Sorry, I know I am a few days behind on posts.  Linda tells of someone
she knows whose child was taken away because the parents are vegan and
have been accused of causing the child's health "problems", FTT and
anemia.  She says,
"The nurse called the family becuase she was unable to feed the child
and he was losing weight rapidly and wanted to know how to feed him."

This sentence makes me want to cry...because I identify with it.  I was
hospitalized as a toddler with burns, back when parents weren't allowed
to stay with their children and were treated as "visitors", i.e. had to
observe the visiting hours.  I am reminded of this because my mom tells
me that I refused to eat for the staff and would only eat for them, and
cried so terribly when they left each time that they questioned whether
they should just stay away until I was released (doctor told them to
keep "visiting") and my grandmother couldn't stand to go back to see me!
Of course I was too young to remember that and it wasn't until I was in
my early 40's that I realized that I had experienced post-traumatic
stress disorder at the age of 10 followed by symptoms which I hid from
my family and friends for many years!  All as a result of this event
that I can't even consciously remember!  I promise you my psyche
remembers it!  I can tell you that I still suffer, though in manageable
ways, the effects of that early "abandonment" (a term that would kill my
mother if she knew it affected me this way) every single day.  All that
to say this: if there IS a problem with this child's diet and health
(and I know that is questionable, but even so) yanking him away from his
mother's arms may create a more lasting one!  Surely there is middle
ground here where the baby's health can be monitored while keeping him
with his parents.  And surely mental health is as important as physical
health?!  The wounds they are inflicting today will create scars that
last a lifetime.  I know.  Mine have!  This baby has caring parents.  No
mother breastfeeds her child for 18 months just on the principle of the
thing!  Looks to me like no one wins in the current situation. ;-(

Marsha, who cried with the children she babysat as a teenager when they
cried over their parents leaving...and felt guilty that she was
providing the means for them to leave their children...and then felt
stupid for feeling all of the above!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future
generations as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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