Like many of you, I have incredible discussions inside my head before
approaching pregnant relatives. I sometimes feel like they can *see me
coming* and I certainly don't want to put them off breastfeeding by being
too strident. A couple of years ago my niece became pregnant, and my dilemma
was even more nerve-racking because she happens to be a physician. Should I?
Shouldn't I?
Finally, I sent her a bunch of information together with a little note
encouraging her to call me if she had any questions.
It paid off!
Despite having to go back to work when Ilan was three months old, she is now
nursing a toddler. Daddy stayed home to take care of the baby, feeding him
her pumped milk and bringing him to the office to nurse when she was
on-call. As she said to me on the phone, *Who would have thought it? I was
only going to nurse for a couple of months and then switch to formula!*
Ruth is now the person all the office staff go to when they have nursing
questions, and she has recently become a breastfeeding activist, as you can
see from the letter (below) that she just wrote to the Richmond Times
Dispatch.
Take a chance! Talk to a relative!
hugs from Norma
Norma Ritter
[log in to unmask]
>September 1, 2001
Dear Editor, Richmond Times Dispatch,
As a physician and breastfeeding mother of a 17 month old toddler, (and as
a member of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts), I feel I must respond to the
letter from Patty Doyle published on Saturday, September 1, 2001 regarding
her negative views toward breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is natural and is very important to the well-being of both
child and mother. It conveys innumerable benefits-nutritional,
psychological and economic. Our society should promote breastfeeding rather
than discourage it.
I am disappointed that anyone, let alone a woman, would express such
negativity about breastfeeding in public.
The Policy Statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics (as published in
the Journal Pediatrics, Vol. 100, No.6, Dec. 97, pp 1035-1039) reads
“exclusive breastfeeding is ideal nutrition and sufficient to support
optimial growth and development for approximately the first six months after
birth. . . it is
recommended that breastfeeding continue for at least 12 months, and
thereafter for as long as mutually desired.”
Thus, extended breast-feeding is not strange and is certainly not
“appalling.” Most often when a woman breastfeeds in public there is no
exposure of the breast to the public. Often others are actually unaware
that a child being held in the mother’s lap is nursing.
Furthermore, Ms. Doyle states that the public wants to view art , not
breastfeeding. I do not see how the presence of a breastfeeding mother
and child would interfere with that. If Ms. Doyle is embarrassed by what
I think is the beautiful image of a breastfeeding mother and child, then how
does she deal with all the nudity presented in art. Finally, Ms. Doyle
would ask breastfeeding mothers to go to the lounge or confine themselves to
home. The Victorian age of confinement for expectant and new mothers ended
many years ago, and I would ask Ms. Doyle if she would like to take her
meals in the bathroom.
As a final note, breast-feeding is legal in all public areas in the United
States. Many states have passed additional legislation supporting
breastfeeding. And as Don Dale of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts stated,
in a letter responding to my inquiry about this matter,” the museum’s policy
, in keeping with state law, allows breastfeeding in all public spaces.”
Ruth Felsen, MD
Surgical Associates of Richmond
1401 Johnston Willis Drive, Suite 1100
Richmond, VA 23235
804-560-5960
_________________________________________________________________
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