I don't know if anyone can prove the difference or even if it really
matters.  I'm among the many women I know personally, not just LACTNETters
Mary and Maureen, who have the same gut feelings about some of the
noticeable differences in direct nursing their infants.  It's not meant to
be argumentative or a battle between stay with baby or not stay with baby
for employment purposes.

If we knew all the facts, we could stick to them.  Unfortunately science
keeps proving and disproving itself on a regular basis (on many subjects)
and anecdotal and traditional wisdom still solve a lot of problems in this
breastfeeding realm (and vise versa).  Most women know their babies better
than anybody else, so whether or not a factfinding scientific expedition has
or hasn't been done, if you've got bunches of women saying that their
instinct is this or that, then those statements merit serious consideration.

There are many ways women working outside the home can benefit from this
discussion.  Could we prove at some point that women DO need more than
current (pending) legislation regarding their provisions for pumping at
work?  Probably.  Then, my boss and Mary B's boss, and the owners of
businesses with at work child care facilities could stick their justifiable
noses out and tell Maureen's boss just how right it is to have mom and baby
at work...and not just for those with "office" jobs.

It would be difficult to justify breastfeeding discussions that are purely
scientific, we *know* we're discussing more than just a body function and a
feeding method.  Separation of mother and baby, however culturally accepted
or necessary, can cause a lot of difficulties for the lactating mother and
her infant.  I think that those of us who spend a great deal of time and
effort trying to better those adverse conditions for mothers who work still
can benefit from discussion of *why* those problems exist and to what extent
they exist. Lactation programs at work, though providential and desirable,
do not solve all the breastfeeding problems of working moms.

Lorri Centineo
Maine Breastfeeding Coalition

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Maurenne griese [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Friday, April 02, 1999 10:59 AM
> Subject: Social and Cultural Aspects of BF (was Concerned about pumping
> posts)
>
>
> While I agree that we should stick to facts, I thought this was a
> *discussion list*, where we could certainly discuss anecdotal as well as
> research based findings.  The dilemmas that face today's mothers
> in Western
> vs. non-Western societies as they relate to breastfeeding have been
> discussed on Lactnet before.  I think this topic falls into the realm of
> discussing the social and cultural aspects of breastfeeding (Kathy
> Dettwyler, are you out there?).  Why shouldn't we discuss the working vs.
> staying home dilemmas that breastfeeding women face?  These women look to
> people like us for support and encouragement in their decisions.  Those
> personal decisions are their own.  Our personal decisions are our own.  It
> is not an easy topic to think about or discuss-it's not cut and dry.
>
> For change to truly be successful, I believe that we need to take baby
> steps in helping the breastfeeding mother who chooses to work outside the
> home.  Lactation support programs and legislation that supports these
> mothers are baby steps toward positive change.  Yet, there is the other
> problem which is separating mothers and babies for the sake of
> work outside
> of the home.
>
> For example, when I work labor and delivery, I would not expect to take my
> baby along with me.  Our culture does not allow this and considering the
> work involved, I think my children would be better cared for by Dad while
> I'm out helping moms birth their babies.  Yet I know of at least one
> midwife on our list that has taken children with her to home
> births because
> it is accepted in her society.  With some office jobs, I don't see the
> problem of having your baby with you, except for a general lack of
> appreciation for the importance of mothering and breastfeeding by some
> employers.
>
> Who is going to speak up for these moms and babies and the dilemmas they
> face if we don't?  Why shouldn't it be discussed here on Lactnet?
>
> Maurenne Griese, RNC, BSN, CCE, CBE
>

             ***********************************************
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