Breastfeeding counsellor training

[mirandathemagpie]

Just signed up to online training that can go towards the IBCLC. I had to read the section on inclusive language before I could start a module. It noted:
"breastfeeding" is used interchangeably with "nursing", "chestfeeding" and "human milk feeding"
and
the use of "human milk" and "parent milk" is preferable to "breastmilk" and "mother's milk" 😡

I'm interested to see how they follow through with this style guide. Pretty disappointed, and glad I'm not paying for this bs.

(name changed because paranoid 😬)

That does sound face-palmingly dreadful but you're doing a fab thing. Please endure it for the sake of the mums who will benefit from your help!

Oh it’s depressing…I did BF training back before all this happened and they were brilliant organisations, so focused on the needs of mothers and babies.

The original usage of ‘human milk’ was to distinguish it from formula i.e. cows’ milk.

Ironic that the one thing that hasn’t changed is it all being propped up by women giving their time free of charge!

They can fuck right off with that! Sure, have a 5-minute section for covering alternative terms that women who don’t identify as such might prefer, but it’s breastfeeding, done by biological women using our wonderful breasts! Why are the women running this organisation, and it must be women, so set on erasing us?

Oh I will endure. It's interesting because I recently completed face to face training in a small group and we discussed "inclusive" language and all agreed we would use it if the woman/mum requested it, but otherwise had no plans to introduce it in everyday education and support. Other things should have priority over changing common language for an absolutely tiny group of people.

Many of the lactation consultants I followed on Instagram have now got inclusive language as default and I stopped following. Absolutely hated the feeling of my womanhood being erased.

Good for you. We need more support for women trying to navigate bf.

Get the training and then do what women are doing in all these areas. Centre women with women's language and women's needs.
As the young women who claim to be men seem to be having double mastectomies, breast feeding in the interests of the baby won't be on their radar.

If they're going to aim to be inclusive I hope consideration is given to women who do the have English as a first language, too.

I did my breastfeeding training about 15 years ago with ABM - association of breastfeeding mothers - who at that point were very clear about women and mothers.

I loved my time as a peer supporter - doubt I would’ve done it if all this weird language was about then.

We had very clear rules re: no men at the support group, except for ten minutes at the beginning and end for male partners to drop off and collect mothers who were struggling with mobility post birth or who had specific questions to ask re: how to support the nursing mum.

I can’t imagine trying to run a similar group in the current ‘Are transwomen welcome here? Are Nonbinary people welcome here? What about transmen?’ era.

Hope you can power through the training because helping mothers meet their breastfeeding goals is really rewarding.

Our local children's centre group includes men which has excluded two Muslim women. Our baby latte is females only though apart from a dedicated session a month.

It is not without impact.. even where some in the breastfeeding world prefer to use the terms women, breasts, breastmilk and breastfeeding, when some start to use non biological terms, it becomes less easy to stick to women centered terms so we slink away, we say hmm when we are face to face and we do not post on social media.. privately, between colleagues we might speak openly but where there are well known, influential or vocal people who use gemder neutral words, we leave this space to them. .. and women feel uncomfortable feelings, privately, on their own and are left feeling like they are wrong.

The term 'human milk feeding' is appropriate in the context of feeding a baby donated breastmilk.

The rest of this exclusionary, woman-erasing, mother-erasing, reality-erasing language can get in the bin.

It is important that a mother feels comfortable with her breastfeeding supporter. When a breastfeeding supporter meets a mother who is new to her, she can ask "Is there anything important that you'd like me to know?". If the mother then indicates transness, then the supporter can modify her language to help the mother feel comfortable. But the default absolutely must be anchored in reality - for clarity, honesty, and true inclusivity.

Chateaux, I think that’s one of the reasons this space is so powerful - it’s so important for women (and men) who can recognise gender woo as the misogynist bollocks that it is need to know they are not wrong, and they are not alone

And that uneasy silence is interpreted as clear examples that nobody minds, nobody disagrees.

@SchoolBlazers

ABM have sadly gone down the 'inclusive' path too. One of their mother-supporters played a role in the attempted cancellation of Milli Hill, author of 'Give Birth Like a Feminist', and after a bit of vacillation, the organisation backed her against Milli. I will not be silenced. - Milli Hill

P.S. For anyone who's interested, Mill Hill has recently updated her Positive Birth book and has a new book about to be published.

Once you're in the moment, supporting actual women breastfeeding their real babies (as opposed to theoretically in training), I'm sure all this rubbish will pale into insignificance and hopefully will vanish from your mind.

Thank you for hanging in there! You're doing a great thing.

Sometimes we need women to fight the big battles like, I dunno, working in the cabinet reforming the GRA or something. But we also need women to do the everyday hard work supporting individual breastfeeding women and their babies. That's what you'll be doing and I for one am grateful for it

OP I am so disappointed to read this although not surprised.

Does anyone know, are any of the breastfeeding support organisations in the UK standing firm with mother centred language?

It's very interesting to see which messages are allowed . Ones that don't specifically mention AGPs.

@mirandathemagpie That sounds amazing, please could you post the link?

I think I saw your msg before deletion and I agreed with it (I mean I think we all would).

Is there an algorithm that picks up key words or are deletions always prompted by a report? Who would have reported your post and why?!

I would imagine either one of the (changes language here in third edit 🤭😂) inclusivity moderators, (beards and lipstick) ,or TRAs under the name of inclusivity. Maybe it's my use of " ?
Any how, I am so glad that the wool has not been pulled over everyone's eyes. Phew! #letwomenspeak

And in Australia https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=p7CX8dU59Uc&pp=ygUUVGVyZiB0YWxrIGRvd24gdW5kZXI%3D

This was broadcast a year ago but was very interesting.

Men can’t breastfeed so the organisation shouldn’t be using “inclusive” language. I’d steer well clear.

This is one aspect of gender identity that absolutely infuriates me.

Breast is a unisex/ gender neutral word and is also a 100% accurate description. All human beings have breast tissue, sadly some men get and die from breast cancer. If you don’t have breast tissue e.g. mastectomy, top surgery etc. you can’t lactate. Even that august feminist institution the mason’s require men to bare their breast as part of the membership ceremony.