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Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 19 Jun 2000 09:37:12 +0100
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KD writes:


>
>
>I continue to be amazed and disheartened by TV shows telling the stories of
>people who went through tremendous efforts to have a child -- either because
>of infertility issues, or because of problems with the fetus, etc. -- who
>then are shown merrily BOTTLE-FEEDING the newborn.  Are they really that
>ignorant, or do they just not care?


Of course they care (we assume), but they may well be pretty ignorant
of the benefits of breastfeeding, and as you point out earlier in
your post, they may well have had terrible bf info and support.

>  The was a show just a few weeks ago
>about a fetus who had some sort of weird heart defect or maybe it was a
>defect in his diaphragm (don't remember what exactly) and he had surgery
>while still in utero, and the doctors fixed him and put him back inside,
>where he gestated along for many more weeks and was born healthy.  He was a
>"miracle baby" -- supposedly.  And here was the mother, stuffing a bottle of
>what was obviously formula in his mouth.  I wanted to shake her (the
>mother), or slap her upside the head, or take the baby away and give it to
>someone who had its best interests at heart.  :(
>


I know that feeling - and it's a desperately sad scenario. Seems that
emotionally and psychologically, someone whose body hasn't managed to
produce the perfect baby feels let down, or rather, 'disconnected'
by her physical resources. Her 'miracle' baby is the result of the
brilliant scientific doctors...and she may not trust her body to do
anything right. You can be sure her health advisers will not have
laid it on the line about how great bf could be for this baby...who's
she gonna listen to in this situation? Her miracle workers who moved
mountains for her to have her longed-for baby? Or, um...well, who
else might she even hear from?

Anecdotally, I find the more mothers have been through with
infertility, pre-birth surgery,  whatever, the *less* likely they are
to bf.

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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