Live webchat with Gabrielle Palmer, author of The Politics of Breastfeeding, this Friday (20 Nov, 1-2pm)

[HelenMumsnet]

Hello.

We're very pleased to have Gabrielle Palmer, author of the highly praised The Politics of Breastfeeding, as a guest for a live chat on Friday 20 Nov, 1-2pm.

Gabrielle Palmer is a nutritionist and a campaigner. She was a breastfeeding counsellor in the 70s and helped establish the UK pressure group Baby Milk Action. She has written, taught and campaigned on infant feeding issues, particularly the unethical marketing of baby foods.

In the 90s, she co-directed the International Breastfeeding: Practice and Policy course at The Institute of Child Health in London until she went to live in China for two years.

She has worked independently for various health and development agencies, including serving as HIV and Infant Feeding Officer for UNICEF New York.

As usual, if you can't join us on the day, please post your question here and Gabrielle will try to answer as many as possible on Friday.

Just thought you might like to know that my daughter is a GP and she has never weighed her baby since he was born 6 months ago, not a principle just never had the time.
he's gigantic but totally bf

the new charts are good, an excellent brainy woman called magda sachs knows much more than me about these.
think it is all progressive. useful tools

Hi Gabrielle

I'm another one who just wanted to pop on and say how amazing I found TPOB. It really opened my eyes to so much. And thank you for those pre-prepared answers, I'm trying to speed read through them!

I did have a question of my own but it's pretty much the same as WilfSell's one so I'd be really interested in what you have to say on that, thanks.

Hi Gabrielle,

as a student at university, studying foundation course before a degree in midwifery, I would be interested to know what views you have on the value of Kangaroo Mother Care in establishing the breastfeeding of very small and pre-term babies? From the research I have done so far it seems so logical, and the results seem to speak for themselves. Is this aspect of breastfeeding something you have come across or had experience with?

Thankyou

Hi Gabrielle, do not have a question as already expressed much more eloquently by other posters. I "worked up" to reading your book (because I thought it would make me feel angry and disempowered to read about exploitation which I can't change. Anyway, I did read the previous edition in the spring and it has spurred me on to take my breastfeeding support work further with one of the charities. I think it is a great, if very depressing read - so enlightening. I am heartened to hear that you think there is progress. Sometimes it feels like banging your head against a brick wall (not the mums who I support who are great) but the HCPs with outdated views, the dysfunctional view of women's breasts in our culture and the covert but all-pervasive FF marketing.

With the debate on co-sleeping/SIDS, and all the scaremongering, how can we convince mothers that bf is so much easier if you keep your baby close to you through the night...
I am in Japan where co-sleeping really is what everyone does (and breastfeeding rates are higher) but sleeping arrangements are so different from the West (futons, mum and baby often in separate room from husband for a while etc.)

Hi Starlight
delivering painful news is a big skill which I certainly am still trying to learn. just think what doctors and policemen have to do.
the worst thing is to patronise women by thinking they are too fragile to face up to truth.

All this 'we don't want to make her feel bad' is treating women like children, the companies do it all the time by their 'poor little you, it is so hard to breastfeed we will help you' messages.

But it is much better to listen than explain, women can work through their own experience if you just listen and accept.
Who hasn't made mistakes?
I

oops, x-post Starlight!

Dear Gabrielle

Thank you for answering my question and I am a huge fan of yours. I read your book 6 months ago and it brought me closure for the disasterous experience feeding my first born - he never once latched on and I gave up a week later after a MW basically forced me to. 8 yrs later I still felt a lot of guilt and sadness regarding it all. But your book helped me to realise that it wasn't my fault but the "system". I successfully BF my second son for over a year, which was a lovely experience for me and him.

Did you see this thread, discussing Politics Of Breastfeeding?

hi policy wonk
Implement WHO/UNICEF Code of Marketing and all World Health Assembly Resolutions in full. Sounds bureaucratic but if you removed all this misinformation (especially to health professionals they get most marketing) and subliminal promotion women could make up their own minds more easily.

Yes DH is doing its best, good workers trying to achieve miracles under the yoke of politics. don't knock them they are far better than they were a decade ago. at least breastfeeding is seen as a good thing

Hi Gabrielle, I haven't read your book but it's in my shopping basket on Amazon right now and I've heard so much about it.

Just wanted to ask you, why do you think some women are so anti-breastfeeding? I have had people say that there is no evidence that breast is better, and that they have no intention of breastfeeding their babies. They seem angry with breastfeeding in general and say that it's because it's "pushed down their throats". I have never seen this "pushing down the throat" message so this confuses me. Breastfeeding is more convenient than formula, cheap (well free) and has great benefits to both mum and baby, and I can't believe that these women don't know that. Yet they still claim that they believe that formula is as good.

So do you think bf promotion may actually be counter-productive in some cases?

Hallo Marslady have not heard this about Brasil. as far as I know the law has not changed, it is probably just lax monitoring that has caused a backslide. contact IBFAN and report what you know.Same with Guatemala.

he everyone out there report what you find. Tell IBFAN what you see or better still set up your own group if there is not one in your region (I am talking internationally).

Also no one needs to read my whole book. Just dip in an out if you are not a book reader.

Hi Gabrielle,

I am really enjoying this webchat and your thoughtful, considered answers to everyone's questions - thank you for being here today.

My question concerns "extended breastfeeding". When I started breastfeeding, I wanted to do it for six months, no more, no less. Now baby is five months old and I've decided that I will feed him as long as he likes. However, my husband is adament that it should stop "before he can ask for it". Even my mother is uncomfortable about the idea of a baby feeding past one year. Why is it that people are so squeamish about feeding when the child is walking and talking?

(I should point out that both my husband and mum are very pro-breastfeeding - which makes their viewpoints harder for me to understand.)

I loved your book which I read recently before dc3 was born.

How do you think we can best normalise breastfeeding today? I know that with dc2 I became increasingly reticient to feed in public once he was past 6 months as felt I got more looks - and this is in the heartland of middle class nct country.

I also slightly resent how I feel the need (perhaps self imposed) to downplay how proud I am of having breastfed 3 children. Its been hard as one was in NICU for a week but I'm always wary that it'll be seen as boasting.

Was delighted this week to see ds2 (22 months) pick up a doll and try to breastfeed it - predictably my mother in law was slightly horrified by this.

Depends on father. Have to be cautious about drinks and drugs and ciggies. Don't let him in if he uses any of these. Incidentally mums and dads co-sleeping is not always ideal either. And you know what, you can have sex in other places!

I think Helen Ball at Durham Uni has shown that mothers behave differently from fathers.
Look on her website she is amazing on all this stuff.

Helen Ball's website - looks fascinating!