Assumptions About Travelling Babies
How come Rudy assumed that a family travelling to warmth from
Anchorage, Alaska in the winter would need access to formula for the
8-month old child? Why didn't he assume that the child is
breastfeeding? I travelled extensively with my elder daughter when
she was less than 2 and we never needed access to artificial baby
milk, sterile water for her, clean artificial nipples, bottles, etc.
She nursed, and when she started solids, she ate off my plate.
Until "we" stop making (or allowing) such assumptions, our culture
will remain a "bottlefeeding culture". Babies will not get the food
they deserve (breast milk), and families will not get the support
they need to provide such food. Breastfeeding isn't hard, but it
takes knowledge, and support to do it well, comfortably and long.
I was happy that the caller didn't agree enthusiastically with that
assumption, and I can only hope his child is breastfed and he hasn't
learned to correct those who do make destructive assumptions. Almost
3/4 of babies born in Alaska are breastfed and when the assumptions of
a bottlefeeding culture are changed, those numbers could be 99% or
more as they are in Scandinavian countries.
I must admit that I had a physical and verbal reaction of chagrin when
I heard you say that!
Thanks.
Kate
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