I shall be teaching just such a class as this on Saturday, in my final few weeks before qualifying as a full-blown Gestapo Lactivist Cow.
I shall be taking along my drum and making sure the mums know that I’m only prepared to support them if they try really, really hard. If those nipples ain’t cracked, you’re clearly not committed to the cause.
Daisy Goodwin’s article is one of many to be expected during Breastfeeding Awareness Week. Why do you think that might be? A 2006 study reported in The Ecologist showed that companies spend £20 per baby on promoting their products, and the government spends 14p per baby promoting breastfeeding. But that’s not even half the point, because speaking as a nearly-breastfeeding counsellor, I’m not about promoting, I’m about supporting.
So I am hacked off already, and it’s only day one, with accusations that we promote breastfeeding without providing the necessary support – the whole point of what I am doing is to provide the support; and that we make out that breastfeeding should be easy and natural (or you’re doing it wrong) – see my posts during July 2006 for proof that I know that’s not true; and that we think less of mothers who do not breastfeed.
What’s that F-Word? Failure. You didn’t hear it from me.
I’m very glad you will be about in the mighty ‘Nam to be my personal Gestapo Lactivist Cow (did I mention I’m 37 weeks – the mind boggles!)
To be honest, I read the article and thought ‘There’s a sad, sad hack.’. It was so full of ridiculous rhetoric it underminded itself. But then I see why you got riled, as I was easily inflamed by an article in the Times a few weeks back accusing me of being a selfish warped individual because I won’t consent to the bog standard hospital ‘trial of scar’ and am instead insisting on a water homebirth after C-section – even though that means I get two midwives to myself, somehow making me responsible for the understaffing of NHS maternity wards?
In the end, I had to remind myself ‘Just Don’t Look’ and probably the same applies here. Daisy Goodwin can continue spewing crap about a woman, whose death the Coroner recorded an open verdict and she didn’t know, for her own agenda but if no-one comments on it then she just remains Sad Daily Mail Hack Found On Page 27. I’d rather have a lifetime of cracked nipples than have that as my epitaph.
I think it is compost awareness week too. Not relevant but interesting. (I think: I like compost. And breastfeeding.)
Relly, 37 weeks, how exciting. Your comment about your home waterbirth reminds me of similar comments from pregnant first time mums at one of the local NCT groups – that it’s “selfish” to have a homebirth because you tie up a midwife all to yourself. I couldn’t help thinking that one of their complaints, when they come out of hospital after a 60 hour labour ending in an emergency c/s, will be that the constant shift changes meant that they didn’t have continuity of care. If you can’t be “selfish” (which is entirely the wrong word) when you’re giving birth, when can you be?
And you’re right, I usually just don’t read them. I don’t know what sucked me into this one.
Lisa, seriously? compost awareness week? How are you celebrating it?
Glad to hear you’re out there on the front lines providing much needed breastfeeding support!
Just wondered if you’d heard about laid-back breastfeeding/biological nurturing?
…and surely in labour women should have a midwife all to themself, can’t really understand why that should be considered selfish, not to mention that homebirths with their increased likelihood of normal birth is going to be a lot cheaper for the cash-strapped NHS than an emergency c/s!
Relly – saw a wonderful waterbirth at home of a woman who had 2 previous c/s. Good luck xx
Hannah, yes I do know about BN, and suggest it to everyone who asks me for help.
Perhaps composting will be a good use byt my birth pool once I’m done with it