While unable to speak to the rate of breastfeeding in
France & Ireland and the role of religion.  I can
mention the fact that 80% of Alaska is Catholic & we
have one of the highest breastfeeding initiation rates
in the USA for breastfeeding, over 70%.  I do believe
there are some other societal factors involved.  The
Roman Catholic religion itself does not put any
restrictions on breastfeeding, even though there are
limitations placed on sexual activity outside of
marriage.  I grew up in a strongly Catholic home with
parochial schooling and all that entails.  Sexual
education was quite limited until I reached my 13th
year & had returned to the public education system,
even then breasts were not mentioned as a source of
sexual pleasure or identified as the source of infant
nutrition.  (I do remember my poor male science
teacher blushing throughout the entire week or two
devoted to the subject.)  My mother breastfed the
first 3 children (myself included) only briefly & my
sisters & sister-in-law were all long-term
breastfeeders despite not having seen it.  It would
prove an interesting study to determine factors why
France & Ireland did not experience the upsurge in
breastfeeding that seemed to occur in the US in the
80's & early 90's.  France, if the stereotypes are to
be believed, seemed to have abandoned much of the
sexual mores that the US & Ireland held on to
regardless of our "sexual revolution".  Maybe there is
need of a "breastfeeding revolution" in other locales?

Just contributing my 2 mls. worth.

Respectfully,

Linda Madsen, RN, IBCLC


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