Karen said:

I think we do better to acknowledge the
intelligent perceptions underlying a mom's anxiety about breastfeeding, and
her valiant attempts to find a solution to her difficulties.

I would like to add to this - those of us "on the front line" teaching
mothers and their caretakers have two responsibilities (on this particular
subject) - 

One, is to make sure that we "hear" the mother and her concerns and help
her find solutions that SHE can live with as her problem must be addressed
right now - not in the future.  If she feels she is not "heard" or that we
would not find her solution "acceptable", then she will cut us out of her
life and out of the list of people she calls when facing other challenges
and concerns.

Two, we need to work hard to CHANGE the reasons for her concerns and
challenges - whether embarrassment, unsupportive bosses or unacceptably
short maternity leaves.

If we ONLY work on changing the policies and politics, we will lose a lot
of mothers and babies who will not be able to breastfeed.  It reminds me of
the decisions we make with schools - we sometimes have to remove a child
from a school that is not working - rather than work to change the school -
because our child will only have THIS year to be in 2nd or 5th or 10th
grade.  However, some DO stay and work to improve things from within or for
the long haul.


Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC
Vacaville, CA

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