Adriana wrote:
>I would love to see each client making the commitment to BF for at least 2
years.

While your goal is admirable, Adriana, I can't imagine trying to get a
"commitment" from someone to nurse for 2 years. I turned out to be a
long-time nurser, but still remember going to a La Leche League meeting with
my newborn and seeing a 6 month old in overalls nursing, and thinking THAT
looked like a pretty old baby to be nursing. Well, many months and years
later, I was still nursing (including nursing through a pregnancy and 2
years of tandem nursing), but if someone had tried to pin me down prenatally
or early in the postpartum period, I would have felt annoyed and very
resistant. I never could have nursed for such long times, in a part of the
world where nursing past a year was considered uncultural (and downright
abnormal), without the support of La Leche League and nursing friends. Women
who don't have that support are still going to have a heck of a time nursing
up to 2 years, despite what the WHO or anyone else says.

I think we need to take things in steps. Just getting a mother breastfeeding
is a big step; ensuring she has community support is another; educating the
older generation and health professionals is another. It's all going to take
time, but each mother who continues to nurse beyond 6 months, and then to a
year, and then beyond, will help create a more accepting atmosphere in the
communities where they live. But I don't think it's going to happen by
asking for a commitment. I couldn't even imagine my baby BEING 2 years old
when I was pregnant or a new mum, let alone still NURSING at that age. It's
not something you tend to plan to do, it just happens because it feels
right.

Leslie Ayre-Jaschke, BEd, IBCLC
Peace River, Alberta, Canada