Pat Young says:
Breastmilk feeding...
>
> has become a very popular way for 20 somethings in US to feed their 
> babies.
> Feeding at the breast simply isn't done, moms are pumping exclusively and
> giving breastmilk to their babies in a bottle ( or someone else is giving 
> it
> to their babies in a bottle,.)  It solves the problem of  actually
> breastfeeding or not, by giving baby the "best" in a bottle!  No guilt
> involved.  We have been saying that breast is best, they've gotten that
> message.  We just missed telling about the delivery system :-(  Pat in SNJ
>
While it is true in some cases that moms are choosing this method rather 
than breastfeeding, there are also a number who choose this method instead 
of formula feeding!  Yes, we need to get the message across that it is also 
the process that is best, not just the product.  However, we also need to be 
willing to admit that the product without the process is still far superior 
to the artificial alternative.

Guilt avoided?  I don't think so in many cases.  The moms who opt for 
exclusive pumping (ep-ing) know that it is far more work for them to feed 
this way.  Many have been told, even by LCs and other professionals who 
should know better that it can't be done, they aren't good mothers, etc.  A 
number complain that noone ever told them this was an option.  They were 
ready to go to formula feeding and "stumbled on" the fact that there were 
women who were ep-ing and resented the fact that no professional-yes, LCs 
included-ever told them this was an alternative to formula feeding!

When I presented on this topic at our affiliate, I was able to access the 
comments of a number of women who went this route.  Their reasons varied 
from anatomical/medical complications in either mom or babe or even both to 
having reached the point in trying to get BF to work even with professional 
help that they had reached their limit, and, yes, a few (less than 10%) who 
chose the method for "personal" or "lifestyle" reasons.  So often we see 
(and even present ourselves) the options to "breast or bottle feed" as being 
the choice between breast and formula.  Certainly most of the public sees it 
this way.  We need to be sensitive to, and in certain cases even suggest 
this "Third Option" in feeding.  Let's not be so locked into only one way to 
do things that we don't prevent women who will not be breastfeeding for 
whatever reason  from at least being sure their baby gets a far better 
product than anything manufactured by "outsiders".

Winnie Mading 

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