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Sat, 1 Jul 2006 19:46:45 -0400 |
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I want to clarify my opinion about nurse-ins. I am ethically supportive
of moms who want to take whatever approach makes sense to them. That
does not mean we should not be able to have a discussion about whether
or not such a tactic is effective and it does not mean that it is
effective. I would also think that anyone who reads this board
regularly knows that I have been personally labeled "radical" on a
regular basis. I don't think going quietly about our business is
effective or even ethical. I remember when my oldest two children were
very little hearing Peggy O'Mara speak--she said that we all have an
obligation to speak the truth on behalf of children. I believe she is
correct. I think the physical and psycho-emotional well-being of
children is so important that all HCPs have an obligation to behave
like radicals and activists in the service or normal physiology and
breastfeeding. I would rather see someone err on the side of passion
than hide under a rock in the service of the status quo, the
institutional hierarchy or perhaps even their own jobs. Still I do not
think nurse-ins such as this are an effective tactic and I think that
the combined intelligence and passion of these women, who, thanks to
the internet cannot be silenced or divided any longer can be far more
effective when directed in other ways. Pressure needs to be placed on
policy-makers, corporations and the health care system--repeatedly.
Accurate information needs to be disseminated--there is so much more
useless and even harmful information on the internet and elsewhere than
there is accurate info. It is much easier to respond to a crisis than
it is to be persisitent is demanding and creating change.
On another note--a Lactnetter said she felt there was a relationship
between this issue and those of us who are opposed to another
professional certification lower than IBCLC. I am opposed to a lower
certification and I am very much a radical on health care issues. I
agree that we need more women to help other women breastfeed, but this
is just more and more institutionalization of breastfeeding. I would
rather see more peer counselors and an end to the medicalization of
birth. Right now I find it apalling that women are having the depth of
breastfeeding difficulties that they are--because of signifant birth
trauma to mother and baby. IMO, we are trying harder and harder to put
out fires and accepting that the fires are inevitable. Well, if that is
the direction we are going in--we are going to need more skill, not
less skill to get these babies to breastfeed. So, again, I would rather
see the energy going into changing the system--not tweaking it, but
turning it upside down.
Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA
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