Rhoda Taylor, B.A., I.B.C.L.C., Vancouver Island, Canada

wrote:

Help celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights.
                            Visit www.amnesty.ca

Maybe this  would be one way to help implement that declaration better in
the USA, to change our culture a bit by encouraging professionals to
start using that beautiful new term I had never heard before -
"Childminder" - instead of "Babysitter" ! It says it all, so eloquently.

On the other hand, as we were kindly reminded by Kathy Dettwyler, many of
us are conflicted about how best to manage our personal priorities, and
for whatever reasons, often make use of childminders while we tend to
other things.

A certain familiar pattern of infant massage, started by the parents and
conveyed to the childminders might help. And much as I hate to use the
term "mother substitute", a favorite "security blanket" or "fuzzy toy"
sprayed with mom's favorite cologne, even with an attached pacifier,
(horrors!), held close to the breast and to the infant's hands  when
nursing from early on,  seemed to bring some comfort to one of my little
ones when I was away.

A baby sling, scented the same way or even with Dad's familiar shaving
cologne, started early as a favorite method of going to sleep, might by
helpful. Do you suppose a soft hanky with the scent of mom's breast milk
and/ or underarm perspiration from that a.m. (a la Dr. Herbert Ratner's
lecture on "Armpitin" in the '60's)  might be of any value? The limbic
system, seat of the emotional memory, lies very close to the olfactory
nerve.

I hope you share if you develop such an instruction sheet as you
described.

K. Jean Cotterman RNC, IIBCLC

___________________________________________________________________
You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail.
Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html
or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]