Jaye writes: 
 
My thoughts on this are:
 
Maybe the counselor has it backwards.  The children who are asking to
nurse or nursing their dolls may be re-familiarizing themselves with
appropriate attachment and normal mothering.  This may be a healthy
thing for them, rather than a traumatizing situation.  These children
would be experiencing grief anyway being young and separated from their
mothers for the first time regardless of the breastfeeding.  My question
would be how are the children reacting to the woman nursing her own
child?  Are they reacting with fear, crying, distress of any kind in her
presence?  If not, perhaps it is the counselor who has an issue with
breastfeeding in front of children?  
 
If it is in fact causing a problem for these children, then what is this
woman supposed to do?  Nurse secretively? Wean for the sake of other
children and sacrifice her own?  What do the parents of the toddlers
think? If THEY feel there is an issue it is up to them to discuss
options with the nursing mom.  And is no option can be found that is
agreeable for all, then the children could be placed with someone else
who is not nursing.  It sounds, tho, that the parents are actively
involved in their children's emotional needs and paying attention to
that.  
 
To me, I would think that the fact that the children are asking to nurse
again, and are being given breast time is a good thing.  They have a
need, it is being met - how awesome is that?  
 
Just some thoughts early on Friday morning...
 
Warmly,
Jaye
 
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Jaye, 
 
I think you have hit the nail on the head!  (I was sitting here trying
to put my thoughts in writing, and in came your reply.)  Doesn't it all
come back to breastfeeding being the norm?  It really does feel as if it
is the counselor with the issues; the kids are behaving appropriately!
 
Flossie Rollhauser

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