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Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 27 Jul 1999 17:16:24 EDT
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Laurie vented,

<< I went to check on a mommy in hospital last week and she was leaning over
 out of her bed holding a pacifier (brought from home) in the baby's mouth
 (he in his crib) to keep him from crying. I suggested that she breastfeed
 the baby now, giving all the reasons and listing the early feeding cues and
 that even the AAP recommends this, and it is ok and even desirable to feed
 the baby agian even if he "just ate" recently. She didn't want to. Later the
 nurse informed me that the mother did not like me telling her all this. This
 is so frustrating to me! How can we change this mindset? I guess this was
 really a vent! >>

Laurie and all,

I honestly don't think we can.  Our culture is attuned to breastfeeding on a
schedule, and any classes/books that promote the Ezzo mindset (Prep for
Parenting, Babywise) will convince the parents that to do other than feed
more often than every 2 1/2 to 3 hours (depending on the age of the baby) is
setting the child up for eventual juvenile delinquency, a chaotic home and
metabolism, PPD in the mother, and a child that is totally out of control --
well, who are WE to tell a mother that if the baby is cueing to eat, feed
her.  No, these mothers are much more likely to hang ove the crib, putting a
pacifier in the baby's mouth, sobbing because they don't know what they have
done wrong, but they will NOT feed the baby because their guru has told them
they can't.  They are convinced that if the baby is truly hungry, it is
because they are "milk insufficient" and/or they have done something wrong.

So often we are completely unable to change a mindset.  I heard about a mom
from a mutual acquaintence who has a 1 month old child who is on her second
bout of mastitis....she is putting the baby on a 3 hour schedule, and does
NOT want to go back to feeding more frequently, even if that means the end of
the mastitis.  Guess why she didn't call ME?  So here's a mom that would
rather (a) suffer or (b) quit breastfeeding rather than feed her baby more
often.

Sigh.

Jan Barger

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