The NaturalTransition Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Breastfeeding’

The word mammal comes from the Latin word mamma, meaning breast.  All mammals breastfeed. We are mammals. Human babies are mammals. Just like a baby elephant or a kitten or a puppy or a little piglet, human babies are capable of finding the breast on their own and get a perfect latch with no help whatsoever.

I love this video. Not only does it remind me that we are mammals and have an inbuilt ability to feed our babies, but all the people around this women- men, women and children are waiting patiently for this just born baby to make its way to its mother’s breast. The joy of the people sharing the moment is audible.

I wonder… Does this Mamma feel self conscious? Does she feel the support of all the people around her? Does she ever have to hide while breastfeeding? Will those kids that are watching think twice about wheather or not they are capable of breastfeeding?

What do you think?

I have had several gobsmacking breastfeeding enquiries from mothers over the past week. Gobsmacking because they have been so poorly advised by health professionals, people who really should know better. This post will deal with the most notable for the week and I’ll look at others in my upcoming and ongoing Breastfeeding Myth Busting series.

The consultation with this Mamma went a little like this: “Can you tell me how to wean my 4 month old baby?” I kind of got the feeling that she didn’t really want to talk about it, just wanted the info. I got half way through the sentence “It depends on the reason you need to wean” and was cut off by her hurriedly asking “Should I go cold turkey or do it slowly”? I answer the question telling her that it needs to be done as slowly as possible since sudden weaning will cause blocked ducts and mastitis. She then tells me that is the very reason she needs to wean. She became teary and said that she keeps getting mastitis and has made the decision to wean so that she is doing her best for her baby. She feels she can’t look after him properly if she is sick. Read the rest of this entry »