On 02/11/2003, at 4:51, Karen Kerkhoff Gromada wrote:

> [log in to unmask] writes:
>
>> After all of this she has chosen to pump
>> and feed the baby bottles as she felt she was losing fun time with
>> her baby.
>> Disappointing. She will be lucky if she can keep her supply through
>> the
>> growth spurts and the typical fast paced life we live.
>
> Vicky, I wouldn't count her out at this point. She seems to understand
> and
> value the importance of her milk for baby and she's protecting
> production via
> pumping.

Thanks Karen, you beat me to it. EPing is a challenge - but isn't so
much of parenting about challenges?

So many pumping mums come to peer support groups already disheartened -
they've been told by doctors, midwives or LCs that it is next to
impossible to maintain supply exclusively pumping for more than a few
weeks, and they have often felt judged for their "choice" (which is so
often not a choice between breastfeeding and pumping, but a choice
between pumping or formula feeding). Many health professionals seem to
be setting up mums to fail, by both their attitudes and their veiled or
not-so-veiled value judgements. Meet mums where they are, not where you
want them to be.

Why not approach the issue _positively_ ? (this is addressed at
everyone who's negative about pumping, not at you specifically Vicki)

Instead of implying or outright saying, "well, chances are you won't
manage this, but you never know, you might get lucky"; say "this is a
new challenge, but it CAN be done. This is how to maximise your milk
supply, access peer support, combine pumping with parenting, work,
social life." Saying or suggesting that milk supply is a matter of
"luck" disempowers the mother utterly, and suggests that support and
information won't really make much difference to her success. Above
all, when you're negative about pumping, you risk the mother no longer
seeing you as a reliable source of support, leaving her alone in her
endeavour. It can be done, but it (usually) can't be done alone. Check
out the yahoo groups pumpmoms, pump_moms and EPers for success stories,
instead of limiting yourselves to narratives of failure.

Lara
EPing for Luke, twelve months and twenty-three days
through multiple growth spurts and severe maternal illness
and still managing to parent, work and study
thanks to pumpmoms, my lovely and positive LC, and above all my
wonderful partner

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