Heather says "In fact, sometimes the notion of nipple confusion doesn't
help. It
has made some units think it is ok to give formula to a bf baby, as
long as it is in a cup or a syringe. Quite, quite wrong......"

The problem, again, Heather, is winnowing out what we want to see in a
piece of research...and using that to support erroneous practice. This is
akin to the nipple shield argument, making the use of a shield a
blasphemous thing. Everything is a tool, to be used in the hands of a
skilled professional, with judgement backed up by knowledge. Ongoing
support and belief in breastfeeding as the ultimate goal is key...and often
missing.  It isn't the nipple shield, or the bottle, or the proof of the
existence of nipple confusion  that really counts to me.

It is the lack of support and belief in the process itself...and the
tremendous lack of knowledge by some who even have IBCLC after their name.
Lack of hands on knowledge, lack of time to follow up, and lack of belief
that breastfeeding really matters in a cultural sense, in a health sense,
and in the overall scheme of human development...that is so very disturbing
to me.

The rest of it is rhetoric, and really does not interest me very much. It
is not the core issue, in my not so humble opinion. If the "real deal" of
breastfeeding knowledge and technique and support are missing,
breastfeeding often does not happen for those who have challenges.

Kathleen


Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC co-owner Lactnet, Indep. Consultant
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://homepages.together.net/~kbruce/kbblact.html
LACTNET Archives http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/lactnet.html

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