Like many others, I am concerned about the tone that may make it sound that
any particular religion dictates "not breastfeeding".  However, I know that
in SOME churches mothers were asked to not breastfeed - in fact in one, my
sister in law was asked to remove her children.  There will always be people
who don't like children, are uncomfortable around them, and breastfeeding is
way beyond their "tolerance".  

However, when we speak of a religion's dictates, we need to look to the
basis of them - is it the CULTURE they are in or the actual religion and its
writings?

I was trying to look for a link to the breastfeeding-supportive website that
was created to balance the Ezzos - but my computer crashed a while ago and I
lost it.  I did find this May, 1995 statement by John Paul II:

http://www.unu.edu/unupress/food/8F174e/8F174E01.htm

As LCs we need to be aware of the context our moms live in - and support
them where they are, whether Orthodox Jewish moms, Muslim, Catholic,
Christian, Hindu, etc.  We need to know how to address a traditional mom
from India (through her husband), or that we should not expect the husband
of an Orthodox Jewish woman to come and help her breastfeed until she has
stopped bleeding (at least in the areas where I worked that was the case).
Is she from the Phillippines and not allowed to leave the home for 40 days
(as one of my co-workers is now enjoying?)? Is she wearing a sweater in 90+
degree weather because she was told her milk will dry up if her shoulders
were uncovered (I missed that clue during THREE VISITS!)?  This is NOT to
"condemn" the religion or beliefs but rather to be aware of these traditions
so that we can more effectively help them.

To learn the history is fascinating to some - some, like me, want to know
how this affects what we are doing for moms today.  That's the value of
Lactnet - all can have their needs met - if you just hang in there and
LISTEN!

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, RN, PHN, IBCLC
California, USA

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