Breastfeeding pain – an apology
Question:
PLESE DO NOT QUOTE ME IN FUTUER POSTS….
: Attention Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D., President of The National Center for : Policy : Research (CPR) for Women and Families in Washington, D.C. ( : ##### I wrote in my Open Letter to you: : Ask yourself… : : What woman – explicitly informed that she automatically scans her : environment and manufactures specific immunizations – would FAIL to : "inject" : those free daily immunizations into her baby?! : http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&selm=Bp9V7.9866%24PO5.1622388%4… : ad1.prod.itd.earthlink.net : "…Quit trying to encourage doctors to make statements like the one above : to *guilt* women : into making the CHOICE to breastfeed!" : ##### My sincerest apology. Because Sherrie has suffered terrible breast : pain from breastfeeding (see below), she quite legitimately takes me to task : for saying that breastfeeding (breastfeedings are immunizations) should be : mandatory. But better education and more accurate and complete information for everyone should be the NORM, not the aberation is now is! : ##### Sherrie continued… : A statement that comes from a man, no : less, who could never have the slightest clue what it’s like to breastfeed : and could only *imagine* what the pain and discomfort sometimes associated : with breastfeeding that some women experience actually *feels* like! What a sexist statement she made. She also did not state that most pain is due either to improper positining (which education can alleviate) or generally short-lived. I experienced pain with my first. We had a slight adjustment made with the midwife, and used a little lubricant and it was releived. Unfortunately pediatricians are notorious for giving really bad breastfeeding information as a group (individuals differ of course). And b/c we are socialized to bottle feed, we are generally ill equipped. When baby dollies stop having bottles, and little girls see their mommies and the friend’s mommies nursing babies, statistics should improve. : ##### Sorry. It was thoughtless of me to fail to take into account women : like Sherrie for whom breastfeeding is not a pleasure. I don’t think you should apologize about that. : ##### Sherrie quoted me further… : MDs are STILL slashing vaginas routinely – ostensibly so juries will think : they were doing everything to open birth canals – even as they CLOSE birth : canals up to 30%! : ##### Sherrie replied… : Get a new argument buddy, this one’s getting old. : ##### I sincerely believe that 100% of babies would want me to STICK with : this argument that is "getting old" – until MDs stop closing birth canals up : to 30%. : ##### Sherrie continued… : I’ve had two episiotomies : and had less pain healing from those then I had trying to breastfeed! : ###### I say first let the woman’s body work/expand without the bony : impingment at the pelvic outlet… Since most women are semisitting or : dorsal, closing their birth canals up to 30% when slashed – Sherrie too was : likely closing her birth canal up to 30% when her vagina was slashed – : twice. Regardless of her particular circumstance though, I’m glad her : episiotomies healed with less pain than that caused by her breast feeding – : and I’m glad she tried to breastfeed. But she is not representative of the trend. Usually cuts take longer to heal than tears, and both take longer to heal than remaining intact! A good midwife and a good birthing position goes a long way in keeping women intact during birth. : ###### Sherrie quoted me… : I am only opposed to MANDATORY MD-needle vaccinations. : : I am in favor of mandatory breastfeeding immunizations <the rest snipped : ###### Sherrie legitimately took me to task – but what she snipped was : important… That is the only point I agree with. No one should be forced to formula feed. BUT we can stop free samples that most pregnant women receive. And formula ads do a disservice to humanity. The official WHO infant feeding recommendations list formula as 4th. First is fresh mother’s milk. Second and third are refrigerated/frozen milk and donated milk (I forget which they recommend as #2 and which is #3). Fourth is formula. <snip — Colette
Response:
Attention Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D., President of The National Center for Policy Research (CPR) for Women and Families in Washington, D.C. ( ##### I wrote in my Open Letter to you: Ask yourself… What woman – explicitly informed that she automatically scans her environment and manufactures specific immunizations – would FAIL to "inject" those free daily immunizations into her baby?!
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&selm=Bp9V7.9866%24PO5.1622388%4… ad1.prod.itd.earthlink.net "…Quit trying to encourage doctors to make statements like the one above to *guilt* women into making the CHOICE to breastfeed!" ##### My sincerest apology. Because Sherrie has suffered terrible breast pain from breastfeeding (see below), she quite legitimately takes me to task for saying that breastfeeding (breastfeedings are immunizations) should be mandatory. ##### Sherrie continued… A statement that comes from a man, no less, who could never have the slightest clue what it’s like to breastfeed and could only *imagine* what the pain and discomfort sometimes associated with breastfeeding that some women experience actually *feels* like! ##### Sorry. It was thoughtless of me to fail to take into account women like Sherrie for whom breastfeeding is not a pleasure. ##### Sherrie quoted me further… MDs are STILL slashing vaginas routinely – ostensibly so juries will think they were doing everything to open birth canals – even as they CLOSE birth canals up to 30%!
##### Sherrie replied… Get a new argument buddy, this one’s getting old. ##### I sincerely believe that 100% of babies would want me to STICK with this argument that is "getting old" – until MDs stop closing birth canals up to 30%. ##### Sherrie continued… I’ve had two episiotomies and had less pain healing from those then I had trying to breastfeed! ###### I say first let the woman’s body work/expand without the bony impingment at the pelvic outlet… Since most women are semisitting or dorsal, closing their birth canals up to 30% when slashed – Sherrie too was likely closing her birth canal up to 30% when her vagina was slashed – twice. Regardless of her particular circumstance though, I’m glad her episiotomies healed with less pain than that caused by her breast feeding – and I’m glad she tried to breastfeed. ###### Sherrie quoted me… I am only opposed to MANDATORY MD-needle vaccinations. I am in favor of mandatory breastfeeding immunizations <the rest snipped
###### Sherrie legitimately took me to task – but what she snipped was important… ###### Here’s the important stuff Sherrie snipped… I think all pregnant women would SPONTANEOUSLY make breastfeeding immunizations mandatory for their babies – if they were explicitly informed that breastfeeding mothers scan their environments for pathogens DAILY – and manufacture IMMUNIZATIONS which they "inject" with their breasts. The fact that breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast cancer (two ways) is just gravy.
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&selm=Bp9V7.9866%24PO5.1622388%4… ad1.prod.itd.earthlink.net ###### Sherrie concluded… So, you are in favor of *forcing* women to breastfeed? You forget what country you live in…women have CHOICES in America, we don’t let *men* force us into unwanted decisions concerning our bodies. Maybe you should take your crap elsewhere…I doubt it will fly here. ###### Women do NOT have the choice to offer their babies free DAILY immunizations unless they are explicitly INFORMED. I would inform them as follows: By denying breastmilk women are denying free daily immunizations. Since a tiny second person’s immunizations are on the line – I would indeed word it this way – sort of like how MDs give women the "choice" of whether to submit their children to MD-needle vaccinations. Immunization by mom is so important to baby – and we don’t yet know what so many babies are STILL missing out on because America’s MDs – and "freedom of choice" infant formula manufacturers – once addicted America to bottlefeeding… ###### I say again to Diana: HERE’S A THOUGHT… ###### All infant vaccination promotion literature and all cartons of infant formula should state that feeding infant formula increases the risk of breast cancer and denies babies free daily immunizations – that is – breastfeeding mothers scan their environments for pathogens DAILY – and manufacture IMMUNIZATIONS which they "inject" with their breasts. http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&selm=Bp9V7.9866%24PO5.1622388%4… ad1.prod.itd.earthlink.net ###### Diana, I also say again: you preside over The National Center for Policy Research (CPR) for Women and Families. If CPR isn’t already calling breastfeedings what they are – IMMUNIZATIONS – maybe CPR could start? ###### As I indicated, I believe that most women who CAN offer daily breastfeeding immunizations WILL offer them – spontaneously – if fully informed. I must concede that women for whom breastfeeding is less than pleasurable will not spontaneously breastfeed – and should not be forced. ###### I have lived with four women – all of whom breastfed their babies – all of whom derived tremendous pleasure from breastfeeding. ###### My apologies to Sherrie for inadvertently advocating that women must endure pain to feed and immunize their babies. ###### My understanding is that the next best thing to a mother’s breastmilk is another mother’s breastmilk. ###### Breastfeeding experts will correct me if I am wrong about this. ###### Again, my apologies to Sherrie. ###### Sincerely, ###### Todd ###### PS Sherrie asked… Do you eat a perfectly balance meal every day, because you’ve been "explicitly informed" that it is good for your health? Do you exercise at least three days a week? Do you live a "perfect" healthful life? ###### Yes, yes, no – but my "perfectly balanced meal" – balanced according to my brain and the brain of experts I respect – is not as perfect for me as breastmilk is perfect for most babies! "A pair of substantial mammary glands has the advantage over the two hemispheres of the most learned professor’s brain, in the art of compounding a nutritious fluid for infants." -Oliver Wendall Holmes The mammary glands don’t have to be substantial; and, Breastmilk *ain’t* just food/"nutritious fluid"… Breastmilk is IMMUNIZATIONS – free daily immunizations! Dr. Gastaldo
