In a message dated 11/18/98 6:13:52 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<<
 Do my eyes deceive me?  Are we really spending lines and lines to explain
 how to get a baby to drink from a bottle?  Please note, that in most of the
 world with reasonable maternity leave, there is no need for babies to take
 bottles.  The US LC's should be lobbying their government(s) for civilized
 maternity leave.  And never mind encouraging babies who know better to take
 bottles.
  >>
Sorry Dr. Jack,
I won't take up any more space on the subject, but the truth is that we don't
help the mother when she returns to work, she will often wean and
breastfeeding is lost altogether.  We don't have many private baby-sitters or
day care workers who are willing to learn to cup feed infants.  Mothers become
very upset and stressed if their sitter is not happy.  It is a lot of work to
find good care for the baby.

As I said before, these mothers inform us they ARE going back to work, and the
baby MUST take a bottle in order for everything to go smoothly.  I advocate
constantly for the mother to consider all her choices, including staying home
with the baby, working only part-time, taking longer maternity leave, etc.  I
have also had many mothers who were not sure about "this breastfeeding".  Many
continue to nurse much longer than the 6 weeks or 3 months they had initially
planned, because we can teach them how they can manage work and breastfeeding.
It gives them the time they need to really fall in love with the baby and
breastfeeding.  Quite a few have managed to quit or reduce their work hours
when baby # 2 came along.   We get lots of "thank-yous" and referral from
these moms.  Often they tell us they have nursed baby # 2 or # 3 much longer.
I wish we lived in an ideal world, but Lynchburg, Virginia is NOT it.

Jane Bradshaw RN, BSN, IBCLC
(whose 3 children never had bottles in all the years they nursed)
Lynchburg, VA
South-central Virginia