In a message dated 9/18/00 3:36:24 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< If, for whatever reason, a mom no longer wants to BF,
 then I always feel she and baby need to stop. >>


I disagree.  There are many things that can be done to change the way mom
might feel about nursing the baby.  Perhaps she doesn't know the risks
related to starting abm...if baby is a year or more, there are often other
things going on that be dealt with easily.

It *really* helped me to keep it in the forefront of my mind that the
benefits of nursing are dose dependent....therefore, I want my baby to have
as much breastmilk as is possible.  Remembering this....reminding myself
frequently.....keeps me feeling good about breastfeeding.  I'm not one of
those mom's who just *loves* it and thinks it's the most wonderful
thing/feeling etc in the world.   Guess prolacting didnt' do it's number on
me - LOL.

But knowing exactly how important it is for my baby kept me commited and
feeling positive about the breastfeeding relationship.   I just kept (and
keep) chanting to myself "the benefits of breastfeeding are dose dependent"
"the benefits of breastfeeding are dose dependent"...... I also really tried
to figure out the various things that were barriers to me enjoying nursing
and worked *actively* on changing them.

It's interesting that so many people say that it's important for mom to give
up bfeeding if she doesn't like it so that she doesn't transfer it to baby.
Nonesense.  There are many things that we'd rather not do, that we do anyway
b/c it's the right thing to do.  In order to not be self-sacrificing,
sometimes you need to change your thinking, or figure out ways to actually
*like* what you're doing.

It's very possible.

katherine in atl

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