In the 1930s and 1940s on the kibbutzim in Israel mothers would breastfeed
infants of other mothers.

 

In those days women did hard physical work  in the agriculture and the
tending of farm animals.  Working in the service branches such as the
communal kitchen, dining room, laundry and child  care was also hard
physical work in primitive conditions.

 

Babies were cared for communally and mothers would come every 4 hours to
feed their babies.

Some mothers "succeeded" in breastfeeding and some didn't.  Breastfeeding
was encouraged for all of the mothers as there was no  alternative to breast
milk at that time.

 

Apparently, the then breastfeeding support person/child care worker did not
know why one woman had abundant milk and another did not.  The accepted
practice at that time was that mothers who "succeeded" with breastfeeding
would breastfeed in addition to her own baby, the baby of a mother who
apparently did not have enough milk.

 

While this worked in terms of the babies growing well - it left an
undercurrent of negative emotional residue for all of the mothers, both the
ones whose baby was dependant on another mother's milk and also for the
mother who was required to breastfeed another baby in addition to her own.

 

The time that the mothers spent with their babies was limited and a mother
who was required to breastfeed another infant had less time with her own.

The emotional difficulty of the mother who was dependent on another mother
to breastfeed her own baby is obvious I think.

 

At the time I had my first baby on the kibbutz in the middle 1970s, the
kibbutz had developed ways of adjusting the local cows' milk so that it was
usable for the babies and there was some AIM available for special cases,
all imported and very expensive.  However, the general attitude of the women
towards breastfeeding at that time was that it was not worth the struggle if
it did not go easily.  Mothers were encouraged not to suffer the emotional
issues surrounding breastfeeding and to just give their babies the homemade
"formula".  

 

This is a fascinating chapter in infant care and feeding and the place of
mothers in society.

 

My experience of breastfeeding my babies began on the background of this
saga as my first was born in 1975.  No one understood why I wanted to
breastfeed so much

or why I was so insistent about it being worth the struggle.  I "succeeded"
in the face of many obstacles and went on to become a LLL leader in 1980 and
started leading groups in the area and giving lectures in various settings.


 

In the middle of the 80s breastfeeding began to regain its status on my
kibbutz as the preferred way of nourishing and caring for a baby,  So
breastfeeding  my 3rd and 4th babies became part of the mainstream culture.

 

As LLL acknowledges the importance of modeling as a part of what a leaders'
role is, many women later did give me credit for contributing to the change
in the breastfeeding culture on the kibbutz.  

 

I went on to become an IBCLC.  The daughters of my peer group of mothers are
now having their babies and I am busy helping them with breastfeeding. The
women who once did not understand are now overtly grateful and acknowledge
that they now see what we IBCLCs do and how important it is. 

 

Donna Ron, MHA, IBCLC, LLL

Israel


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