These practices were extremely common over the Western world in the mid 20th century. In Australia, a recent inquiry into past adoption practices resulted in government apologies to the families (parents, children, extended family). Unfortunately, there are places in the world where things have not changed for the better and a similar societal environment exists (for example South Korea) and or where unethical practices such as forms of coercion are entrenched in legislation and practice (such as parts of the US). To bring the discussion back to breastfeeding in the early parts of the 20th century some jurisidictions had legislation requiring single mothers to breastfeed in order to ensure that they cared for, and did not abandon, their children.
I've had quite some interaction with mothers whose children were taken for adoption, the pain doesn't leave.
Karleen Gribble
Australia
On 10/10/2012, at 4:47 AM, Mazgelis, Elaine wrote:
> On the TV show "The Midwives" on PBS in the USA, and , I assume, in
> the UK:
>
> Did anyone else's heart break when they saw the 15 yr old girl who ran
> away from an abusive home, then prostitution, and was allowed to have
> her baby, fall madly in love with her, establish breastfeeding, only to
> have the baby removed and placed in a an adoptive home, never to be seen
> by the mother again? (The rest of the show was really good!!) Some
> things about or modern world are so much better now.
>
> Elaine Mazgelis, RD, IBCLC
> Cambridge-Somerville WIC
> Massachusetts, USA
>
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