Dear colleagues:
It is downright tragic that the needs of any mother and baby are often
poorly supported in a hospital setting. In addition to the general lack of
support and misinformation that the "average" mother (whatever that is) of
the "average" baby (whatever that is) experiences, mothers of "exceptional"
babies face even greater barriers to mothering and breastfeeding. As I
wrote in "Congenital disorders: Implications for breastfeeding" (2000), we
"...should always be alert to the possibility that the mother has received
incorrect breastfeeding information from family, friends, and health care
providers. It is not uncommon for mothers of children with special needs to
be told - inaccurately - that their babies will not be able to breastfeed.
They may even be warned to not breastfeed their babies lest they become too
attached (Brewster 1979). This warning is based on the harmful
misconception that attachment is not important to or desirable for
exceptional mother-baby pairs. It also presumes that the death or
institutionalization of a baby can be made less painful if the mother and
baby are less attached. In reality, the loss of a child is always painful
and many babies that were expected to die or require extended care in a
residential facility have gone on to prove such predictions wrong. If a
mother does lose her child, her experience of breastfeeding may be among
her most meaningful and comforting memories. Breastfeeding promotes a high
degree of responsiveness, warmth, and love toward the breastfed child, and
availability of the mother. These are among the mothering patterns that
have been shown to enhance attachment security in all babies, including
those with special needs (Wasserman et al. 1987)."
Good Mojab, C. Congenital disorders: Implications for breastfeeding.
Leaven, Vol. 35 No. 6, December-January 2000; pp. 123-128.
Health care providers must support attachment of mothers and children
regardless of whether those mothers and children differ in some way from
the expected cultural standards of health, function, development, or
appearance. Failing to do so is discriminatory and unethical.
Cynthia
Cynthia Good Mojab, MS Clinical Psychology, IBCLC
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell
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