Elaine writes:
"Do you also see *mothering* through
breastfeeding as important - or does your job consist primarily of making
sure
the baby gets breastmilk?"

Elaine - such a crucial point! What is/should be our focus - the mother
finding joy and strength in her mothering (and ideally breastfeeding) - or
the baby having breastmilk - the end product of lactation?
I feel it is so important that we support mothers as they mother their
babies. I believe it is equally important that we accept that sometimes
they may not do so to our own "standards" (in terms of exclusive
breastfeeding and so on) - but keep on supporting and *respecting* them
nevertheless. To do this we need to put *mothers*, rather than their milk,
at the centre of our stage.

Hannah
(midwife, NCT breastfeeding counsellor, freelance writer)
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