Oct. 1, 1998
on the "New York Woman" page of the New York Post:
New two year breast-feeding guideline irks busy NY moms
by elizabeth Cohen
As if negotiating a maternity leave, fixing up a space for the baby and
getting through labor weren't hard enough, here comes an addiitional
challenge for new mothers. The AAP now says women should nurse their
infants well into the second year of life.The recommendations are based
on research that shows the longer a child breastfeeds, the lower her risk
of later health problems such as ear infections, allergies and diabetes
among other things.
American women lag behind the rest of the world inbreastfeeding rates. In
the US 59% of mothers breastfeed, but only 22% continue after six months.
Why? Experts say American women are busy working and that in most
companies there is little support for wmen who breastfeed.
Busy New York women are saying the new recommendations are just giving
them one more thing to feel guilty about.  "What? Are they kidding?" asks
Manhattan mom Hillary Richard, 37, upon hearing about the new two year
recommendation. "I breastfed for six months and for three of those I was
working.. At one point I went to my physician with a bad cold and
exhausted.  When she learned I was working full time and breastfeeding
she said it wasn't healthy. I was on the verge of collapse, " she
remembers.

note - this is me paraphrasing -This mom was a partner in a law firm and
SHE found it difficult to pump, Another mom is quoted "Well, here's one
more way to feel inadequate as a parent. I already have one child. What
am I supposed to do when she wants to go out and play and I have to
breastfeed". This mom is a free lance writer....
The article ends with:
The best thing that could happen, according to Congresswoman Carolyn
Maloney would be if companies set up lactatoin faciltiies and give
"milking breaks" to new moms who wish to pump. She is currently trying to
get support to get the 1978 Pregnancy Discrimination Act to cover
breastfeeding and encourage these changes.

Wonder what triggered this? The other article on the page is about "Back
to Sleep" and of course nothing is mentioned about breastfeeding as a
protective factor against SIDS.

Pearl Shifer, IBCLC
NYC
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