>
> Date:    Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:51:32 -0400
> From:    Rachel Myr <[log in to unmask]>
>  Jamelle is right, too, that so much of what we think is absolute  
> truth is simply culturally determined and thus very
> difficult to catch sight of when we are part of the culture.


I think we are discussing two different things and mixing them up; on  
the one hand what is possible within the biological and cultural  
scope for man (woman?) and on the other the present, what we live in  
here and now, influenced by a large and growing culture of choosing  
and commercial influences that disturb mothers (and fathers and in  
fact most society members) from being able to listen to their  
innermost wishes and needs.

When it comes to evidence for the issue of not liking breastfeeding,  
I think attachment theory comes close. As a mother has bonded well to  
her baby she will respond quickly and adequately on her baby's cues  
in time as they emerge, and thus creating a secure attachment to  
herself within the baby. My suggestion is that a mother who likes -  
or merely thinks it's worthwile - what she is doing will respond more  
quickly to her baby's breastfeeding cues than will a mother who (for  
whatever the reason - pain, lack of support feelings of loneliness  
etc) wishes she didn't have to.

I also read about Paul Ekman, who has done research about facial  
expressions and found that man has a set of innate spontanous facial  
expressions (that also people who were born blind express) that are  
expressing different emotions. After a fraction of a second the  
culturally accepted expression takes over. Small children percieve  
and interpret the first, spontaneous expression, which probably is  
dislike, if a mother who doesn't like breastffeding sees the baby  
giving feeding cues.

What do you think about that? :-)

Marit Olanders
editor of Amningsnytt, Sweden

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