Naomi wrote:
This is why it is so important to make bf a cultural norm. The list
of benefits MAY help docs and other hcps, but then their decisions
and attitudes are also based on emotion, hopefully a little less
so.
Exactly!
I agree!
The longer I live here (Dominican Republic) the longer I'm being convinced
that the thoughts and feelings towards Breastfeeding is strongly being
influenced by cultural and social aspects, sometimes more than 'medical' or
healthy reasons. How convincing any list or reason can be, it is what
society things of it, what is 'done' and 'not-done', what is
accepted and what not. How families react, and it is also about 'old wife
myths' that are very hard
to eliminate. Myths that have their roots in the ancient time of Taino's
(native Indians in the Caribean).
Also unadequate (with no professional training) nurses carrying around those
myths are a damaging factor!.
It is well known that poor people intend to imitate the 'rich ones'. In this
country the rich, upperclass Dominicans do NOT care for their baby
themselves. They have drivers to drive the family around (in huge cars) and
(untrained)
Nanny's to take care of the kids (baby's) while the women spend
their day shopping, going to the hairdresser or have their nails done. It is
not done to care for your own child. If you have the money, you let other
people do that.
Being able to bottlefeed means that you actualy have money so you don't
'need' to breastfeed. ("breastfeeding is for the real poor people...")
One of the most awfull Nestlé commercials I've ever seen in this country is
about a wife who sends her (drunk) husband away when he comes home. He's not
allowed to enter the house. He returns with milkpowder and ofcourse (along
with the well known 'violins') he's welcome again...
Nestlé apparently studied this society and knew exactly where to push to
buttons....
Being able to buy Pampers and milkpowder for your wife (or Novia) means that
you can financially take care of her.
Also in this 'machismo' society, the women will do anything to keep
themselves
attractive for their husbands while infidelity is a big problem here. (not
only done by man,
they need women to be unfaithfull, right?).
(Rich) women want to get back in 'shape' as soon as possible, and
breastfeeding your child simply will not fit in that ambition. Usually the
day after they gave birth, while they are hospitalised, the'll have all
kinds of operations like
breastlifting, liposuction, stomach corrections, facelifts, etc. They'll run
to the gym and
exercise as soon (and as much) as possible.
Because of the lack of breastfeeding, intimacy, having had the experience of
being raised like that themselves (with a lot of material 'love' and bribes,
but no real intimacy) , these parents simply are unable to be good,
supportive, relyable, honest, passionate, loving and caring parents. It's
been a problem since generations and will likely not change within the
coming centuries....
I've came up with the idea to start focusing my breastfeeding ambitions on
this rich upperclass instead of trying to convince the poor. I am likely to
lose the battle against this strong cultural and social infuence.
Although the rich people are not my favorite ones to deal with (as an
expatriate I'm unfortunately already been put in that corner), I might use
my connections and have some
results in changing minds, making a difference.
Once the 'rich' ones will start to breastfeed, and it'll become the 'norm'
the poor people will be happy to follow and imitate....
Maybe I'm being unrealisticly positive, but observing the current
Breastfeeding-attitude here makes me even more depressive...
Mary Broekhuijsen,
mother/ breastfeeding consultant/ author
Santo Domingo
Dominican Republic
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