Choices
A look at breast feeding options. The idea of the
term options implies there are choices available. For some mothers the
availability of choices is taken for granted. For others the option of choice
can carry a greater weight.
As a mother of two now grown sons, I
recall the research I did in deciding whether to breast feed or not. I weighed
my choices by reading on the topic, and questioning family and friends who had
already traveled this road. Some personal opinions of friends were based on the
toll breast feeding takes upon the women’s body. Tolls such as causing sagging
breast, sore nipples and moments of inconvenience. My research in readings of
articles and books presented the health benefits provided to the newborn, the
element of bonding between mother and child. Choices and options, some may be
seen as purely selfish, others as a path to better health, nevertheless these
options are available.
For mothers in areas such as Africa
where the presence of possibly transmitting an illness when weighed against the
basic conditions of living options become very limited. With the birth of my
first child my desire was to breastfeed exclusively. However, with his high
birth weight of 9.6 ounces the nurses felt he needed to have a supplement of
formula. As a new first time mom I felt a need to accept their expertise
contrary to my research and desire. With the birth of my second child my desire
was again to breastfeed exclusively, no supplement of formula. I enlisted the
assistance of the La Leche League. The La Leche League had provided the
information needed for me to make an educated choice of the options I had in
using breastfeeding with my son. They also provided support in the hospital to
assist me in my decision.
The desire of the La Leche League
is, “to promote mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information, and
education giving a better understanding of the breastfeeding method” (All About La
Leche, 2013) .
My understanding of breastfeeding gave me a desire to have a strong connection
with my son. Mother’s milk when compared to formula is seen as the best option.
I understood the need for a healthy diet, the foods and drink I consumed would
be passed to my son through breast feeding.
Complications following delivery
caused emergency surgery to become necessary. I was given anesthesia, this now
became something consumed by me. My mind-set did not take this reality into
consideration as in my determination to exclusively breastfeed. My son would
latch on to be fed and after a few moments he would fall asleep. He would wake
hungry, latch on fall asleep. This activity continued for the first two weeks
of his life. Finally, my mother pleaded with an exhausted new mother for her
starving grandchild to be given formula. Clearly breast feeding was not working
exclusively. Upon his first bottle he drank until he was completely satisfied
burped and fell asleep with satisfaction. Again choices being made based on
options available. The choice to be able to give my baby formula when an
element within me clearly was not beneficial to my baby.
Heart wrenching as a
mother-to-mother, the thought when options weigh so heavy. The options of
mothers in Africa are so different than those we sometimes take lightly. A
mother infected with HIV must plough through the option of not breastfeeding
and going against the cultural norm (Taha, et al., 2006, p. 546) . Not breastfeeding also flags them and their
HIV status. They are also faced with living conditions where sterilization is
limited. Obtaining clean bottles to feed their babies is very limited. The
price of formula is expensive. Options and choices weigh heavy against each
other.
As a mother infected with HIV, the
knowledge of what is flowing through her body becomes even more serious.
Breastfeeding a method seen to provide the nutritional needs of the infant,
becomes a thought which pierces the heart. Fantastic benefits have been
researched and established to be a part of the breastfeeding experience (All About La
Leche, 2013) .
For mothers of Africa does this experience become a death sentence as HIB
outweighs the nutritional value?
As mother and child were followed
during several time increments, study did conclude the passing of the illness
from mother to child. Studies identified the toll breastfeeding took upon the
mother who could not handle the exhaustive duty. Many of the children did not
survive pass two years of age. For some of those who did survive they lost
their mother to the disease. These are
options that prove to weigh heavy against each other.
The mother child bond is an important aspect in the
positive growth of a child. Mothers are encouraged to live a healthy lifestyle (All About La
Leche, 2013) .
The African culture as a whole understands the benefits of breastfeeding as a
plus. The tainting comes when the element of disease is a factor.
Within the United States we take for
granted many of the options technology and other advancements made available to
us. Continued research needs to be done to find a cure for HIV. As a people we
need to open our eyes to appreciate the options and choices we have in the
United States. A mother infected with HIV in the U.S. has the option to feed
their child formula, they have the option to feed their child breast milk
donated by other mothers. They have options and choices.
As a people we need to open our eyes
to do what we can to create better options and available choices in other parts
of the world.
References
All About La Leche. (2013, November). Retrieved from La Leche League: www.llli.org
Taha, T. E., Kumwenda, N. I., Hoover, D. R.,
Kafulafula, G., Ficus, S. A., Nkhoma, C., . . . Broadhead, R. L. (2006,
June). The impact of breastfeeding on the health of HIV-positive mothers and
their children in sub-Saharan Africa. Buliten of the World Health
Organization, pp. 546-554.
