What I haven't yet seen reflected in our discussions is the notion
that there is no distinct line between 'can produce suffcient milk'
and 'cannot produce sufficient milk'.
There is no clear definition of 'sufficient milk' I am aware of,
beyond the idea that 'sufficient' milk enables the baby to survive,
thrive and grow.
How fast do we'demand' that babies grow? We have all seen and heard
of babies being supplemented with formula because their growth rate
did not match what they were 'supposed' to be achieving....maybe that
growth rate was physiological to them? Does that mean the mother did
not have sufficient milk? Or what about mothers whose supply always
sees to be low, no matter what she does, and her baby seems to be
growing slowly and even looks skinny? The baby may be basically ok,
but admittedly undernourished. His weight may correct itself later,
when he's not relying on breastmilk alone. Maybe the mother did not
make sufficient milk for the baby to 'thrive' but would she be
classed as not being 'able' to breastfeed?
There's got to be a continuum, surely? Mothers at one end making vast
amounts of milk whatever happens, because of some underlying
physiological 'generosity' of cells, glands, hormones, leading to the
majority of mothers who happily make sufficient for their infants to
thrive and who regulate their supply to 'fit' the requirement, with a
few mothers struggling but managing to do this with
help/intervention/treatment, and with these blending into the smaller
number who are struggling even more.
In addition to all this you have the other half of the partnership -
you can never have 'just' the mother's physiology, 'cos you have the
baby's as well, exerting his own influence on her lactation
performance.
Oh, and the environment they are both in - supportive and informed,
or rigid and uninformed - which has an effect on the whole thing, too.
I have no idea how anyone can draw a line. Some of the '1/3/5per
cent' of mothers who 'can't' make sufficient milk might be able to
make sufficient if (for example) they had a baby who was not
pre-term, not tongue tied, not jaundiced etc or an environment which
'allowed' uninterrupted contact, or a more effecive
expression/pumping regime, or higher levels of self-belief and
confidence, or a mother/partner/friend who did not sabotage her
efforts, or a great midwife, or a wonderful postnatal breastfeeding
supporter, or access to quality info from the internet.
Too, too many variables for dogmatic percentages!
Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK
--
http://www.heatherwelford.co.uk
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