Heather wrote:
>One interesting aspect that came up at a study day I was at yesterday
was the idea that HPs who give bottles or who advise them, or who
support early solids and so on, feel unable to recommend exclusive bf
because they can't ask mothers to do something they were unable to do
themselves, as it's seen as a high standard to reach...if they
couldn't do it, how on earth can a mother do it?
I think this is one reason why LLL Leaders are often very helpful to mothers
even when their technical knowledge isn't as high as the HP's might be.
Leaders are living, breathing proof that breastfeeding can and does succeed
and that real ordinary women - with busy lives and other children - can
exclusively breastfeed and continue breastfeeding, often for years. For
Leaders, this is no impossibly high standard - it's normal, ordinary life.
If the mother comes to meetings, she'll meet a whole group of mothers who
have successfully incorporated breastfeeding into their lives, often
overcoming lots of challenges along the way. There is a powerful message
here that goes beyond the teaching of breastfeeding skills and techniques
(which are also important).
Teresa Pitman
Guelph, Ontario
(new Grandmother to a wonderful little boy, born prematurely on November
24th and weighing 4 lbs. 8 oz. at birth. Despite some struggles with NICU
staff and now the special care nursery staff, he has had nothing but his
mother's milk since birth and is now getting most of his feedings at the
breast - or, as my son puts it, "directly from the factory outlet." No
bottles, no pacifiers. He spends most of his time against his mother's bare
chest, usually with one arm wrapped around her breast as if to make sure
it's still there. We hope to be bringing him home soon! His name is
Sebastian Rhys Pitman.)
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