From:    Nikki Lee <[log in to unmask]>

>Who among us remembers the days when healthcare workers were supposed to
>present breastfeeding and formula feeding as equivalent choices so as not
to
>make any mother feel "guilty"? Talking about the infant feeding
>"that-can-not-be-named" is an artifact of those days.

"The days" are not so far back.  As recently as a year ago, I was told I
could only present the "benefits" of breastfeeding if I taught childbirth
education at a particular institution, as opposed to the "risks" of
formula.  The fear was that the pediatricians would complain, as well as the
formula companies.  Nice, huh?

The weird thing was that the IBCLC's at that particular institution didn't
seem particularly bothered by it.  They didn't want mothers to feel
"guilty".   It's the "even a drop of breastmilk is good" mentality that I
sometimes see from doulas and lactation advocates.  While it's true in
theory, I think we can sometimes get very complacent when the only goal is
breastmilk feeding and not normal birth and breastfeeding (not to mention
institutional change).

I've seen some IBCLC's who barely seem to support normal breastfeeding.  I
cringe to think what kind of advice they're giving to their mothers ....
*sigh*

Alison Jacobson

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