Islamic attitude to breastfeeding

[PrettyCandles]

One of the playground mums mentioned last week that her dd would be 2yo in the new year and she was not looking forward to having to wean her. When I said that she could continue bfing as long as she and the LO wanted, she said that she had to stop for religious reasons. I think she said it was an instruction in the Koran. But then the children came out of school and, as ever, the conversation was lost.

But what was she talking about? Is this something all practicing Muslims do? Does the Koran have somthing to say about bfing?

My mother told me when she had my oldest brother my grandmother who lived with us was shocked and told her how ''disgusting'' it would be putting her breasts in her babies mouth etc and almost none of my gm gen bf and few of my mums... my poor mother really wanted to but was alone and felt awful for even considering it after what had been said. But she's a nurse and even back n da 60's knew some of the vast benefits of bf and with her 3rd baby she stood her ground and did bf and im lucky i was no 4 my mil is only a little younger then my gm & bf 9 children (my dh being the youngest) and being from a muslim country all around her were feeding the same way and she was helped and supported... I know countries differ greatly but thats my (long winded ) thinkin behind it

What a fascinating thread (salut, gorionine! ). I'm intrigued to find out more about the breastfeeding rates in Muslim countries because it would be interesting to know how women who have difficulty breastfeeding are helped to do so.

I don't know enough to understand why it is that some women struggle (all I know about is the probs I had and my fabulous bf counsellor's genius) but it seems to me that breasts are breasts, no matter what your religion, so if 98% in Algeria is correct, what are they doing that we're not?!

They're growing up and then starting out on motherhood surrounded by an extended network of women who have breastfed and are knowledgeable about the mechanics of it -- so, for example, if you have a bad or ineffective latch you are surrounded by women who can identify it and help you correct it (and you'll have more idea for yourself what good latching and positioning looks like) rather than getting contradictory and counter-productive advice from well-meaning (and less-well-meaning) people who don't know what they are talking about.

ProfLayton - just as I suspected!

Hi all (Bonjour MerryxmasMrsHenry!) I had a little chat with DH WRT Qur'an views on BF.

-The periode of two years is so the child can get all the benefits of BF (nutritional and bond with mother) After two yers it is considered that there will be no extra benefit but if a mother still wished to BF because she and her baby enjoy it there is no rule that stops her.

• The payment of Bf mum seems to be in the event of a divorce if the father has got custody of the child. If the mother still wishes to BF she can do so and can ask for payment. you would/could also pay a person who does BF you baby for you if you cannot do it yourself (I suspect that is another reason why there are more BF babies in Muslim countries as if a mother cannot BF someone in her family or friends would propose to do it for them but in England a friend/family member might be reluctant to do the same). There is no specific amount of money, just what both parties do agree on.

• no intercourse during the BF periode if the woman wishes so: DH has never heard/read about that but says that a woman is not supposed to say something like "not now, I am doing the dishes" and refuse intercourse with her husband ( this is so the man is not tempted to find someone else to serve that purpose and therefore commit a sin) so he does not think that she could refuse herself to her husband for the whole 2 years of BF periode but he will ask the Imam tomorrow to have an exact answer with references.

I worked in a field hospital in Nigeria for a while a few years back and while not all women were able to breastfeed the majority were. It seems to me that (along with what has been mentioned by others before) there is a never ending abundance of support there.

Women give birth and just lie in bed for 3 weeks or more with their babies. Often they are encouraged to not even talk, just literally lie in silence with their babies. Entire families gather round and run the household, cook, clean, and are there to provide bfing support if it's needed. If a woman isn't able to bfeed for whatever reason, 'wet nurses' (a friend/ sister usually) would most likely step in to help.

Also, as they grow up and witness women bfing all the time, they aren't fed this idylic image of a serene mother gently nursing her peaceful baby to sleep. They know it's likely to hurt at first, but gets better. They know a new born does nothing but feed feed feed non-stop. All this 'breast is best' crap on hospital posters is useless. Utter rubbish, and there's no support to follow it up postnatally. All it does is make more women think 'oh I can do that' and then think they aren't doing it right and give up when it isn't a picture of perfect parenthood.

Very interesting points you, I was on a thread recently (will try to link if I can find it back) about wether women should be kept in hospital until BF is established. A lot of the posters experience was that they felt "forced" to stay when they did not want to. I had a very different experience myself. I would have loved to have a bit of hospital support with BF but got absolutely none and go released from hospital without even had fed my first baby once!

It is not the first time i hear very positive comments about the way hospitals work in Australia. It seems that they guve greater importance to the patients than here (maby because they do no have such a shortage of nurses, midwives...)

Yes, very interesting points on bf in Nigeria and Oz. I have to say, I would much rather not have a long hosp stay (4 days was MORE than enough in the awful maternity ward I was stuck on) but have the ongoing home support instead. Also as I am a Nigerian Brit with no female relatives in this country I am extremely that all my cousins will have that amazing level of care and support that you detailed.