Certainly any of these women could breastfeed, as I said in the paragraph
that was not quoted, but they would need a lot of support to do so
successfully.  Yes, breastfeeding can be the first step to healing.  None of
these situations ALWAYS means the mom cannot/should not breastfeed.  I was
merely giving some possible examples.

The young girl I had in mind was a 13 year old who was impregnated by a 29
year old friend of the family who was still welcomed in the home.  She was a
very young 13, compared to some who seem much older and adult-like.  She was
curled in a fetal position in the darkened hospital room after birth.  She
kept calling for her "Mommy".  Her mom sat in the room and held the baby.
This child had been traumatized by the "rape" (even if it was consenual),
pregnancy, and birth process.  Was her family going to support and help her
to be a parent?  Would they help to protect her from further attacks by this
man?  Would breastfeeding be healing for her or, in her mind, just another
abuse of her body by decisions others made for her?

Some mentally challenged women would be far better off to breastfeed.
Certainly, it is easier to BF than to mix and measure formula.  But they
need someone in the home who is capable of being supportive and helpful.
Comparing them to barnyard animals, for whom parenting of young is modeled
and not perverted by social messages and customs, is not helpful.

No, as the hospital LC, I cannot be their support on a daily, ongoing
basis.  As I said in my original post, any of these women, given an
extremely supportive environment, may be able to raise a happy and healthy
breastfed baby.  But many of them have life circumstances and ecomonic
situations that make life very challenging.

If you have not worked with women from the social/economic classes to which
I refer, you really have no idea.  Anyone can rise above any situation, but
sometimes it is HARD.

Barb Berges BS, RN, IBCLC
near Cleveland, Ohio

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