Comments on: Healthy Baby Feeding Initiative for Vulnerable Populations

By: Tina

Tina — Mon, 06 Mar 2017 16:11:10 +0000

Thank you for this very thoughtful blog. How words land on women as they navigate the path to motherhood (one of the most important early tasks of which is feeding your baby), can set her up for trusting herself and her baby or can undermine this journey. Those of us who do breastfeeding support at the individual level should never lose our sights on the conditions that determine the ability to 'choose'. I consider myself an unwavering mother advocate at the level of the person. I also want to see system change. May I suggest that the Babyfriendly Initiative is but a tool for change at the organizational level, one that has the potential to hold the system accountable? It is not the only tool and I personally would like to see more emphasis on duration (which is open ended) rather than a focus on exclusivity (which is a binary - one bottle and as a woman you may feel like you've 'failed'). At the level of the person in front of me, I am here to honour her journey (knowing I am a small part) and support her in her goals. However, as a helper, with experience of doing this over time and seeing many families, I am here with a critical eye to how our society fails families in setting them up for success and how this is especially poignant for mothers/babies at the margins. No we are not doing enough. Thus, in my relative position of power I hold an obligation to be a voice. I/we must persist in having these conversations, because you are exactly right Shauna and Viktorija, women are amazingly strong and inspiring in their mothering . . . but they cannot do this alone. Thank you for sharing a little of your experiences and your reflections from your time at Sheway.

By: Dawn Tisdale

Dawn Tisdale — Mon, 20 Feb 2017 18:52:47 +0000

Thank you for your beautifully written blog. You simply stated the fundamental right that all mothers and babes deserve and concretely set out the supports needed to obtain this. It seems like such a no brainer and yet we are still in a place where our mothers and babes face such debilitating barriers. As you so eloquently stated we must practice what we preach "If ‘children are our future’, we have a responsibility to take care of them and support the mothers who foster that future." Word.

By: Cassandra Jenkins

Cassandra Jenkins — Sat, 18 Feb 2017 02:01:34 +0000

I cannot express to you ladies how much I love this article. I am a fourth year UVIC nursing student with a passion for public health, particularly in the area of reproduction. I so appreciate your taking on of the baby friendly initiative, which I have found can be incredibly detrimental to both infants (in that some literally starve for days or weeks) and mothers (who are doing what they feel is best for their families, and often degraded for it). The Breast is Always Best mantra is so prevalent in nursing, so speaking up about this took a lot of bravery. You truly put your clients first by doing so. Huge kuddos to you both!! And thank you ARNBC for posting it!