I have done a search of Lactnet to make sure I have not repeated this
information as it came out in American Scientist, November-december 1997 -
My son Alex (he of COLiC - Children of Lactation Consultants -  fame) found
this article which he thought I'd be interested in by Meredith F. Small,
professor of anthropology of Cornell University.  ([log in to unmask]).

She speaks of a new specialty which sounds right up our alley - if I were
only 10 years younger - called ethnopediatrics.  Her comparison of the
mothering styles through many cultures really struck home - probably what
we all use in our talks - I know I do - about how in the US culture people
don't sleep with their babies, hold them, etc.  but that this is not true
in other cultures.

It is a short three-page article and speaks of the styles of parenting that
American parents have developed to stress the "ideology of independence and
self-reliance".  
"American babies usually sleep in their own beds, in their own rooms and
straight through the night; babies are left to wail because they are
expected to self-comfort as soon as possible;  feeding is scheduled because
it stops infants from demending too much of mothers;  fretting babies are
ignored because parents are afraid of being manipulated."

One paragraph struck me as if coming out of my mouth in last week's talk to
pregnant moms:

" American parents seem unaware that babies are born neurologically
unfinished, designed by natural selection to be part of an adult-infant
symbiotic relationship.  Instead, they want the bond broken as soon as
possible and the baby set on a path toward independence.  Our ideology, I
now believe, has pushed American parents to be in constant conflict with
their babies.  These days, when I see babies in strollers rather than in
backpacks, or when I hear screaming babies reaching for someone to pick
them up, I think about babies in Africa and Asia, infants tied on someone's
back contantedly watching the world go by.  The contrast is compelling."

In the article two pictures depict this:  one a baby wrapped on a sibling's
back in Thailand and a baby in a stroller - with a pacifier in his mouth. 
Unfortunately, only we who are aware of it think of what this pacifier
really means.  (And please let's not get into "right' or "wrong" of
pacifier use.  I think it just reflects the "pacifying" of a baby - which,
if the child is not on mom's or other family member's back, is more
necessary  - and I think overused.)

This is a lady I'd like to know better!  So great to hear someone get to
the same conclusions we come to from a different perspective.  Validates
our conclusions, don't you think?

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, IBCLC, LLLL
Puerto Rico
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