Date:    Thu, 27 May 2004 07:48:38 -0400
From:    Pat Young <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Conundrums or paradoxes

> Mothers are told breastfeeding encourages bonding between them and
> their baby - and that this is a good thing.

They are also told the baby will use them for a pacifier and be too
dependent on mom and this is a "bad" thing :-(

I think a new baby's overwhelming need to be "attached" and "too"
dependent
is a survival mode thing and it scares people in our western culture. 
They
automatically think baby will stay too attached and dependent, of course
those of us with grown breastfed babies know this is usually just the
opposite :-)  Sincerely, Pat in SNJ
===========================================
Pat, 
I know you are so right about the' survival mode thing' -  Reading your
statement reminded me of when a certain woman in our office used the
phrase, "She's always using the breast as a pacifier!"   I had to say
something to her to let her know how I thought. "The breast was invented
before the pacifier," I said. "I think the pacifier is used in place of
the breast today."   (I know it is!)

The breast is the norm.  It is my opinion that many woman and HCP think
they are interchangeable.

And of course we know how a baby does that little mouth thing when
they've fallen asleep at the breast.  It's like their lips are little
butterfly wings gently fluttering on the nipple.  They aren't really
taking anything in but when you try to pick them up gently to put them
down for a nap without waking them they latch back on for dear life.  I
wish every woman in the world could experience that kind of 'need' the
child has for its mother's breast.

Getting back to the survival thing...
Months ago I found an article  some lactnetter had attached to their
message and copied it.  I cannot always lay my hands on this article but
it was about a study by a couple of reaserchers from Harvard.  It stated
that the children who are attended to when they cried (someone found out
what they were asking for) example:  late stage hunger, cold, scared,
insecure, hurting, etc., turned out to be less anxious when they became
adults.  Now if breastfeeding can prevent a lot of anxiety for the next
generation perhaps the health care costs could be reversed.

Regards,
P.Harris-Swenson, MA, IBCLC
Nutritionist
Still behind 04 E-mail!
Lowell, MA  USA

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