> If we
>cannot get Joey back on her breast, she is considering weaning both of them
>because she is afraid of how her relationship would be affected.  She does
>say that Joey is much happier with bottles.  I was fearing breast aversion
>with him, being forced on like she had to do to avoid more trauma.
>
>Does anyone have an opinion on this?  I told her that although I have read
>somewhere (I can't remember where)  that it does affect bonding--can that be
>avoided in a consciencious mother, or is it inevitable?
>Does anyone have experience with this or know of any research?

I fail to see the logic in depriving the other twin of the warm, close,
breastfeeding relationship experience just so both can have the same
experience.  If one later breaks a leg, will she have the other twin's leg
broken in exactly the same place so they can have the same experience?
Sorry to be so snippy, but this sort of logic drives me nuts.  I've even
heard people say that since they bottle-fed their the first, they'll have to
bottle-feed the second, even though they now know how important
breastfeeding is to health and cognitive development, because she "wants to
treat them equally."  In fact, this is from Peggy Robin's book
"Bottle-feeding without guilt" among the list of reasons of why a mother
could legitimately choose not to breastfeed, because she doesn't want to
give one child more than she gave the other -- so she gives them both the
less healthy option.  Grrrr...

Also, it doesn't sound like this is the sort of mother to ignore the
bottle-feeding baby.  If he needs to get his breast milk from a bottle, and
she cuddles him a lot, there likely will be no significant difference.  And
perhaps in a month or two he will be older/stronger/better able to suck and
will be able to go back to the breast, alongside his twin.  Since her milk
supply will still be good, from the other twin and from pumping, there's no
reason why a switch to bottles for a while has to be a "forever" decision.

Just my ever-so-humble opinion, as always.  ;)

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Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.                         email: [log in to unmask]
Anthropology Department                               phone: (409) 845-5256
Texas A&M University                                    fax: (409) 845-4070
College Station, TX  77843-4352