> I enjoyed this essay....and totally understand the excellent point
> she is making about anger/guilt. There is no reason for any
> individual mother to feel guilty about not bf.
> 
> But why is her 'ideal' scenario so LOW in some of its expectations?
> 
> She's got mothers and babies seeing paedatricians at 2 days old (why?
> why not community HCPs with a special training including bf, visiting
> mothers and babies at home?); mothers permitted 3 months off work
> (much of the rest of the world now regards 3 mths as way insufficient
> - and guess what, businesses cope just fine) and at only 80 per cent
> of their pay; mothers paying for lactation support (unless I have
> misunderstood); mothers using daycare with still v. young babies
> which means they have to express milk and give the day to day care of
> their babies to others.
> 
> Am I missing something?
> 
> Heather Welford Neil
> NCT bfc, tutor, UK

Dear Heather, 
Just to give you an idea, in Lebanon the maternity leave is only 50 days,
and you see many working mothers putting their babies in daycare at that age
because they cannot afford to take unpaid leave after the 50 days. They also
stop breastfeeding because many do not think it is possible with the work.
The three months off work would be considered a step forward. I know the
article was written for the US but just wanted to share since the 3 months
off work was mentioned. Off course the ideal would be 1 year.
Thanks, 
Linda ("angry" as Melissa Bartick describes it).
Nutritionist and breastfeeding advocate
Lebanon 

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