I think we can all be in agreement that both safe and positive birth 
experiences can and do happen in both the home and the hospital settings 
as well. Cathy Genna has reminded us of this with her latest post 
highlighting some children with issues who were born in different 
settings. Things happen, no matter where a mother births and often these 
things may have happened long before this mother begins to labor.

All of us with our different backgrounds have a place in the field of 
lactation and it is often through us, that these women end up having that 
positive successful breastfeeding experience that they want.

We all have to remember, however, that just because we all have such a 
passion for lactation, much of the general population does not. We all 
have an agenda as well and it is not our place to change others. It is our 
place to educate and then support those who wish our help. That is all.

I use last evening as an example. I was assigned to our nursery and had 
several new babies with various issues as well as one baby who is several 
weeks old and with us for other reasons. Mom is breastfeeding this baby 
and doing very well. I have known from the get-go that she vacillates 
about continuing nursing. This is not her first and she nursed her other 
as well for almost two years. Yet, yesterday, she said something to me 
about wanting to "do both" and I asked her why. It was just a question to 
pass the time. She said something to the effect of wanting to make sure 
the baby got enough nutrition and fat. She obviously doubts the process 
even in the face of complete success (and exculsive nursing). Am I going 
to change her? Probably not and it is not my place to do so. I can only 
educate (as I did yet again) and then assure her that we will support her 
ultimate decision.

I am not going to blame the system, the doctors, the birth, or anything. 
This is this particular mother's choice and her mindset.

Like another poster has said recently, I,too, am often offended by the 
continued anti-hospital and medicalized birth remarks. This is not a home 
vs. hospital debate board. It was and is my understanding that Lactnet is 
a place where we share ideas, not bash this one and that one and this 
hospital and that midwife. There is a huge difference between questioning 
our colleagues and bashing.

Let's stick to the job at hand and do our collective best to support 
lactation in every form. Slow and steady wins the race, usually.

Betsy Riedel RNC, IBCLC
Connecticut

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