> I know that in her paper,
> Cathy Fetherston briefly discusses that Aboriginal women have fewer bfg
> problems, which may be an expression of greater familiarity of correct
> positioning and latch (as the result of doll play, observation of older
> women nursing, etc).
>
Complaints about nipple soreness are rare, I agree. But I'm not
optimistic about the reasons. Breastfeeding initiation is extremely low
in First Nations communities here in Atlantic Canada. There is no
"culture of breastfeeding" to speak of, if we are looking for mothers
passing it along to daughters, friends supporting each other, etc. There
are some very committed helpers and advocates.
Unfortunately, on Maritime reserves, there are high rates of just about
everything we discuss here as complicating factors : single, teen
mothers; abuse or neglect in family of origin; substance abuse by
mothers and partners; obesity; diabetes; high birth rates; low birth
weights; vitamin D insufficiency. Right now, I have heard of a number of
cases of health care professionals (or mothers or friends) "prescribing"
or suggesting soy formula because of lactose intolerance. It is so
common to hear that a colicky baby was "put on" soy formula that it
seems that education is possible... Now we need to work on the content
of the information being given.
The comments I overhear or which are reported to me include : "But I
hardly drink any milk! It must be *my* milk." "I had no choice, the
doctor said he couldn't tolerate milk so he needed soy, because that's
not milk." "I can't take milk out of my diet, because there's milk in
everything." Other mothers are overwhelmed by mothering, and, given
their backgrounds, it must be difficult.
It makes me think that attachment is like a good latch -- once you've
had it once, you'll recognize it and be willing to work to get it again.
I would love to know what makes it possible for some women to work
towards it, despite never having known it. You know, the ones that you
write about: "Mother is motivated". It is as though some of the mothers
we help are able to fill up their jars of trust with very little else
but hope.
Promoting breastfeeding in Mikmaq and Maliseet communities is a real
challenge, and being successful would be worth every breath and gesture
we invested in it. There are some women who are making progress by
appealing to the traditionalists (those who are studying the old ways
and trying to translate them into new practices) by talking about their
grandmothers breastfeeding. In many cases, however, they have to go back
farther than two generations to find real women breastfeeding.
Jo-Anne Elder-Gomes, in Fredericton, NB (where some women who work with
mothers from First Nations communities heard Linda Smith last week, and
we have reason to be optimistic...)

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