This is very interesting - I think it taps into quite deep 
psycho-emotional stuff .

*Why* is breastfeeding a foster baby seen as something that needs 
permission from the court/state/biological mother?  As Karleen points 
out,  normal care for any baby includes breastfeeding - so why would 
foster babies not have normal care?

Fostering requires the foster mother to show the unconditional love 
that enables attachment - fostering in this way creates the necessary 
neurological development to support future relationships and mental 
well-being, even if the baby and the foster mother later part.  If 
she has created this bond, she has forged a wonderful, selfless gift 
for the baby.

Is it because at some level the court and the state (who are formed 
of human beings!) are aware that breastfeeding plays an important 
role in enabling this attachment between foster mother and baby, that 
it is a powerful and unique link between them? That while (of course) 
bottle feeding, done with love and responsiveness,  can also promote 
attachment, breastfeeding is *really* where it's at?

Perhaps this is resented and resisted because not many adult human 
beings were cared for like this, and at some level recognise the gap 
in their experience as babies and indeed as parents?

Basically, I wonder if the strength of official feeling *against* 
foster breastfeeding comes (at least partly) from an unspoken, 
unarticulated recognition of its power as a symbol and as a behaviour.

There's certainly no other logical, rational, explanation that stands 
up to scrutiny. In fact, what are the official objections?

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
-- 
http://www.heatherwelford.co.uk

http://heatherwelford.posterous.com

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