Hi, For your interest, here's my response to the Melbourne's child article on breastfeeding, on behalf of the Australian Breastfeeding Association
I heard about the article"Warning: Breastfeeding may starve your baby" before I saw it. Oh, no I thought. Another sensationalist head line and inflammatory attack on breastfeeding, something I hope we've moved beyond in Australian society. When I read the article, however, what I heard was the heart-felt story of a mother who had courageously persevered with breastfeeding problems,sought expert help and information, but for the sake of herself and her baby, had ultimately decided to bottlefeed her baby. When a mother doesn't breastfeed often she is faced with one of two comments. Either "Breastfeeding doesn't matter" or "you should have(could have) tried harder." Both of these responses devalue the mother's feelings and the efforts women have gone through to breastfeed. Breastfeeding does matter. The health and emotional benefits are well documented. It's something that women want to do. That's why it so often arouses such strong feelings. Many grieve when they are not able to breastfeed. Women far beyond their childbearing age, many of them grand-parents or great grandparents, carry around their breastfeeding stories all their life. Sadness that it did not work out, joy and pride that they breastfed their babies. Jenny Evans did everything she could to breastfeed her child. Ultimately, it didn't work for her. While most mothers can and do breastfeed, especially with the correct information and support. Breastfeeding counsellors who work with breastfeeding mothers every day bear witness to the fact that, for many mothers breastfeeding is a hard journey, and some are ultimately not successful. There is much, much more we need to find out about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding knowledge and support has come along way, but mothers still have to experience inconsistent information and advice from everyone from many sources. When should a mother stop breastfeeding? Well, that's a question only a mother can answer. For every story like Jenny's I hear another story of a woman who regrets accepting advice to stop breastfeeding when she felt she could have persevered, or found out later other options were available. But every mother makes her decision on what is the best thing for herself, her baby and her family. And she deserves respect and support for her decision. Jenny Evans' story flags the failings in our system and the need for stronger networks, more support and more research into breastfeeding. And the need to hear women's stories about breastfeeding and give them the respect that they deserve. Barbara Glare Australian Breastfeeding Association -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
