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Subject:
From:
Andrea Tran <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 30 Dec 2003 20:18:29 -0700
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There has been much talk about whether negative or positive approaches
work to get women to breastfeed.  Someone said they want women to do it
because they love it.

Fifteen years ago I had a friend who was pregnant and she wasn't sure
if she wanted to breastfeed because she thought it was "gross."  I told
her she was my friend and I didn't have any problem making her feel
guilty to convince her to breastfeed.  So I told her all the risks of
not breastfeeding, essentially saying, "how could you not?"  She said
she would do it, even though she still thought it was "gross."  A year
later I referred to her as a "born again breastfeeder", she was that
passionate about it.

Some women will do it because it's part of the whole package they want
to experience.  Some will try it because they know they should, some
will have a good friend who will say, as I did, "it's just wrong if you
don't".  Some mothers will fall in love with it, others won't, but at
least they will have had the chance to fall in love with it.  If they
don't try they never will.

I think I speak for most of us when I say we want mothers to
breastfeed, for whatever reason we can motivate them.  I also want all
babies to breastfeed because it makes a difference and it's important
and every baby deserves it.

We have tried talking about the "benefits", but the reality is there
are risks to not breastfeeding and women are intelligent enough to hear
them.  And if they choose not to breastfeed, they should feel guilty
because they have made a poor choice.  And if they can't breastfeed
they will feel grief.  We can't change that.  Let's get over it and do
what needs to be done.

My youngest son (11 years) always tells me to "stop glaring" when I
look at women giving bottles.  I bet he doesn't marry a women who he
thinks I might "glare" at for giving bottles.

Whatever it takes.  Loud and clear.

Andrea Tran RN, IBCLC
Erie, Colorado

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