Regarding the latest Washington Post article, this is the outraged 
response I sent to another list....

Thank you very much for sending us a copy of, and the link to, 
another article trashing the value of breastfeeding. Coming the day 
after IBCLC day should we be surprised? This ranks alongside the 
writings of Amy Tuteur and Courtney Jung.  I'm filing it in my 
"Demonisation of breastfeeding" folder (yes, I really do have one!) 
for future reference.  It contains wonderful examples of the nonsense 
that goes around these days and illustrates perfectly the privileged 
attitudes common in western societies, where women can afford to not 
breastfeed and still have their babies survive.

I cannot understand why feeding your child at the breast is portrayed 
in such a horrible way - as a cross for mothers to bear instead of 
one of life's greatest experiences.  And when all is said and done, 
the purpose of breastfeeding is not to gratify the mother - it's to 
feed, nurture, nourish and protect the end-user, the baby!   Another 
thing these psychiatric experts seems to have glossed over is the 
effect of premature weaning, or no breastfeeding at all, on the 
mother's emotional well-being.  Physiologically, with abrupt weaning 
there's a sharp drop in maternal prolactin levels, as the body 
responds as if the baby died, with consequent deep depression. So was 
it the breastfeeding or the _not_ breastfeeding that caused the 
anecdotal negative feelings these psychiatrists describe?

We need to not be intimidated into silence by these kinds of 
articles, and the Washington Post should be ashamed of itself!

Warm regards

Pamela Morrison IBCLC
Rustington England (where, according to the Lancet, we have the 
LOEWST breastfeeding rates in the world).


>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date:    Fri, 4 Mar 2016 00:18:11 -0500
>From:    [log in to unmask]
>Subject: latest rant
>
>Have you see this article?
>
>https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/parenting/wp/2016/03/03/doctor-says-when-it-comes-to-breastfeeding-your-health-and-happiness-matter-as-much-as-your-babys/


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