Interesting and thoughtful article, Pamela, thank you.
I think you are right to challenge the '5 per cent' figure - one that
has always bothered me, along with the 'up to 5 per cent' figure and
the '2 per cent' figure and I now have to add, your own '.01 per
cent' figure which bothers me just as much, but for other reasons.
Total 'non-lactation' - the production of literally not-a-single-drop
of milk for primary, physiological, reasons - is indeed vanishingly
rare. I wonder if the incidence is even lower than one in a thousand.
But the figure bothers me because it's a 'binary' view of lactational
physiology - it's saying you either produce milk or you don't.
And that does not reflect reality, which is a *spectrum*, with
reasons combining physiology, social and cultural factors, emotional
and psychological factors....which cannot always (ever?) be separated
into different strands.
Add to that sometimes *major* differences of clinical opinion on what
constitutes 'sufficient' breastmilk and we have a very complicated
picture.
You can add to it differences of 'social' opinion on what constitutes
'sufficient' breastmilk, too.....so someone expecting a baby to feed
to a regular schedule may well assume the mother has 'insufficient'
milk because the baby wakes up several times at night.
So, without a proper definition of 'sufficient' breastmilk, I think
we are still struggling here!
I would also comment on this:
"Many breastfeeding counselors are at pains to rationalize
formula-feeding by defending women's right to bodily integrity."
That would be me, then! Though I don't think I am 'rationalising' FF.
I do support all women's right to bodily integrity.
***Absolutely***.
Mothers may have indivdual, personal and unique reasons for not
breastfeeding, for not breastfeeding for long, or for not
breastfeeding exclusively.
Just as I support women's reproductive, sexual and personal autonomy,
I would never ever say a woman *must* breastfeed, any more than I
would say she *must* have sex, or *must* have children.
You also add, "A mother may absolutely believe that, when
breastfeeding is difficult, her own emotional wellbeing is more
important than her baby's health"
But sometimes, this is, objectively, the case.....a mother's
emotional well-being is vital to her baby's healthy growth and
development. I want to see situations where women who are struggling
emotionally don't have to choose between their well-being and
breastfeeeding (so women with postnatal mental illness should get
every help to breastfeed alongside treatment for their illness, for
example). But if the mother herself decides that breastfeeding is too
difficult to continue and she cannot protect herself, then that is
*her* decision.
MOTHERS should be at the heart of feeding choices and decisions - not
anyone else, not anyone else saying what is an 'acceptable' reason
for not breastfeeding/stopping breastfeeding, giving or withholding
approval or permission. It's a MOTHER'S right, even when she's
'wrong' :)
Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, UK
--
***********************************************
Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome
|
