The Intifada here in Israel has been really intense for the last year.
People from both sides are being killed and injured daily. Only yesterday a
family on the way to take their young children to kindergarten was shot by
terrorist snipers. The mother (26 YO) was killed instantly, and the father
critically wounded. The two children in the back seat ( age 3 and 4) were
unharmed physically, but watched while the medical team was trying to
resuscitate the mom, and I am sure will never forget that sight. When it was
reported on the evening news, a neighbor mentioned that the 3 month old baby
of the couple was breastfed and refused to take a bottle, and that they had
to find a wet nurse for her. This is a tragedy that we live daily here.
One morning after one of the more serious terrorist attacks where many
people were killed, I had an Arab woman in my breastfeeding room complaining
of terrible nipple pain. She seemed very frightened and her husband was
very agitated.
It seemed that some staff members refused to help her. I had my usual 20 or
so moms with problems waiting to be helped, but I went to the Arab woman
first. I fixed her problem, and her baby nursed peacefully.
After she left the room, several moms complained that I didn't have to help
her at all, that her baby would be raised to throw stones and maybe even to
shoot at our kids.
First of all, I told them that the fear in her eyes was heartbreaking. How
would they feel if they found themselves having to give birth in a hospital
where everyone else was Arab and they were the only Israeli.......it must be
terrifying for her!!
And maybe one day, when her baby is older , she might tell him that when he
was born she remembers that one Israeli/American woman helped her breastfeed
him and was very kind to her in very hostile times. I believe that every
one of us can make a difference. The politicians have done a rotten job of
making peace between nations, but maybe every one of us can make a little
difference people to people, mother to mother.
Esther Grunis, IBCLC
Tel Aviv, Israel
as always a pathological optimist
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