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.