I used to spout off with a smirk on my face "If someone tells you to go
into the bath room to BF your baby, just tell them back 'why don't you go
into the bathroom to eat your food." Not any more. I've been trying to
take advantage of every situation like that when I am present. When I
hear grandmoms, FF moms come up with something like "Did you see that,
breast feeding a kid that old!" I just matter of fact say, "Ya isn't
that great! You know babies don't get their complete immune system
developed before the age of 5 or 6 years. She's making sure he doesn't
have to use any antibiotics. You know how they're not very reliable
nowadays.
This past January while visiting relatives in St. Cloud, Fl, I
attended the Conference on Human Lactation in Orlando. I love combining
pleasure with pleasure. The neighbor next door who's out spoken,
friendly, and works for "D___y" said she heard from friends who work at
that hotel that there were kids as old as 7-8 running around BF in
public. Just repeating a rumor and we know how rumors get blown out of
proportion, but turning how many people off. I did ask her to find out
the facts, that I had attended that same conference. Then I reminded her
about some of the great things her mother country (Brazil) had done to
improve BF rates (initiation & duration) and then you should have seen
the pride she showed in that statement. She shared with me that she had
had problems when she had tried to BF. The empathy did it again. "You
didn't get a chance to BF. But, you will be able to help your future
grandchildren, by supporting your children." She is one ambassador I
think will be on the side of BF women forever, not someone to make fun of
the art of breast feeding no matter how or where it is practiced.
But let's not lose an opportunity to teach.
My wish is that we could do it like Brazil did. Start changing the USA &
World opinion by saturation campaigning by getting all the role models
in public office, actors, sports figures who have BF or were BFed to
appear in all types of media advertising benefits of BF. Everyone would
want to do it. Every relative would want their 'baby' BFed. Support
would start building. We would not have to work so hard trying to
increase support. We got people coming into this country (US) and not
seeing BF done in public. What message is that sending. "If we want to
fit in we better do it like the Americans (sorry South & Central
Americans)". The idea of a national/world campaign seems like such a
good idea. Am I just a dreamer. Who could be against such a great plan.
If it worked in Brazil why wouldn't it work everywhere? We (LC's
wouldn't have to get so burned out trying to claw our way up by single
digit BF rates each year in just getting a mom to try BF. Why wait?
The studies from Brazil are there. It will work. Our government throws
so many $$$ away going after Microsoft. Why not make a deal & work
together on something like World BF Campaign. The legal system makes
'deals all the time.'
Sorry to get so carried away. I like to dream.
Regards,
P.Harris-Swenson, MA, IBCLC, Doula in training
WIC Nutritionist & BF Coordinator
Still behind '69 spring cleaning but peas & cauliflower are yielding!
Lowell, MA USA
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