On Fri, 9 Aug 2013, Winnie Mading wrote:

 

Lissa writes:  "The New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force is looking for
resources and example policies from correctional facilities that support
breastfeeding mothers who are separated from their infants."

 

This is definitely an area than seems to be brushed aside too frequently.  I
wonder if the emphasis is too much on mom and not on baby.  Wouldn't it be
better to put it as "support infants who are separated from their mother"?
By putting the emphasis on the mother, it leaves it open for opponents to
say that she doesn't deserve "special treatment" as she is there to be
punished for whatever she did.  The baby, however is not guilty of any crime
and should not be punished for the "sins of the mother".  It's not the
baby's fault that mom is incarcerated and should not be sentenced to
inferior nutrition because of it.  Of course, we know all the other
importances such as keeping the bond so that reintroduction to the family
and society is facilitated, but I wonder how much weight that argument would
be given by the decision makers.

 

In my opinion, whether it be incarcerated mothers, nursing in public or
break times at work, we need to give more emphasis on the baby's needs when
trying to influence the public.  After all, it's harder to be critical of a
cute little baby!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Winnie - That is an excellent point.  It would also be effective to use your
idea in other situations.  I'm especially thinking of legislation regarding
breastfeeding in public - it would really help to emphasize that it is the
children who need feeding anywhere they are.  Thank you for explaining it so
well.

Warmest regards,

Lee Galasso, MS, LLLL, IBCLC, RLC

Westchester County in NYS, USA

"Children Are Born with the Need to Breastfeed"

 


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