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From:
Zucker Family <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Fri, 24 Oct 1997 20:54:12 -0400
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Dena mentioned that the government would save health dollars if Emma was
permitted to leave her post so she could breastfeed.  As I understood it,
the mother was given lots of time to pump and/or breastfeed her baby.  The
quality of the baby's nutrition was not an issue.  The baby WAS exclusively
given breastmilk.  The question was whether or not the mother should be
allowed to get out of her committment to the military.

I will state again, in another way, that many people who would otherwise
qualify to attend West Point often opt not to because of the necessary
committment afterwards.  One graduates with a wonderful, free (well, no
monitary cost) education.  It's a choice you make when you enter.  You
trade your freedom for your education.  Since this mother opted not to
fullfill her obligation, she needed to make some kind of reparations for
the cost of her education.  Clearly her daughter's health was not an issue,
since she was breastfeeding at the time, and was able to provide breastmilk
for the baby when the mother was not around.

I will again state, that I feel strongly that every baby has a right to be
with his or her mother.  Some other plan needs to be in place to repay the
cost of the education.  I also think the military needs to be a little hard
nosed about this, since a valuable commodity (education) is being traded.

I just don't want my position to be in any way misunderstood.
Barbara Leshin-Zucker, IBCLC
Breastfeeding Coordinator, Morrisania WIC
Bronx, NY
(Who is presently working very hard to put 2 children through college,
while searching for schools with the 3rd and a 4th on the way to HS.  I
guess I see this issue a little differently than those with younger
children!)

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