Subject: | |
From: | |
Reply To: | |
Date: | Wed, 7 Sep 2005 20:25:14 EDT |
Content-Type: | text/plain |
Parts/Attachments: |
|
|
TongeLa Zwanziger writes about a teen mom and her own mother's attitudes.
There is no study to suppor this idea (or maybe there is somewhere!) but having
been a teen mom myself, there was nothing I liked better than doing something
different from what my mother did. I used this strategy many times when
working with young mothers to be. Breastfeeding - even if just until she goes back
to school or only when she's at home with the baby - can be an incredible
connection between mother and child. Something that only SHE can do and provide
for her baby. Grandmas to be, especially if mom is young and will need family
help, tend to try to take over, perhaps to "salvage" this baby from turning out
like her mom. (My mother and I have had some intense discussions over the
years regarding my young motherhood - not that she had too much room to criticize
as she was a teen mom herself.) Perhaps speaking to the grandma to be about
how the choice to breastfeed shows acceptance of responsibility and dedication
to being a good mother. Encourage her to feel some pride that her child has
turned out "so well" to have made this good choice.
I worked with a low income and low literacy population for a few years when I
lived in the Chicago area and this strategy worked pretty well. Sometimes I
would share that I was also a teen mom and sometimes not. But when it was
shared, most times women would say, "wow, you went on to do something with your
life." Being a teen mom actually helped me choose my life's path, working with
mothers and babies. Sorry if this seems too personal but I am passionate about
this.
Mary Kay Smith, RN, IBCLC
Canton MI USA
***********************************************
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(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html
|
|
|