I don't know what kind of freebie literature US women are given in
pregnancy, but I'd be willing to bet, without ever seeing it, that the
magazines contain full-page color ads for equipment 'to help you overcome BF
problems' or 'to help you breastfeed', and no corresponding ads for the
services of LC's, or mother-to-mother support, or the ease and simplicity of
normal breastfeeding.

Even if these same magazines have articles that are in themselves correct,
and supportive of BF, the ads speak very loudly, especially when they are
placed adjacent to the articles on how BF works.  Again, I have not seen
whatever materials are handed out to US women, so I don't *know* that they
are like this, but I've seen the Norwegian ones, and ads for products are
very important, as they fund the publications.

Presented against such a background, the message becomes 'Breastfeeding is a
very difficult thing, requiring lots of fancy special equipment, and we have
the right equipment to help you with this terribly complicated task',
instead of 'Breastfeeding is an enjoyable and usual way to feed a baby, and
there are competent, caring people around to help you get started, and keep
going, even if you are one of the few who experiences serious difficulties.'

Lots of women here invest in pumps, but the idea of choosing to pump and
bottle feed breastmilk is (thankfully) not at all common.  In fact, women
who do bottle feed have reported being anxious that other people will think
they have stolen the baby if they bottle feed in public.  Really.

I got a nice card yesterday from a mother I taught hand expression to about
3.5 months ago.  She was suffering from transient oversupply with painful
engorgement then.  She still has an abundant supply, but wrote to say thanks
for the skill she learned, which comes in handy when the baby sleeps longer
than her breasts can bear.  She is loving breastfeeding except for this
occasional discomfort and has had no episodes of mastitis, which was her
great fear when I met her two weeks post partum.  She has never used a pump
since she left the hospital and does not hoard her expressed milk.  There is
always more where it came from!

cheers
Rachel Myr
Kristiansand, Norway

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