Hi folks,
I have been following lactnet for some weeks now, and feel I would like to
contribute to the discussion on cross nursing. Recently in New Zealand we
have had some media coverage on the issue of cross nursing. Apparently a
mother left her baby in the care of a child minder, while the mother was out
the child minder attended a womens coffee morning/support group with the
baby. The baby became fussy and another mother present at the group
breastfed the babe. When the baby's mother heard about it she made a
tremendous fuss, she was angry that another woman had breastfed her babe,
she was concerned aboout the risk of communicable disease via breastmilk. Of
interest to me was her statement "breastfeeding is an intimate and dynamic
relationship and that relationship has been broken" (words to that effect).
I am a nurse and social scientist working as a lecturer in a university.
This statement represents the thrust of my PhD thesis. I would appreciate
any further comments about the dynamics of this situation, as I have
mentioned it made our national news and quiet a stir.

Denise Dignam
Lecturer
Department of Nursing and Midwifery
Massey University
Albany Campus
Auckland
Denise Dignam
Lecturer
Department of Nursing and Midwifery
Albany Campus,
Massey University.