The situation Morgan describes in Essex is similar to one I encountered in my part of the 
UK last year.  Out of respect for privacy, I won’t go into the details.  I will say that in this 
situation, there was no villainy or outright incompetence.  All involved did their jobs 
admirably.  Breastfeeding and breastmilk feeding continued throughout the ordeal, thanks 
to dedicated parents, foster carers, and social workers.  When the baby was returned 
home, normal, direct breastfeeding immediately resumed.

That doesn’t mean the situation wasn’t horribly unjust.  Unless there is overwhelming, 
compelling evidence that being in the presence of her mother is dangerous to a baby, 
breastfeeding dyads should not be separated.  In the situation here, it seemed to me that 
this mother and baby could have been placed somewhere where they had 24-hour 
supervision.  I’m sure that if I asked the social workers why they didn’t offer that, they 
would say that they don’t have the resources to properly supervise a dyad like that 
around the clock.  I can appreciate that it would be expensive and logistically difficult, but 
if the whole point of Child Protective Services is to protect children, these agencies need 
to understand that one of the least protective and most risky things they can do to an 
exclusively breastfed baby is separate him from his mother.  

Really, this is an issue that extends well beyond isolated cases in the UK or any other 
country, and it seems ripe for our advocacy.  Those agencies and professionals tasked 
with protecting babies who may be in danger in the home need to be educated.  They 
need to understand what a breastfeeding dyad is, and how central a baby’s role in that 
dyad is to her identity and well-being.  

I wonder if it would be possible to develop educational materials, even a curriculum that 
IBCLCs and other qualified people could offer as continuing education for social workers?  

Kerry Ose

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