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Sun, 5 Apr 1998 12:35:11 -0500 |
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As I catch up on my lactnet reading I would like to add a few thoughts.
Re: Accepting a mother's decision that is different than we would decide for
her
As an RN and an IBCLC I give mothers information to make an informed
decision. If I tell her what to do then I have made a decision for her.
This is not my responsibility nor priviledge. I will not be the one living
with the consequences. When a mother makes a decision that to me is "off
the wall" then I have to wonder what information I do not have about her
situation. Often I never find out.
Sometimes I suggest that the mother look into the future - in ten years how
would she answer this question "I wish I had breastfed longer" or "I wish I
had stayed at the office more". It helps to get a perspective on
priorities.
There is a difference between making a choice and non-compliance.
Non-compliance is a mother who wants to comply with our
advice/instructions/suggestions but is not able to (ie cannot afford or
access or remember). A mother may be making a choice and we see it as
noncompliance.
Finally, I try not to be attached to outcome. (This is not easy - I am
*not* ambivalent about breast vs artificial means: breast is best and at
times I feel as if I have failed a mother, then I go back to the 1st point)
Re: Bikinis and such
I, too, heard the "what if he whips out his penis" line. Unfortunately,
this question was asked by a woman at a breastfeeding class to teach
breastfeeding support personnel :-(. (My first thought was: there won't be
a baby on the end of it :->) To think that a woman who wants to support
other women to breastfeed can equate a penis with a breast and public
breastfeeding with a man exposing his genitals in public - we have long way
to go...
Joy RN IBCLC (Mom to Kate 17yo and Ré 14yo)
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