Go read the Disclaimer again. I am not a doctor. This is not medical advice. Seriously.
First and foremost: always be compassionate of other people. If you were unable or unwillng to breastfeed, please do not revile those who are trying to make it possible for more women to easily breastfeed their babies. We aren't here to judge, blame or even question why people decide to do what they do. We're just here to support an option that, until relatively recently, was opposed on all levels of our society.
There are genuine obstacles to breastfeeding. Some women have had breast reduction surgery or other breast surgery that makes it impossible for them to fully breastfeed their babies. A small percentage of women have the same problem without surgery.
Women who must be treated for serious medical conditions (chemotherapy, for example, is incompatible with breastfeeding) may be unable to breastfeed. But there are a whole lot of women having a whole lot of trouble with breastfeeeding. This is my effort to understand why, communicate that understanding in a way that enables other people to share that understanding and, most importantly, navigate around the obstacles in the way of successfully breastfeeding. We can best understand and surmount these obstacles by listening to the women who encountered them before us, finding out what they tried, what worked and what didn't, and using that knowledge in our efforts. If we act together, we may be able to clear the field for future women.
My Thinking Before I Breastfed
Stacking the Deck for Successful Breastfeeding
A breastfeeding guide by Sara Spencer, RN, MSN, Clinical Nurse Specialist, at a commercial website for a baby changing reseller.
Copyright 2006 by Rebecca Allen.
Created February 5, 2006 Updated January 13, 2013