Living here in California, we have been aware of the scheduled feeding
fanatics for some time now, and have seen a number of cases in which
breastfeeding has been seriously undermined by the rigidity of the "rules."
 As a matter of fact, I have wondered about the so called five percent figure
and it's relationship to this program.  One thing I DO know- here in my town
the pediatric emergency room couldn't trouble shoot a breastfeeding problem
if they tried, so cases of dehyderation are generally blamed on the mother
and on the general ineffectivness of breastfeeding (with no assistance beyond
formula offered).  Here are two calls from this month:

A young mother was trying to nurse her second child (2 months old) and having
weight gain problems.  Her doctor had become aware of her beliefs, and had
encouraged her to at least pump between the three hour feedings and give her
milk in bottles, in order to maintain adequate milk supply.  She was calling
because the pump was "too expensive" and wanted a cheaper option.
 (Breastfeeding---  DUH)  But, sadly, she couldn't breastfeed more often
because her husband was very much "into" these methods, and she was under
peer pressure from her church "family."  When questioned about her
breastfeeding experience with her first child she had followed this same
philosophy and ended up having to use formula quite early  (they say it's
God's way?)   Clearly she was headed for formula a second time.  BTW, in this
case, the grandmother (her mother) was encouraging her to nurse more, to no
avail.  I believe the grandma was worried about the baby.

Last week a mother of an eight and half month old called because she was
"losing her milk."  She said she has suffered throughout the nursing time
with chronic breast infections, and wanted to know if chronic breast
infections could cause reduced milk supply (!)  She only nurses three times a
day.  When I asked her why she only nursed three times a day, (while at the
same time worrying about her milk supply)  she told me she was following a
method espoused by her church.  She was quite defensive.  She claimed that
this method, which she had not used for her first child, was much better than
last time, when she had nursed her child "every time he made a peep."  She
stated that "this time everything has been much better."  I responded with
"except for the fact that you had chronic breast infections?"  and she
quickly replied that this was only because she wore a tight bra.

This was a rather interesting call, actually.  I brought up the fact that at
holiday times mothers are under increased stress, and babies often end up
inadvertently weaned.  She said that yes, she had noticed that she had been
giving her baby increased numbers of formula bottles in the last few weeks,
and really did not want to stop breastfeeding until he was 12 months old,
since he was to be her last baby.  Her grandmother (oh, the wisdom of
grandmas!) had encouraged her to savor these moments, and she really wanted
to enjoy what little breastfeeding time she had left.  I don't know if the
"method" espouses weaning at one year, but this was her plan.  She ended the
call by saying she was going to stop all bottles and, while not saying she
was going to increase nursings, she did confide that in the morning she
brings the baby to bed and lets him nurse for *an hour.*  (this was clearly a
confession)  I suspect that those mothers who even make it to six months
still nursing DO CHEAT in order to be successful- and what kind of guilt does
this create?  Do they have to deceive their husbands and family?  What a
potentially destructive and yet unnecessary dynamic.

Both of these women had a characteristic in common- they seemed clearly
insecure and confused, and definitely NOT empowered in their mothering or in
their womanhood.  Whether it's by the unethical formula industry or some
rigid set of breastfeeding rules, it's all too easy to undermine a young
woman's confidence, and then you have her right where you want her- under
your control.  What's the difference if it's economic, domestic, or
spiritual?

On the bright side, I was asked about this method in my last breastfeeding
class, and managed to innoculate a whole bunch of new mothers all at once-
they were horrified by the idea of three hour feeding schedules- after having
just learned the specifics of supply and demand and growth spurts.  Really,
you should have seen their shocked faces when a mother-to-be described this
program (her friend had recommended it to her.)  I must say I was heartened.


Warmest Holiday wishes to ALL on Lactnet.

Sue Jacoby, IBCLC