In 1941, Dr Cicely Williams, was interred in a Japanese concentration camp. Like many of those so interred, she suffered terrible conditions: starvation, disease, lack of medical care. She helped those she were interred with her. During that time... "20 babies were born, 20 babies were breastfed and 20 babies survived." She went on to pioneer work in how much infant formula, and infant formula marketeering, damaged babies' lives and health. I personally have had contact with a woman, who is the grandchild of a mother who breastfed twins in a German concentration camp. I regret to say, I forget the name of the camp. The mother of this woman, was one of the twins. Women's ability to breastfeed during times of extreme stress, famine and degradation, is well noted. "Indeed, under strong adverse circumstances, such as in times of famine, near starvation in times of war, or confinement in concentration camps, mothers were able to initiate lactation and breast feed satisfactorily." <http://tropej.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/32/3/102-a> The concept that lack of food, hunger, reduces a mother's ability to breastfeed, is one of the most pernicious myths we deal with. It cannot be allowed to be perpetuated, particularly in this forum, and to go unchallenged as a statement. Particularly in the run up to World Breastfeeding Week, which is this year highlighting Breastfeeding in Emergencies, in which we've been asked, as a community, to refute such damaging myths: MYTH: “Malnourished mothers cannot breastfeed.” FACT: Malnourished mothers can breastfeed. Moderate maternal malnutrition has little or no effect on milk production. In fact, the mother will continue to produce milk, at the expense of her own body stores. Extra food and fluids are needed to replenish the mother’s own reserves, and micronutrient supplementation may be needed. She also needs encouragement and support to breastfeed frequently. SOLUTION: Feed, nurture and support the mother and let her feed the baby.’ http://www.worldbreastfeedingweek.org/images/english_2009actionfolder.pdf It is our duty to challenge statements that suggest that hunger in the mother is responsible for the cessation of breastfeeding. It is our duty to stand up for all babies and mothers, who are being treated badly, regardless of who is treating them that way, or why they perceive it as an appropriate action. Groups of people, segregated into religious, ethnic or racial groups do not, uniformally, either act in good, or evil. There are no cohorts of 'good' and 'bad' people. There are only good, and bad, acts. That people may do bad, in the name of good, is one of the most obvious facts about human beings. That others can then infer meaning, that has not been stated, or even implied, is just as obvious as a facet of human communication. You cannot control inference. And you cannot close down discussion based on it. For those who inferred from my previous post that I was assigning collective, Universal responsibility on a tragic situation, where _people_ do bad things, separate from any recognition that those people split out on a wide and varied section of populous, not locked down to specific religion or Nationality, I refer you to this URL. http://jfjfp.com/ I'm sure you can take inferred arguments off into private post. However, the kernel of the post, that woman can and did breastfeed successfully in concentration camps, in famine, and in war, stands. That truth will not be silenced, by dint of the concept that speaking up for the babies of the world, is somehow unacceptable, in case we stray into political discussion. The politics of a situation where daily, news broadcasts ask for formula to feed the babies of mothers in Emergency, is our business. This is happening in Gaza, and Karleen rightly brought this to our attention. Just as it was brought to our attention for Burma and many other locations. Breastfeeding is politics. If you've not worked that out, you're in for a rough ride. Morgan Gallagher (More than happy to hear anyone criticism her own Government, if we get it wrong - which we do. Everyone gets it wrong, some of the time.) *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome