This is my favorite topic of conversation. I have been so mad at certain people because they aren't breastfeeding that I have to smile, walk away and bang my head on the wall of my office. Two times come to mind about one success and one failure. I have never lost my cool especially with a patient in the hospital until one conversation from a dad "spoke for and behave of" his wife when I asked enthusiasticly, "You are breastfeeding, right?" She said politely no and then he spoke up and said, "She doesn't have to breastfeed, formula is just as healthy."  Well, I should have stopped and realized that this guy was "off" and I just couldn't let this slide with a smile, walk away and head banging. So instead I said, "Formula is not as healthy as breastmilk," and started quoting AAP, etc. All you know what broke loose with this guy and then I lost it as well. He was going to be right under any circumstances and so was I. To say the least, uhm, he kicked me out of the room. Mind you I am the one that the post partum nurses come and get when they have an unhappy patient and they want me to smooth things over when a nurse has made them upset.  
The next scenario was an older "professional lady" such as you describe and I asked her if she wouldn't mind telling me why she didn't want to breastfeed. She said because she was sexually abused. I immediately went into let's see how we can bond with this baby regardless of what her choices are. I spent an hour with her and really respected her honesty.   So that is where I am getting. We are there first to educate and if they don't want the education, then second choice is coming down to where they are emotionally and being a friend is the best route. They may change their mind. They may because of your kind example, come to you with questions about how to take care of their baby. I always leave the bottle feeders with, "I am planting a seed with this baby, perhaps with your next baby you may change your mind (personally I did...as I did not breastfeed my baby #1) and if you do ever decide to breastfeed, I am here to help you." 

Julie; IBCLC

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
Mail all commands to [log in to unmask]
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask])
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask])
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]