[elizabeth mcalpine]

Re: Melbourne's child letter 'Breast is still best'   My daughter took issue with the writer's comment on the midwife 'assisting younger, more inexperienced mothers'. As an 18yr old, and the baby newly born, I described what to do without touching; she listened, and breast fed for 14 months - no dummies, no bottles.  I find that young mothers have little or no difficulty at all - it seems to me that it is the older, more 'educated' mother who has problems.   In fact, its a reflection on our society and our health system that Western women experience problems.  Why is this??   Having worked with Indonesian women; a multicultural population of women in the Middle East and Aboriginal women - I never saw the problems with BF that I see in the West.   Those women just get on and do it, naturally.   Many of the Middle Eastern women don't wish to feed immediately, and many are uninterested until the milk comes in.   Many don't express, they rest.   When the milk comes in, they feed thereafter for about 2 years.   They bond well with their children and usually have many.   It is not unusual to observe women with their faces veiled, the breast exposed and the baby suckling contendedly.  Women returning to the workforce have government instigated breast feeding breaks in their work-day for about 12 months.   The 'baby friendly initiative' I believe, was aimed at developing countries whose children were dying of diarrhoeal disease through contaminated water, incorrect formula and lack of hygiene.    It has been taken up with such vehemence in the West, a crusade if you will, with extraordinary focus on technique.    No wonder mothers and many midwives find it daunting.  One woman asked me once 'What about mother-friendly?'   Personally, I'd like to see mothers returned to their homes as soon as possible after birth in hospital (given that there's no option to be at home where they belong to birth their babies), have support from ABA, have support from a community of workers who will cook, clean and look after any other children (particularly if there is no extended family) and allow 40 days of peace and quiet, relaxation, and with the mother and baby doing what other mammals do with little interference.   The crux of the matter, I believe, is our health system, which purports to empower people to take responsibility for their own health but in fact, does the opposite.   If we, as midwives and lactation consultants, are forever explaining, checking position and suckling, and the other numerous, onerous tasks and rituals that comprise breast feeding in our world, what message does this send to new mothers?   I'll tell you; the mother is inadequate, at fault or to blame.    However, this is not true.   No, the mother is a victim as surely as we, the female health professionals who have subordinated womanhood to our health system and the medical hegemony.   Liz McAlpine