I almost always agree with Magda - every time she writes, she encourages us to
think and connect issues with a clarity that I admire.  This time, I have to ask for
clarification -- I don't want to "fly off the handle" (rant without all the facts) before I
understand what she actually meant.

I absolutely agree that bf rates everywhere are a result of the interaction of many
principles - some positive and some detrimental.  Some of the factors could be either
good or bad, depending on the social context and culture.  My confusion enters when
we consider the impact of religion on breastfeeding behaviors.

I would caution against overgeneralizing, due to the practice of different religions
being different in different locales.  We may have official religious positions on one
hand, then the way it is practiced being quite different, then practices in another
location being yet another experience.  Even within the Catholic church, there are
"conservative" practices, "liberal" practices, and many in between.

Was the religious reference meant as something that encourages a mother to
breastfeed, or a roadblock?  I don't understand.

I look forward to a very positive discussion!  Please do not think that I am criticizing
anyone's religion -- let's keep it on topic -- but since the Catholic church was singled
out, it would be good to clarify matters.

Thanks! Diana Hatch, MS, IBCLC Denton, TX, USA      > Obviously the
breastfeeding rates in Ireland and France are part of
> complex social understandings about many, many things.  They reflect
> the position of women, the value of children, the sexualisation of
> body parts, the stage of 'modernisation' parts of those countries have
> reached, the realtionship of the above to the catholic church,
> governement policy, the strength of tradition and deference to
> neighbours, you name it.  Turn most of these around and you get the
> conditions that mean that almost all women in some African societies
> initiate breastfeeding.  Within Europe, parts of France and of Ireland
> have the reputation of being very conservative (with a small c) and
> resistant to change.  Remember too that France practiced widescale
> avoidance of breastfeeding starting in the 18th century (see Fildes, A
> History of Wet Nursing and Yalom, A History of the Breast).
>
> Magda Sachs
> Breastfeeding Supporter, BfN, UK

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html