"It will take a huge societal shift for women to refuse to leave their
babies.
Returning to work is deemed "productive" in the States, not having or
staying home with a baby."

Nikki:

Thanks for your comments on Lactnet on working women.  I realize that this
is a sensitive issue, as the US is forever criticized for it's NON
baby/mother friendly policies.  We DO need to work towards improving them,
but living in the NOW and dealing with mom's current life is, in my
estimation, my job.  I have to help her to develop the very best system she
can within the context of her life.

I work with moms who are low income or on welfare.and who are expected to
put more and more time into looking for and keeping jobs.  These are NOT
women "choosing" to work for the second car - they often don't have a FIRST
car - and live in areas with very limited transportation.  Some have to
leave their little ones early in the AM and pick them up very late due to
the lousy public transportation system (something else we need to fix).
Their babies need mother's milk and the time at the breast she CAN offer
them when they are home together.and my job is to make this possible.

These women need inexpensive, effective, light, and often non-electric
breast pumps, effective and safe feeding methods for their babies,
supportive employers AND knowledgeable child care workers.  There is a lot
of work to do!

We each pick our battles - those in which we feel we CAN make a
difference.while at the same time encouraging and supporting others who have
chosen other battles (such as longer family leave, stopping free formula
distribution in hospitals, requiring adequate training in regards to
breastfeeding of all health care professionals who deal with mothers and
babies).

I appreciate hearing what is being done in other countries as it gives us a
goal to shoot for - at the same time I would appreciate some tolerance,
understanding and appreciation of what OUR current situation is.
Unfortunately the US sends out so many TV Shows, movies (and even news
coverage) that there is the impression that our lives are like this - please
realize that wherever these shows are filmed, the camera is NOT panning
around the room - to the hard working men AND WOMEN who are manning the
equipment and bringing the food, cleaning the hotel rooms and bathrooms and
driving the stars to their job - it is NOT panning to the street outside
with the bus drivers, nurses' aides, eligibility workers, food service
workers, grocery store clerks,  street cleaners, garbage collectors,
firemen, sales clerks, homeless families and migrant workers.

Some may say these people should not have children until they have saved
enough to take the time to stay with them.that, also is a viewpoint and some
have taken up this cause - it is not mine. I have chosen to work with and
support, protect and promote breastfeeding in this arena.and need and
appreciate learning from all of you different ways to do so, including
information on the "plastic" bottles, nipples, pumps, etc.


Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC
California (.but not Hollywood!), USA


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