Pamela writes:
>I cannot for the life of me understand how... hospital policies... can
>promote the idea of >breastfeeding and alternative feeding as equal
>"choices" and, even worse, actually assist
>mothers not to breastfeed.'
I agree - clearly, it happens because hospital policies spring from a
bottle feeding culture, ignorance, poor training, commercial practices of
the formula companies etc etc. Worse, I think, than assisting mothers not
to breastfeed is when they actually prevent mothers from breastfeeding,
which is done routinely (as we see daily on Lactnet) through ignorance,
poor training, commercial practices of the formula companies etc etc....
>The by-products - the social ,emotional and psychosexual aspects - are
>luxuries that we >have the leisure and resources to reflect upon when we
>are not involved in a daily struggle
>for survival and that we can factor in when alternatives to breastfeeding
>are both accessible >and socially acceptable.
Not sure what you mean by this, Pamela . Bf is *not* a matter of sheer
survival anymore. Therefore we are bound to see these 'luxuries' aquire a
signifcance, and an often painful reality.
>I am beginning not to "buy" having a possible history of sexual abuse as a
>socially acceptable "reason" for a mother not to breastfeed. And I always
>wonder to myself >how these women came to be pregnant in the first
>place....
C'mon, Pamela, you can be abused and get pregnant as a result of the abuse.
You can be abused a long time ago and have frightening memories. You can
have sex and feel totally powerless. You can love someone, have a loving,
sexual relationship, fall pregnant to general congratulations and
acclaim...and still feel totally powerless. Put those feelings of
powerlessness or fear or shame into a bottle feeding culture and you get a
very difficult barrier to breastfeeding.
Now, I know, and you know, that bf is *empowering* and it is a wonderful,
joyful relationship as well as an amazing, healthy way to feed...and that
women who have a bad psychosocial and/or sexual history have much to gain
from bf, if only they could be supported, informed and cherished. But they
may need the culture to change a bit first, and lots of time to hear, and
understand, about their feeding choices.
There is one hospital in London - can't remember which one, I only heard
about it recently, maybe there's a London Lactnetter who knows - which is
rather like the hospitals you work in - there are no bottles, and no
formula. The clientele is mainly upper middle class, and about 90 per cent
of them bf. If mothers wish to bottle feed, they bring in *their own*
powdered ABM and bottles and sterilising units. They are supported and
helped with this, but of course it is a clear message that bf and bottle
feeding are *not* the same (and also it shows that bottle feeding isn't all
that 'easy').
This might be a useful model for hospitals in the West to aim for - though
I can't see it spreading widely because of the massive opposition it would
meet with. Yet it makes sense, and is a small way to challenge and change
the culture - without taking away from women their option *not* to
breastfeed, for reasons which may be their own, and which, when all's said
and done, are *none of our business* . We cannot live people's lives for
them, or make their choices, or judge them until (as they say) we've walked
a mile in their shoes....
This does *not* mean women, even the ones who are keen to bottle feed,
should not have *all* the information they need about bf. And of course we
don't ever pretend that bottle feeding is the same or 'nearly as good' or
whatever mealy-mouthed thing the ABM manufactuers want us to say. But if
bf was just a simple *health* issue, then everyone would want to do it.
Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK
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