I watched this segment of the Early Show. I tried to tape it, but between the
new complex TV and the VCR my dh purchased and an unfamiliarity with the
controllers I wasn't able to. I'd really like to go back and watch it a few more
times.

What CBS printed on their website was NOT exactly what was said on the show.
They added some things to the print version!  There wasn't any mention during
the interview of how long a mother should breastfeed by Dr. Johnson. No
mention of mothers in Norway by Amy. And a few other things in print weren't exactly
like the "interview." Like how it ended.

It ended with the commentator summarizing that we don't want to stigmatize
women who can't -- or did she say don't? -- breastfeed. A word neither
interviewee used. A stronger concept that guilt because this is something imposed on a
person. A disgrace or reproach.  By another person or by society.

I have to say that I dearly want to see these ads go forward.  At the very
least I think they would stimulate discussion about breastfeeding which would
give all breastfeeding mothers and advocates opportunities to share all the
positive aspects of breastfeeding.

Nonetheless I think we have to be careful about how we treat women who use
bottles and/or formula, and those who have 'given up.' Ever since I became
involved with breastfeeding as a professional one thing I've experienced is women
telling me their stories. If I'm introduced to someone and my work is mentioned
the stories often flow. For those who chose to tell me their stories it's
always been with a poignant sadness that it didn't work out.

Sometimes I find myself cringing when I read Lactnet posts because it seems
that in our undying enthusiasm to reach out to women and encourage
breastfeeding that we start to clump all women whom we see feeding with a bottle or using
formula into the category that they chose to bottle-feed right from the start
when we know nothing of what brought them to that point.

Early in my career we had a mother attend meetings who was gavage feeding her
infant and liked to come to LLL meetings to be around mothers whose mothering
styles she was incorporating in her life. She was pumping and eventually used
a bottle. Her situation was very complex.  Somehow that mother and babe
changed me. It made me realize we can never know why a stranger we see in public
has a bottle for her baby.  Also I'll never forget the cf I went to in the early
1990s where the speaker told us of how being sexually abused (especially
involving the breasts) as a child can have profound affects on a woman's ability
to achieve breastfeeding.

So when I heard the word 'stigmatize' at the end of the segment I was sorely
disappointed because those last words will linger in folks' minds. But I also
wish that none of us will act in a manner that could be anything less than
respectful toward anyone we see who is using a bottle.

Mardrey Swenson DC LLLL IBCLC

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