Hi All,

First thing I'd like to say is that I hope Darillyn remembers when a long
while back I said that I would have been honored to have Led with her. I
don't say things I don't mean, and I don't mean to say things that come out
wrongly. I still would have been honored to Lead with you.

I too am very confused, upset and put off by bio moms who choose to feed
ABM. I also am in contact with numerous women becasue I teach the BF classes
prenatally for WIC for our county. Many women wil even after attending two
45 min. classes with participation and visual aids and lots of good
information and support will either a) choose to artificially feed (right
there are lots of reasons - emotional baggage etc.)
       b) do both - and they tell me this with a cluseless expression. And
the support for doing both is immense. I think it stems from the American
work ethic, that if you work hard enough you can get from point A
(artificial feeding) to point B (breastfeeding). But, its like trying to
regain a 4.0 GPA - after only catching on enough in Chemistry to get a B. No
way. But, MDs don't usually encourage only breastmilk. So, moms keep
throwing their own monkey wrench - something only a bio mom can do.

Yesterday a mom That had a preemie in '95 stopped by the WIC office to get
an electric pump. I was so thrilled. In 95 she had pumped but not been able
to handle putting baby to breast - due to a history of abuse. So, this time
she's willing to pump , again. Who knows maybe she can work through her
feelings. A healthy thing.

Then I went on a home visit and saw a mom with a six week old , and a black
eye. But she's breastfeeding. I think the events that I see and the home
that I visit are completely foreign to LCs that work in hospital. You may
*know* this is out there. It's totally different to be sitting in the middle
of it.

Also, In the WIC classes I inform the women (prenatally) that WIC is
supplemental and will not provide all the formual needed if they coose to
artificially feed.

One last thing Dorland's med dictionalry defines artficial feeding as
anything other than mother's milk.

And, one more thing I hope you find funny.
Interviewing peer counselors I used a long series of questions (printed) to
be answer yes, no, or fill in the blank if they had anything to comment.

One dear PC answered the question:

Can you breastfeed and bottle feed at the same time?

Answer.  Only if you have a very big mouth.


From LAke County,

Paula Bermingham, IBCLC