Nikki Lee wrote about the common use of breast pumps and baby carriers and
the impact that modeling must have. I agree. I recently posted the
following thoughts to a forum at BreastEd regarding a related question:
"Two cultural dimensions come to mind regarding the excessive and
inappropriate use of products in the context of breastfeeding and
mothering: 1) the
relationship between human beings and nature and 2) a society's system of
economics.
In western and westernized societies, people *tend to* dominate nature
(other possibilities are to live in harmony with it or be subjugated to
it). Nature is
mistrusted. Science is trusted. So, many women mistrust natural processes
such as birth and breastfeeding. Ironically, breastfeeding may not "feel
natural," while pumping might. Gadgets and technology meet the culturally
based needs of many mothers to make breastfeeding and mothering
"scientific" and
"controlled." Some mothers can use such breastfeeding tools as bridges to
breastfeeding the way nature really intended. Some mothers continue to use
such tools throughout the duration of breastfeeding.
In capitalistic societies, making money, acquiring property, and
consumption in general *tend to be* dominant goals. So, purchasing products
for mothering
and breastfeeding feels natural, necessary, and desirable to many mothers.
The baby products industry and the popular media have succeeded in
ritualizing the purchasing of many completely unnecessary products. Every
parenting magazine has checklists of things described as "essential" for
the new baby, including a breast pump for all nursing mothers. Every
television show with a baby in the plot shows a play pen, a crib, etc. The
well stocked and decorated nursery is a cultural ideal and icon.
So when mothers (and health care providers) in such societies seem to
excessively use "things" that most breastfeeding dyads do not
physiologically need, they are both expressing and attempting to meet
culturally based needs. These needs must be recognized, accepted
nonjudgmentally, acknowledged, and accommodated in the context of lactation
consulting if that consulting is to be culturally competent.
Cultural competence is a much neglected area in all fields, including
lactation consulting. See my article, "The Cultural Art of Breastfeeding"
in the breastfeeding
section of the publications page of my website, Ammawell
(http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell/) for more on culture and breastfeeding. I
am also working on a Unit in LLLI's Lactation Consultant Series II on
culture and breastfeeding. I hope to finish it this year with publication
perhaps next year."
Please note: the server handling my website is in the process of being
changed and even I don't know how to access my website right now.
Hopefully, it will be accessible soon. My apologies for the inconvenience.
In the meantime, "The Cultural Art of Breastfeeding" is also available
straight from the LLLI website at: http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleader
web/LV/LVOctNov00p87.html.
Cynthia
Cynthia Good Mojab
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]; Web site: http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell
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