The observer was the only paper with the nerve to print this story in
Dallas. I laud them for that. I don't know why the photos didnt print, but I
will be out to get a print copy of the observer from the newstand today
(It's free by the way) so if you want the article, I will be happy to mail
one to you - just let me know.


This is the letter I just fired off to the author:

I read the story about the family whose children have been removed becasue
of the breastfeeding photos and was OUTRAGED!!!!!! I am  registered nurse
who works with sick infants and mothers and breastfeeding in my daily
practice. How disgusting that some pervert police officers and district
attorneys made this out to be SEXUAL. For crying out llud - breasts are for
feeding babies and small children, the sexual uses are secondary - not
primary. If this woman had been breastfeeding the baby in public, she could
not have been arrested or had her children removed, but because it was
photographed, the bumbling bozos of the uninformed, uneducated and self
righteous acted in the name of child pornography.

For the information of these officials and agencies, this is what
professional organizations have to say:

American Academy of Pediatrics:
"breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for babies through at least
the first birthday and longer"

WHO/UNICEF:
"exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is the optimal way of feeding infants.
Thereafter infants should receive complementary foods with continued
breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond"

American Academy of Family Physicians:
"Breastfeeding is the physiological norm for both mothers and their
children.  The AAFP recommends that all babies, with rare exceptions, be
breastfed and/or receive expressed human milk exclusively for about the
first six months of life.  Breastfeeding should continue with the addition
of complementary foods throughout the second half of the first year.
Breastfeeding beyond the first year offers considerable benefits to both
mother and child, and should continue as long as mutually desired.  Family
physicians should have the knowledge to promote, protect, and support
breastfeeding. (1989) (2001)"

American College of Obstetricians and Gynocologists:
"Breastfeeding lessens the mother's postpartum blood loss, allows bonding
with the infant, decreases the risk of ovarian cancer and premenopausal
breast cancer, reduces the incidence of pregnancy-induced, long-term
obesity, and can serve, if used under well-defined guidelines, as natural
birth control by delaying ovulation. Research provides strong evidence that
breast milk (via breast or bottle) decreases the incidence and/or severity
of diarrhea, asthma, ear infections, bacterial meningitis, botulism, and
urinary tract infections in infants. Breastfeeding has also been linked to a
possible enhancement in cognitive development in children."

State of Texas : A woman may leagally breastfeed anywhere that the woman
legally has a right to be. (I don't see anything about not being allowed to
photograph a breastfeeding dyad.)

The sad part is that such position stements and legislation are even needed.
What if the American Academy of Plastic Surgeons issued a position statement
that reads "Breasts should be used for sexual and visual pleasure anytime
throughout a womans adult lifetime or as long as mutually desireable by
herself or her partner". It would be stupid because that is already obvioius
to most of us. What should be obvious has become necessary to defend to the
point that we have lost sight of what is real and reasonable.

Give this family back their children and hope they don't sue the city of
Richardson, the county and the state. (Although they SHOULD!) Perhaps Dallas
County Victim Services should step in to help these folks.

Thank you to Thomas Korosec and the Observer for making this story public
when other papers didn't bother. Keep up the good work.

Michelle Meeks, RN (I Prefer to keep my name private unless someone asks for
it)

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