Thank you, Jennifer. sigh, the "just fine" contingent. "Optimal" is
just "too hard" for some. I have no idea why.

I just left my unpaid post at a website because of the "just fine"
contingent. I was strongly encouraged to "support" any and all
childbearing, childrearing and feeding situations, and even the published
data I presented was framed by some (in the "just fine contingent")
as "making people feel guilty."

How does a group of people (us? LLL? help from the medical profession?)
nudge the cultural shift you are talking about? I think all here are doing
all they can. There has to be more some others can do. Or are we doing all
we can, and some just can't be reached?

I am frustrated, too. Look at the large successful baby magazines and baby
birthing TV shows. What do they all have in common? ABM ads, showing
interference and intervention as the norm, the attitude that "anything that
you want to do is fine, it is better for your baby if YOU are "happy" so do
whatever, even if it is far from optimal and we will "support" it." In this
atmosphere, it is hard to be an advocate of childbearing, breastfeeding and
the child. Because it might interfere with someone's momentary "happiness"
or convenience.It sells magazines and products on TV shows, but it is not
the best for the mothers and children involved. I can't suscribe to methods
which condone methods and products we simply know to be far from optimal,
but it seems to be the key to keeping readers and watchers of these media.

But we can't just only blame physicians and the media (as I have too often
heard done) don't mothers have to take *some* responsibility? After all,
the mothers who manage to succeed in *spite* of the media and some in the
medical profession had to have had some way of doing so. It isn't
impossible.

But I am pretty much clueless as to the actual factor.

Mary Jozwiak IBCLC, RLC, LLLL, AAPL
Private Practice

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