Have
to support Brenda's comments. I am working for a Large Council at present,
solving all their breastfeeding problems in the home. Home visiting is the
key element so that women don't have to be dragged out of their homes again
after discharge from hospital. The Maternal & Child Health Nurses do
early referral that is soon after they arrive home often on the 2nd day,
whenever there is a problem. Sooo many distressed, pained and injured
women. The most common comment is the overwhelming feeling of conflicting
advice given in the hospital system and the dislike of "Ramming" their baby
to the breast by the back of the head and the breast tissue damage caused by the
over vigorous people who express the women's breasts. I am currently
writing about this and discussing use of the database with the Maternal
& Child Health Co-coordinator for educational purposes on a Power Point
Presentation. It is really easy the education process for breastfeeding
here at least needs review.
Look
after our women, breastfeeding in the main is innate and the baby has these
wonderful neurological skills that need to be used to encourage the beginnings
of a lifetime of achievement. Women and babies know best. Just
listen for a while.
Keep
up the good work
Robyn
Thompson
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Justine Caines
Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 11:46 PM
To: OzMid List
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] ABA endorsing NMAP ?Perhaps you could also try reading ABA's Code of Ethics, which may help you understand the direction they are coming from when deciding to remain apolitical. I can fully understand the logic behind the concern relating to the breastfeeding knowledge of many midwives. Although you may not like to admit it, the breastfeeding knowledge of many midwives is woeful. Many mothers have their breastfeeding relationships with their babies put right behind the eight ball from their earliest days in hospital. I had a midwife roll her eyes and scoff at me for refusing her offer of a complementary bottle of artificial infant formula for my twins when they were not quite 24 hours old and feeding very frequently. And this in a so called Baby Friendly Hospital! I have heard midwives in Special Care Nursery openly endorsing a mother's decision to formula feed her twins because breastfeeding would just take too much out of her. What utter rubbish! So, until the WHOLE profession becomes a bit more breastfeeding friendly, I can understand the reluctance behind any decision by ABA to endorse NMAP. But, remembering also, that this is all just hearsay and nothing has come directly from the horse's mouth so to speak. Before you condemn ABA, how about waiting to hear some official word? Surely that would be the fair thing to do?
Brenda Kittelty
Brenda and all
I agree until there is an official response from ABA it is not constructive to condemn them. God knows they have achieved a lot over the years. What fractures me is the �apolitical� stance. This is CRAP. It is impossible for them as a group advocating the importance of human milk not to be political. Granted they can be very clear about their stance on particular parties, but they cannot be apolitical!
It is also insane and counterproductive not to recognise one to one midwifery support in pregnancy and birth as an important feature in the success of breastfeeding and bonding. Yes first and foremost ABA promotes breastfeeding, but without an acknowledgement of what has taken place before and it�s link to breastfeeding success ABA is operating in a vacuum.
To successfully support and empower women and to promote mothering in society we must take a holistic approach. Not all midwives will promote ABA�s principles in their work and this is most unfortunate. If, however, the ABA was inclusive of the many wonderful midwives that honour women and promote the beautiful bond of breastfeeding we could only be doing a good thing.
In Solidarity
Justine Caines
----- Original Message -----
From: Sally Westbury <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>The ABA response really is in line with all that Kerreen Reiger said in her book Our Bodies, Our Babies The Forgotten Women's Movement
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sent: Sunday, September 08, 2002 9:15 PM
Subject: RE: [ozmidwifery] ABA endorsing NMAP ?
I highly recommend this book especially in light of the current political climate. She write about how the ABA made decisions to remain apolitical. So it is disappointing that they remain in the same place and will not support a movement that is obviously pro-breastfeed!! Sheesh!!! She also write about how the homebirth movement deconstructed.
Really worth a read.
Sally Westbury
