Cathy writes:

>Andrew says "The statement "it feels right to give one a bottle" is
>absolutely absurd."

>Well, I have to say that it may "sound" absurd to us, from the heights of
>our vast wisdom and knowledge, but who are we to say what is or is not
>absurd to the person making the statement?

True, Cathy, it may not feel absurd to the mother, and she may be using
this reason because of all sorts of emotional baggage. which,  as
supporters we would need to be sensitive to.

But the statement actually came from a book written by *professionals for
mothers*. This is what pressed my hot buttons....they were endorsing some
spurious idea that the baby's personality (as observed *at birth*, for
heaven's sake) could, even should, influence the mother's choice.

Pah!

I have to say I have never heard any mother say to me she chose to give a
bottle because the baby's personality dictated it. ( I have of course heard
many mothers say 'he prefers the bottle' or variations on that. And I have
never heard anyone say it didn't feel right to bf a boy, either, for fear
of 'turning' them homosexual. Geesh!  Either that idea hasn't taken hold in
the UK, or mothers are scared to tell me that's what they think....though
come to think of it, it has come up in discussions about how *long* to
bf....)

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK