I guess, having started this particular thread with my snippet from Davies
in ADC, I will step in again.  As part of my research thesis (so please
don't rip me off on this one, chaps) i have looked at the literature on
breastfeeding and analysed it through the lens of Van Esterik's notion of
(breast)feeding as either fitting into a product model or a process model.

From qualitative evidence (for example the paper in December JHL) even women
who breastfeed "successfully" (in terms of initiation, milk transfer, yadda
yadda) divide into two groups -- I would say we could characterise these two
groups as those women who breastfeed for the baby and see it as a part of
their life that they give to the baby's well-being, essentially.  The others
may start out with similar ideas, but discover that breastfeeding is
fulfilling for them on some deeper level.  These are the ones who may then
go on to 'attachment parenting', long term breastfeeding, etc. (This is all
in the western context).  Of course, saying 'two groups' is artificial,
there is a continuum.

Weighing the baby concentrates attention on the product of breastmilk.  It
reinforces the place of breastfeeding in a health paradigm.  It would be
interesting to see if different interventions in style, frequency, meaning
attached to, weighing as an intervention study would have different outcomes
in terms of steering women into placement along the 'breastfeeding is
process/breastmilk is product' continuum.

I suspect that one reason for the 'bottom line' feeling about this issue in
the postings has to do with the models we have, as individuals, been
socialised in.  I was trained in the counselling / supporting model with
regard to breastfeeding and specifically my role has always included
allowing women the space to decide whether or not they wanted to comply with
the requirements of the biomedical model.  In this framing of breastfeeding,
for me to use a scale myself would violate my implicit and explict
parameters.  A marker for this is the question:  do you see yourself
enabling lactation or supporting breastfeeding?  I know this has been
discussed before, but for those of us on the list I suspect this is part of
a life-long discussion about what we do.

Magda Sachs
Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

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