Dear all,
I don't often do this, but after reading the posted request to read the
article at
http://www.theNation.com
I was motivated to put in my .02 worth. Just so you know I'm not only
interested in chicken sandwiches..... :)
Dear Editor,
I made the decision to breastfeed when I was taking the OB course which
was part of my training to become an RN. Prior to that, I had no clue
as to how important to my child's good health such a decision would be,
and pondered what would have happened it I had not decided to become a
nurse.
I interrupted my education when my first child was born. Breastfeeding
went well. My second son weighed 12#6oz at 2 months, and only 12# at 4
mos. I did not know that there was a problem, only that he was a "lean
baby". Although we were poor, we did have access to a private
pediatrician, who helped us continue breastfeeding and work through the
problem.
If I, with some formal education in the area of breastfeeding, and the
experience of breastfeeding one child for 14 months, could "allow" this
to happen, how much more vulnerable is a 19 year old, with less access
to health care, and with minimal to no instruction in breastfeeding?
She tried twice to access health care for her child. She was denied.
She thought she was doing the best for her child by sticking with
breastfeeding, possibly (thus the reasonable doubt) not knowing that
there was a *serious* problem. Very likely a lactation consultant would
have told her to supplement with commercial baby milk, given in a method
to protect the road to effective breastfeeding, and help this mother to
achieve her desire to give her baby the most healthful form of infant
nutrition -- her own milk.
When, oh when, will our leaders realize that a few dollars spent on
breastfeeding support and education will be worth the multiple pounds of
"cures"? Take the money that will be spent on incarcerating this woman,
and that has been spent on prosecuting this case, and give it to those
who can multiply it many times over to save our government *millions
upon millions* of dollars by providing access to necessary breastfeeding
support. Try helping only one-half of our women on WIC to breastfeed
for only one month -- and then take that the 30 million dollars in
savings and put back into more breastfeeding education and access to
proper support.
The topic of breastfeeding causes guilt? It should. *We* should feel
guilty as a society for holding back on educating women about the
significant health and financial benefits of breastfeeding to our
children, their mothers, our families, and our health care and
governmental resources. I see promotions not to drink and drive, not to
smoke, to eat less fat, and to save our environment. Why is it that the
guilt felt by women contemplating how to feed their babies is the *only*
guilt about which we are concerned when promoting an unquestionably
important health care issue?
Women have a brain, as well as two breasts. Its time to respect that
biological fact. Give women and their families the information and
support and let any guilt take care of itself, as it does with the
cardiac patient or the pregnant woman who lights up another cigarette.
Their physicians certainly don't hold back on the benefits of not
smoking and the dangers of doing so just because the patient might feel
guilty! Their own health and the health of their babies are at stake.
It is the same with breastfeeding.
I'm so glad our son's pediatrician did not prosecute me for child
endangerment. I might not have ever had the opportunity continue my
education and gain the job experience to write this letter.
Sincerely,
Sandy Hess, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Lactation Consultant in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
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