Dear Merilee and Others

There are a few things here and I will endeavour to answer all,

1. I must admit I am not sure about the hardware/software analogy. Certainly
it is possible for men to "lactate" with help of a bucket load of hormones
but since the hormones are probably artificially produced one has some
questions about the composition of the milk produced. If our starting
proposition is human milk for human babies because the complexity and
composition of human milk is an ever changing event in response to a set of
circumstances so complex that we can only barely comprehend it then it
follows that if I have to take a bunch of hormones to lactate then that
almost certainly does not respond with the complexity of the naturally
occuring then have I improved the health and circumstances of my
child???????

2. Do I have strong feelings about lactation - that as they say is a no
brainer!. Do I have strong feelings about men and their place as fathers -
Absolutely!!!! One of the problems that I have with this idea of men
"needing to feed" to be close to their children is that it does not value
the unique contribution that men have to make as FATHERS. We do not,or at
least should not, need to feed to develop a relationship with our children.
The acceptance that men may "breastfeed" also devalues the unique
contribution that mothers can and do make to their childrens lives and
should therefore be approached with a great deal of caution.

        Am I personally jealous of the fact that my partner has breast fed both of
our children for reasonable periods of time - over 3 years for both - NO. I
come home and they run up the corridor yelling "papa" and give me a big hug.
I have stuff to offer that my partner - their mother cannot, just as she has
things to offer that I cannot. That is life, that is what partnerships are
about,

OH BOY I do go on :-}

        I guess finally on this point the views I express in this forum are my own
and pretty much uncensored while at work I deal with a bi variety of stuuf
including mothers and fathers who hae made the "choice" to formula feed.
Those people never get to find out my views. I would however have to wonder
very hard about what was going on in the mind of man prepared to take
whatever in a desperate attempt to "breastfeed" his child.

3. I try to address my language to the audience I think I am addressing. I
assume that if I am on a list that is aimed at people involved in lactation
that many of the words/concepts are familiar and that they are reasonably
literate. HAving said that when at work I often find that I need to be very
careful about the language I am using so No not everyone speaks/uses
language here in Sydney Australia like I do.

Hope that helps,

Phillip Sheard, RN and Community Nurse, Father to Alex 7 and Elena 3


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lactation Information and Discussion
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Michael Reeder
> Sent: Tuesday, June 15, 1999 6:11 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Male lactation
>
>
> Philip, the author of the book which dicusses this idea was
> saying that men
> are physiologically capable of lactating, (they have the
> hardware) just not
> hormonally primed for it (they don't have the software,  does this analogy
> work??)  and it sounds like many men are not psychologically interested.
> (no prolactin here??) It sounds like you personally have strong feelings
> about this discussion, and that is fine, but I am assuming that
> you have an
> open mind and would be sensitive with the people that you work
> just in case
> you do encounter a man that thinks it sounds interesting.
>   BTW,  I loved your vocabulary, it was quite interesting to read your
> post.  Do you have to talk more simply to someone less educated in your
> work, or does everybody in your part of the world talk like this??
> Still raining and cold in CH
> Merilee
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