtoher as to a course of action regarding breastfeeding if there are sexual abuse/ eating disorder/ sever PND issues to be dealt with. There are many cases when the birth mother is not present and therefore breastfeeding is not possible.
The primary concern is a healthy child and mother, providing the child is gaining weight and the mother does not express/exhibit any signs of distress the mother should be left to make her own decision.
In the event that a family is formula feeding please ensure that adequete support regarding sterilisation, feeding times etc is given.
Please note there is NO causual link between breastfeeding and higher IQ. As regards to allergies it appears there is a slight causual link between breastfeeding and a reduced RISK of allergies, please be careful NOT to give the impression that breastfeeding will prevent the occurance of allergies or that forumala feeding will guarentee allergies.
It is not recomeded that you support the setting up of exclusive breatfeeding support groups unless you are able to offer the same level of support/group activities for formula feeding carers/parents.
Ensure that any signage / literature makes it clear that your premises are 'feeding friendly' or 'baby friendly' not purely 'breastfeeding friendly'.
When citing any studies please make yourself aware of factors such as sample sizes, location correlation v causation, funding bias etc which affect the validity of data.
Above all remember that the act of physically breastfeeding is a very personal choice made at an emotive time of change, as a health worker you are unlikely to be aware of all factors influencing a fmaily, please respect carers rights to make a personal decision"

[Billy]

Totally agree with the comment that much fuss is made over how to milk feed your baby but then many of those breast feeding warriors only turn to factory-made solid foods afterwards istead of making baby's food at home themselves.

Maybe we need another beardy campaign in favour of home-made weaning food so all those who cannot think for themselves do the right thing with regard to solid food too!

Great on Jordan that she can make up her own mind and not care about what the neighbours think.

[Karen]

I'm not sure why so many people seems to think that a 'breast is best' campaign is in the least bit offensive. What can possibly be wrong with making sure that people are in possesssion of all the facts before making an enormous decision such as how to feed their babies?

If people choose an artificial method of feeding, for whatever reason, it is their absolute right to do so.

I realise that many women do experience sensations of guilt on stopping breastfeeding, but I firmly believe that these sensations are self-generated, and should not be used as an excuse for shying away from a public debate or campaign, particularly when so many scientific studies back up the messages involved.

The alienation argument holds no water by the way - it is far more alienating to breastfeed in public than to bottle feed; whip out a bottle and people coo and fuss and comment on how well he's doing on that milk...whip out a boob, and they run for the hills!

As long as there are babies, there will be people who care passionately about how they are cared for. As a mum, your only way to hang on to any shred of self esteem is to learn to make your own choices and accept they will be different from those made by others - without feeling guilty on the one hand, or smug on the other!

As for pureeing - apparently this is not falling by the wayside as the 'Baby led weaning' bandwagon rolls into town. And will I feel guilty because I spoon-fed my baby instead of letting him do it all by himself? NOT A CHANCE!!

[miri]

I'm sure I was told "nose to nipple"

[jane]

Surely it's silly to expect Jordan to risk any damage to her professional assets? Anyway, maybe they're all full of silicon, not milk.

[Wendy V]

An antidote to Jordan in the world of celebrity babyfood? Gwen Stefani. I noticed in yesterday's Observer Woman (am I allowed to mention another paper?!) that she happily talks about how convenient it is to still be breastfeeding her one-year old while on her world tour.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/woman/story/0,,2139209,00.html

[Hayley]

I'm the only girl on my estate to have even tried breastfeeding. It's not even hard, it's quite nice really. Costs nothing either. I don't understand why anyone would choose the powder over what God gives them. Surely it takes more effort to mix it and get the temperature right and so on. I daren't ask though, in case it's some personal issue or whatever.

Is there a clear reason why posher women tend to breastfeed more?

[jo]

I remember reading an interview of hers years ago where she said she didn't want her child to suck on what other men have been titillated by - or something.

She took pills to "dry them up".

[supermother]

The more working class you are in the UK the less likely you are to breastfeed so presumably that's part of the reason if there hadn't been any technical issues.

[Hairy-Faced Mummy]

I just find it supremely ironic that the woman who is most famous for the size of her breasts feels she shouldn't use them for one of their main and most important functions.

Don't blame Jordan - how many other UK 'celeb' mothers breastfeed? Blame instead a culture which subjects such mothers to miniscule scrutiny and criticism if they dare put on weight during pregnancy and show any signs of ever having given birth.

[Lyn]

I too am fed up with the "breast is best" campaign, breast ISN'T best, breast is just normal baby food that babiess have eaten for millions of years, the slogan should be "formula is worse".

Saying breast is best just makes it sound like formula is the norm and you only breastfeed if you want to go that extra mile!

[supermother]

Alpha mothers breastfeed and they certainly barely know who Jordan is and have even less interest in her.

[Yolande]

That baby can't be his!

[annie]

Good for Jordan. I felt the same way but those that don't want to breast feed are made to feel like worthless mothers by the breast is best zealots. Why should she follow what they say because they have decided she is a role model.

[baby blue]

It's interesting that a formula company has chosen to place an advert for its follow-on milk (for babies six months plus) in the middle of said article. Blimey, it's the same brand as the carefully-positioned bottles Jordan's baby is glugging from. Well, fancy that!

NB since it's illegal to advertise formula for babies under six months, the company has cleverly got round the laws. Jordan must be very proud.

[Lesley]

yes we all know that breast is best, but at the end of the day isnt a happy Mummy and baby even better, yes its important to give any child the best start in life, but i wonder how many of the brest is best gang went on to puree their baby foods instead of giving jars and are stay at home mums?

[Alice]

I have to correct the women who thinks that you can breast feed if the nipple is removed and re attached. She is getting her breast operations confused. You can only breast feed if the milk ducts are not interfereed with and removing the nipple does just that, this is why I chose to only have implants, in case I decided to have another baby.
Alice, London

[Mumoftwo]

Her view is not particularly unusual- when I had my first, I was just about to breastfeed her in hospital when a lady who was having her fourth shouted across 'eugh, I wouldn't let any of mine do that to me!' I don't really care if other people breastfeed or use formula, I'd much rather breastfeed, but that isn't the only reason I avoid having plastic fake breasts attached (implants do affect feeding as the nipple is taken off and reattached, lovely!)

[Ron]

This blog is just ridiculous, if Jordan is your role model there is something wrong with you and a society that allows people like you write in a main paper shallow banalities. Get a life

[Chanel]

Breastfeeding, whatever. I think it's awful that she's ashamed her daughter has red hair. How mean is that?

[Chanel]

Breastfeeding, whatever. I think it's awful that she's ashamed her daughter has red hair. How mean is that?

[MrsJohnCusack]

I expect the 'breast is best' campaigners would be a lot more likely to shut up if the breastfeeding rates in the UK weren't so woefully low, and the advice/help being given out by many health professionals wasn't so inadequate AND frequently just plain wrong.
Also when they stop being called 'hairy-faced breastfeeding fascists' and similar offensive and lazy insults. 'Breast is best' campaigners are concerned with infant nutrition, fascists with violently enforcing exteme rightwing political views. I'm not entirely sure what those two things have in common.
As for Jordan - snore, frankly.

[Claire King]

I don't know much about Jordan, but I wonder if there's another point to be made here - responsible journalism on the part of OK magazine?

From Jordans comments, she doesn't sound (oh god yes I'm going to say it) too intelligent. Obviously not because of her breast/bottle choice, but because of the way she has phrased her response to the question.

Has she not been set up for a fall? I'm all for freedom of the press, but perhaps a little discretion over some comments would give us a kinder impression of Jordan, and provide a better role model for her fans to emulate?

NB - I don't read OK magazine either so perhaps this is the editorial style?

[Laura]

Better than any breast is a mother in charge of her own choices. A mother who feels happy about what she does.

I don't care what any other mother did or does and it shouldn't be my concern either. I know what worked for me and that's all what matters.

http://happytobe.typepad.com

[littlemummy]

No offense, but am I the only one that's fed up of the breastfeeding and 'breast is best' campaign.

Breast *is* best, now shut up and get on with it. It seems that the crusaders spend so long talking about it I wonder when they have the time to actually do it.

On the same point, not everyone *can* breastfeed for medical reasons, and not everyone wants to breastfeed. The constant media onslaught on those that choose not to, or have no choice is tiresome at best.

Can we all just move onto somethingelse now, might I suggest homemade purees vs jars that way we don't have to stray to far from the feeding category and I think we can definitely alienate a large part of society here too.

I pureed by the way, so I guess I'm one up on this one - if I even cared about this constant one upmanship, which I don't.