In a message dated 9/10/00 1:43:23 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<< "I think that people are afraid of babies being "demanding, manipulative,
 stubborn" because those were the names they were called as babies and young
 children when they tried to get their needs met. We have so many people who
 are adults today who were raised with very little affection. They didn't get
 held, or fed every time they wanted to, and I think they remember (in an
 unconscious way) how they longed for that. They feel that if they start
 "giving in" to a baby, then they won't have enough to give - the baby's
 needs will overwhelm them. But in reality, it's their own (still present but
 unmet) needs that feel overwhelming.

 I know, it sounds like psychobabble. But I think it's true."

 Teresa Pitman
 Guelph Ontario
  >>

Teresa,

    I agree with you too, but I'd like to add another dimension, and please
excuse me if this has been discussed already-- but we are all looking at this
from the angle of the baby.  What about the parents or the doctor?  I think
that when a baby is feeding poorly, most people just think "supplement".  In
my area (Tampa, FL), very few pediatricians think about getting an LC to
assist with breastfeeding management.  If the baby is NOT back to birthweight
by week 2, they usually recommend supplements with a bottle after every feed.
 Of course, we all know what happens to breastfeeding after this occurs.
Likewise, how many of us have spoken to "new" moms worried about their baby
gaining weight, so they supplement unnecessarily?  I think the biggest issue
that we have in our profession is getting the medical community to think
"breastfeeding management" when our babies are in trouble, and helping them
realize that there are professional Lactation Consultants who can assist
these mother-baby dyads.  So many of them opt for ABM because the cans are
right there in the office, and they can be sure that baby is getting however
many ounces they prescribe.  Do we lack faith in the nature of our babies or
in the entire breastfeeding process itself?             --  Debbie Albert,
Ph.D., IBCLC

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html