Cindi, I know lots about low income moms and I think it is impossible to
say something catagorical about them. Except that, they all love their
babies and want the very best for them. They are willing to buy whatever
it takes to do the best. When they are told by their physician, their
midwife, their WIC nutritionist, and their peers and family, that BREAST is
BEST, they try to do that. They rarely think that because formula costs
something, it is better.
The problem lies in the lack of support for moms who have:
-- little family support,
-- lots of media input (TV is on 24hr/d with formula and other subtle ads
for ABM)
-- formula which comes home from the hospital and also is delivered to
their doorstep,
-- very little confidence in their ability to mother and to provide for
this new person
-- conflicting information delivered to them from everywhere! and little
ability to believe that they can make any judgment of what is best.
So, they rely on what their mother's tell them worked with them. ABM does
not come with so many variables--or at least, so they think.
There are many research articles which show that when the many pieces
necessary to support these women are in place, BF rates rise. My sense of
the idea that mothers equate ABM as higher in value is that that idea is
outdated and based on the way the rich and famous fed their babies 25 or 30
yr ago. Now the rich and famous are breastfeeding and showing it! eg
Redbook cover, Princess Di, etc
Michelle Scott, RD,MA,IBCLC in rural NH where I coordinate a peer
counselor program
Wise Ones -
I was just called by a doctor at our local medical center. He and a
colleague
are interested in doing a report on low income moms who feel that since
formula has a "value/price" it is better than breast milk.
Can any of you steer me in the direction of papers, web pages, etc that
pertain to this? I can certainly give them formula vs breast milk
information, but I don't know anything about low income moms and their
preceptions of the value of ABM.
Off to do a web search. Thanks so much for your help.
Cynthia D. Payne
LLL of Berkshire County Mass.
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