I went to a baby shower for my sisters new family. She's getting married to a
wonderful Philipino man. Anyway, my sisters, my stepmother and myself went to
this shower for what would be my sisters sister-in-law. There were about 50
other women there giving gifts. We began to open gifts and as it progressed I
began to notice a pattern, everyone, except for my family, gave her baby
bottles. At the end of the shower she must have had over 100 bottles and I
breastpump and an REI diaper bag. I told her she could use the bottles for
storage!

My other sister was nursing her two year old at the shower and the women
watched with great interest and respect. I of course was nursing my 6mo old
at the time, but all the other babies at the shower were fed ABM. It was
amazing to watch them watching us. I just kept quiet and smiled. I felt like
a museum display.

The baby is due any day now and I have been informed that she will breastfeed
the baby. (first baby in this generation to be BF). The womans mother did
breastfeed her and her brothers and is very supportive. What a mentor this
young mother will be for her family, I'll be watching with great interest and
respect myself! Incidently this family is very tight and loving, I don't
think it will take much to change the pattern, they just got caught up in a
belief that to be American was to feed ABM.

What interests me most about this family is that at no point did they become
defensive or rude. They asked questions and  treated us breastfeeding moms
like queens. Perhaps the Philipino culture is generally loving and
respectful, whatever it is, I find it refreshing. And boy can they cook!

Nina J. Lanphear CLE, LSP