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Subject:
From:
Rachel Myr <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 21 Nov 2005 00:32:43 +0100
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I've been at work all weekend but following the discussion about Jen
Tieman's case with the daycare providers who don't see the difference
between nurturing and feeding, and all the rest of it.

One of the most important people in terms of forming me as a mother was my
first daycare provider, a woman I met in childbirth class who had breastfed
her first child for over 3 years, and whose second baby was born the same
week as my daughter.  Had it not been for the fact that I had to go back and
finish nursing school and she was available to care for my child, including
providing a breast to suckle if my child wanted that, I would not have had
the opportunity to see what child care could be in the ideal world.  I would
not have been as discriminating in other aspects of my children's growing
up.

When we moved from the US to Norway and I was a stranger in a town where I
had absolutely no history and no network, I met people mainly in two arenas:
the breastfeeding mothers' organization, and the daycare my daughter was
fortunate enough to attend, to help her learn Norwegian.  Some of our
closest family friends today are families we met because our children
attended the same daycare.  If we had not needed that childcare, we wouldn't
have relationships with these particular people.  The thought of my life
without those friends is bleak indeed.

I think one of the important things we can do as people who work with
breastfeeding mothers is to work for changes on a societal level so that
mothers will be able to be near their children for at least the first 6
months.  It would be so great if the International Labor Organization
recommendations for maternity leave were made to apply in the US too,
allowing for breastfeeding breaks and real leave for every woman who needs
it.  After that, we need to ensure that child care facilities of all kinds
truly respect childrens' needs, and we don't need to judge mothers who make
different choices from ours - if they even had a choice, which they
frequently don't.

Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway

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