All:

I've been following along for some time but this is my first post!
Thanks for all of the great information.

I have a colleague who is doing a midwifery apprenticeship in an Amish
community.  She has asked if anyone has any resources on Amish
cultural practices around breastfeeding.  In particular, she is
supporting a mother and baby whom she thinks needs supplementing.

Communication is tricky - the mother is very shy and the midwifery
student sees them at a clinic and follows up with letters in the mail,
so its hard to ask lots of follow up questions!

I know the stereotypical things about the Amish - limited use of
technology, etc., - but am wondering if anyone knows how breastfeeding
support typically happens in the community?  Is there likely someone
in the community itself who will support her?  And what would common
strategies be around supplementing, stimulating a milk supply, etc.?
Will they supplement with formula?  Will it be homemade?

I've come up with some random ideas  - hand expression? could another
mother feed the baby while the moms gets her supply up?  could
another, more effective breast feeding baby "help" stimulate the
supply by nursing with lower-supply mom? a handpump? - but am really
looking for some cultural insights on what might typically happen in
this situation.

Many thanks!
Jeanette McCulloch, LLL leader

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