Dear all,

We know that mothers are complex systems! The hormones that create
and deliver mothers' milk are released in response to the baby's
behaviours and contact with the baby - physical if all are well, but
can be released by the baby's photo of smell if they can't be
together. These hormones also create attachment between mother and
child - good attachment at the breast is needed to create good
attachment between mother and baby. (Those who have created this good
attachment without being able to attach well at the breast - I salute
you! We are creative animals.)

If time together is restricted, milk supply will be restricted. To
decrease milk supply, stretch feeding schedules. Yes, children need
independence. They learn the skills they need to become independent
by: regulating their mother's milk supply to meet their own individual
needs; developing an intense relationship where their needs are
respected; practising their skills - suckling effectively;  learning
to relax with their mothers - without needing the use of medications,
self-mothering behaviours or mother-substitutes. While growing up
close to their mothers they have the opportunity to learn life skills
such as preparing food, crossing roads, language etc etc. When the
child is able to become independent - about the age of 18 - he has
already weaned long ago!

Babies who go for long periods of time without interaction with an
adult are missing out on valuable language-development opportunities.
If babies without any breastfeeding have half the number of 'feeds' as
normally-fed (breastfed) babies, they have also half the number of
interactions, half the amount of stimulation, half of the conversations.

Sorry, if any of this rant is helpful, please make use of it!

Rachel, near Cambridge in England

On 21 Sep 2008, at 14:50, LACTNET automatic digest system wrote:

> lc's should restrict themselves to
> breastfeeding (in which bonding, attachment, baby behaviour, parental
> expectations about babies and interaction with newborns are *not*,
> repeat *not* part of the lc profession) and is thereby hindering the
> process of preventing the introduction of national guidelines for
> young
> child health care, that promote letting baby cry it out, stretching
> feeding schedules, restricting interaction to certain moments of the
> day, leave baby to play on its own because of the perceived need for
> independence at the age of a couple of weeks and defining short
> periods
> of sleep, frequent breastfeedings and regularly waking up as problem
> behaviour?

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