Ah, another divorce case where father wants weekend visitations of the  
breastfed infant.  Baby is exclusively breastfed and is not on solids due  to a 
medical issue that is being monitored.  Baby is feeding often and  regularly and 
mom is home full time with baby and living with her parents  to be able to do 
so.  Attorneys on either side will not argue the  value of breastfeeding, only 
that expressing is easy enough and she can supply  enough milk for the 
separation vs expressing is not so easy for this particular  mom.  Mom contends that 
she cannot maintain her milk supply with pumping  only and that the 
separation will make maintaining milk supply difficult, and  due to medical condition 
baby must continue on breastmilk without formula  supplementation.  I have been 
asked if it is true that all mothers can  easily express enough milk and 
protect their milk supply with weekend  separation.  The hope is that the judge 
will consider that both parents  believe breastfeeding is important enough to 
protect and limit visitations to  lengths of time that will protect 
breastfeeding and the milk supply.
 
The hope is not to prevent visitation.  The father has visitation now  three 
evenings a week.  Mom feeds and father returns baby by next feeding  time.  
The goal is to limit overnight visitation only and offer increased  hours of 
visitation that do not require as much exclusive pumping.  Mom is  looking for 
any information that offers the view that not all women can pump as  easily as 
others.  Also if there is anything that supports the importance  of direct 
breastfeeding vs expressed milk it may help, but realistically, in the  state I 
live in the importance of baby's needs do not even make the top five  reasons to 
make a decision in custody hearings.
 
Any help is appreciated.  Can you please copy me privately when you  respond 
to the list.
 
Thanks,
Pam MazzellaDiBosco, IBCLC, RLC
 




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