Diane writes:

"according to the Ross statistics, mothers who are
older, professional, and highly educated are all MORE
likely to initiate bf and MORE likely to
be nursing at 6 months."

No doubt we all see this daily.  And that description
of "older, professional, and highly educated" is much
more pronounced in the *extended* nursing discussion
group I lead.

"Breast Feeding, not nursing ...
...may be all a particular mother wants - it may meet
*her* goal for success - but as a cultural model I
don't consider it successful and I want the culture to
weed out recommendations that lead to it.  I'm for
raising the bar."

Hear, hear!!

I am happy women now say they plan to nurse a year
rather than the 6 months I used to hear (before the
AAP statement Dec 97).  But as Diane says, there is so
much more to it.  I both use and explain the language
("breast feeding" vs nursing) with almost every call
or consult.  Consider how many breastfeeding
challenges can be met or eased with an understanding
of the difference!

Thanks to my involvement with breastfeeding support
meetings, I hear the ever-changing language of women.
In many ways it is more rewarding than their sweet
babes at the breast because the new language will take
them, their nursing children, and the community they
change further.  These women raise the bar each time
they lift a blouse to nurse, and will continue to
raise the bar, well beyond their nursing days, through
language.


Susan Johnson  MFA, IBCLC


"Well-behaved women seldom make history."
                                               Laurel
Thatcher Ulrich




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