I agree that mothers need to know the biological norm of breastfeeding,
particularly in cultures that are mismatched with it. (In well-matched
cultures, it isn't an issue.) This can be of tremendous help to a mother
who is struggling to reconcile why her baby seems to need something so
different from that which her culture tells her is right. One of those
"Aha" experiences. Mothers who were already leaning toward believing that
their babies and breasts know what they need are likely to be relieved by
learning about the biological wisdom behind breastfeeding on cue, etc.
Mothers who have been "fighting gravity," trying unsuccessfully to get a
baby on a rigid schedule imposed from a book, doctor, relative, friend, or
from an upbringing, in general, are likely to be able to be a bit more
flexible than they once were. And who knows, they might handle
breastfeeding the next baby even more flexibly. To me, it's an issue of
ethics: mothers have a right to information. I certainly do not recommend
presenting information in an identical way to all mothers;
one-size-fits-all communication is far less effective than custom-made. But
women still have the right to know the biological norm for breastfeeding in
humans.
For more on the mismatch of culture and biology in breastfeeding, see my
article, "The cultural art of breastfeeding." Leaven, Vol. 36 No. 5,
October-November 2000; pp. 87-91, on-line at:
http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleaderweb/LV/LVOctNov00p87.html.
(And, given that our efforts to cope with the terrorist attacks on the US
continue to be evident on LACTNET, if anyone is interested, my essay,
"Connecting," has been published by Mothering magazine on their website. It
deals with grief, fear, prejudice and coping. It can be read at
http://www.mothering.com/connecting.htm or from the publications page of my
website, Ammawell (http://members.home.net/ammawell).
In community,
Cynthia
Cynthia Good Mojab
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://members.home.net/ammawell
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