I agree, Heather,
I've seen several cases where mothers have tried to argue that breastfeeding means they can't separate from their child.  In courts here one of the prime objectives is preserving the parent/child relationships so making the bf'ing a barrier to visitation can backfire.
In this case I think there are 2 common misconceptions that are both working against the mother.  The first is that breastmilk can easily be 'contaminated' and other alternatives (which means formula for babies less than 1 year old) are safer.  The other is that there's no benefit, or even actual harm, in breastfeeding past a year.  Someone who doesn't understand the nursing relationship would say, 'why not wean, just to be safe?' which, as I've posted before, is one of my least favorite phrases in the human language.
This case is happening in my backyard so, if noone else does it first, I'll update the list as the story develops.  I believe there'll be another hearing in Sept.
Marcia McCoy

Date:    Fri, 17 Aug 2007 09:38:13 +0100
From:    heather <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: court prevents a mother from bf'ing

Thank for clarifying the details of this for us, Jake.

Occasionally, this issue comes up in the UK, and I have supported - 
by email - a handful of mothers who needed to inform their legal 
advisers of the realities of bf.

However, I am uncomfortable with a situation that has a mother saying 
'my ex-partner cannot have contact with our child because I am 
breastfeeding' which of course prompts the other side into saying 
'well, you have to wean'.

This makes breastfeeding the centre of the discussion, rather than 
the overall needs of the child. A mother might be ordered to wean, in 
order to somehow 'permit' contact - when we all know that 
breastfeeding hardly ever has to stop when mum and baby are separated.

Weaning in order to 'permit' extended contact with the absent parent 
(who maybe something of a stranger to the child) or to 'facilitate' 
absence from the mother is not good - but gradually building up 
contact with the absent parent is better for any child, breastfeeding 
or not. And bf can, and should, continue alongside this.

Breastfeeding can be used as a stick for the 'other side' to beat the 
mother with, and that cannot be good.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK





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