It has been fascinating reading these stories and how similar many of them
were - i.e. we received terrible advice and our children and instinct taught
us better.

To add my story to the list. Like Dr. Dettwyler, had you ever told me that I
would breastfeed and be into "mothering" I would have laughed in your face.
I was about as tomboy as they come and far more interested in my grades than
motherhood.  However, I had read that breastfeeding was best so decided I
would try it.  Despite the fact that my first birth experience was one of
the worst nightmares of my life (preeclampsia, induction with a failed
epidural, separated pubic symphasis with 3 months of resulting paralyis, no
breastfeeding advice or support, to mention a few things) my son latched on
from the beginning and nursed like a champ.  I like the experience of
breastfeeding so much that I held on for 5 months despite many efforts on
the part of medical professionals to have be stop (for medication that I was
taking that I now know would have been OK, for the effect it was supposedly
having on my mood, and for numerous other non indications). What finally did
get me to stop was starting my intership.  I weaned cold turky on the third
day as I had no idea how to handle the work.

For my second child, born third year of residency I was much more prepared.
Exclusive breastfed for 7 months ( despite 36 hour calls) and with
supplementaion for another 6. (What "dried up my milk" was my pediatric
boards even though I took the baby with me to where I slept overnight)  The
next to babies never had a drop of formula. 15 months for one (breastfeeding
pregnant was not for me - I was so nauseated I was no longer enjoying it and
he really wasn't that interested anymore) and the next still going.

What has really stayed with me from my experience is a desire to give women
the information they need to try breastfeeding because I really feel that
for most women if they have the proper support the experience is one they
would never miss.  The other thing that has led me to my involvement with
this topic is a desire to save other women from this misinformation that I
comes from my own profession - medicine and even pediatrics.  I have been
the victim of this misinformation myself and try to do my best to prevent
others from suffering from it - even if this does get me branded a fanatic.
I guess I counter this by having a few other soapboxes I also stand on such
as immunization (Sorry I am very in favor of this), emergency services for
children and tuberculosis.

Lactnet stories keep me informed in terms of how much farther we have to go...



Deena Zimmerman MD MPH IBCLC