My opinion is that in most cases breastfeeding definitely enhances the
mother-baby relationship.  (I think I may be a fanatic, but experience
tells me that it is best for _me_ to be as low-key as possible :) )

However, in the course of my part-time employment as a case editor of
provincial family-law judgments (also employed full-time elsewhere),
I did read one judgment where the mother was somewhat abusive to her baby
who would not breastfeed "properly."  When she got frustrated, she would
drop her baby onto the couch cushions, a distance of about 8 inches.
There is no indication the baby was injured, but I'm sure we can all see
the possible implications.  (The case was about a custody dispute b/w the
mother and father when the baby was quite a bit older)
So to those of you who work with troubled moms, are there ever any
situations where you would not recommend breastfeeding in such cases?  I
have also read a case about a baby who was starved, and the mother
attributed the problem to breastfeeding.  The social worker saw the
situation as deliberate neglect.

Sorry to mention these depressing cases.

On to the other subjects -- someone mentioned a mom getting static from
her pediatrician due to nursing past a year.  Any mom who can stand
getting _tons_ of email is welcome to join my list -- The Extended
Breastfeeding List (PARENT-L).  This subject comes up all the time.  Email
for details on subscribing -- [log in to unmask]

On Arab women nursing -- I received 2 more postings -- one was from a
former Peace Corps worker in Yemen who told me that women there,
particularly in rural areas, did not appear to exhibit any discomfort
when he walked through the clinic while they were breastfeeding.  Another
person said that women do nurse publicly in Saudi culture, and that
bottle-feeding is very rare.  I don't know the time frames of these
answers -- they may refer to some time ago.

******************************************************************************
To do justice and to love mercy.           Lois Patterson  [log in to unmask]
The milk of human kindness.                Mom to Andrew and Anne Marie
Love is a many a splendoured thing.        List-maintainer, PARENT-L