Breast feeding

PlantHead · #1 24.09.2008, 09:54

http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/R...42521000&ty=st

	Quote:
	Children born in Switzerland have better odds of fighting cancer, obesity and depression than those in many other countries thanks to a high breastfeeding rate... "The number of women who breastfeed from the start is already high in Switzerland, and it's still increasing, though slowly," Marianne Rüttimann, head of Zurich's La Leche League, told swissinfo. "What we need to do now is tell them how important it is that they do it longer."...The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends women breastfeed exclusively for at least six months, since compounds in the milk lower a child's risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes and certain types of cancers.

6 months, wow I thought a couple of weeks was the normal order of play.
Anyway there is a roadshow touring round Switzerland telling and hopefully(?) showing people all about the pleasures and necessity of breast feeding.
On a purely blokey point, its weird how unsexual breast feeding is, I mean all the necessary parts are there, breasts, nudity, female, sucking..but stick em together with a baby and its pretty meh!!

irish_marmot · #2 24.09.2008, 09:57

Month 4 of breast feeding right now and trying to hit 6 months. Its funny as a female I agree with you on the sexual thing. Its like they can have one function or the other but not both at the same time - lol.

Lob · #3 24.09.2008, 10:00

Interesting then that we had the news and discussion some time ago about [Acceptable?] Breastfeeding in public

PlantHead · #4 24.09.2008, 10:01

	Quote:	Lob
	Interesting then that we had the news and discussion some time ago about [Acceptable?] Breastfeeding in public

That was a year ago, and this is about a roadshow touring switzerland encouraging breast feeding for longer...keep up old chap.

Tilia · #5 24.09.2008, 10:02

As much as I am in favour of breast feeding, as much am I in favour of a womans right to choose. Much of the information spread by La Leche League isn't undesputed for its scientific "facts". Breast feeding should be something one chooses to do, not something one is scared into doing.

I think this balance is in general very good in Switzerland and I hope it stays that way.

BHBT · #6 24.09.2008, 10:03

Compelling evidence why maternity leave should be at least 6 months...

Barbra.

Tilia · #7 24.09.2008, 10:04

Actually, in Switzerland you have the right to take the required time of for breast feeding your child so for that purpose, no maternity leave is needed :-)

	Quote:	BHBT
	Compelling evidence why maternity leave should be at least 6 months... Barbra.

PlantHead · #8 24.09.2008, 10:05

	Quote:	Tilia
	Actually, in Switzerland you have the right to take the required time of for breast feeding your child so for that purpose, no maternity leave is needed :-)

Are you saying you can leave work with the express purpose of breast feeding your child, and that is allowed?..or have I mis-understood?

BHBT · #9 24.09.2008, 10:06

	Quote:	Tilia
	Actually, in Switzerland you have the right to take the required time of for breast feeding your child so for that purpose, no maternity leave is needed :-)

True, but it's not easy to take that time off when mum works a long way from home.

Barbra.

Sada · #10 24.09.2008, 10:09

It can last up to 2 years !!!

	Quote:	PlantHead
	http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/front/R...42521000&ty=st 6 months, wow I thought a couple of weeks was the normal order of play. Anyway there is a roadshow touring round Switzerland telling and hopefully(?) showing people all about the pleasures and necessity of breast feeding. On a purely blokey point, its weird how unsexual breast feeding is, I mean all the necessary parts are there, breasts, nudity, female, sucking..but stick em together with a baby and its pretty meh!!

Lob · #11 24.09.2008, 10:11

	Quote:	PlantHead
	That was a year ago, and this is about a roadshow touring switzerland encouraging breast feeding for longer...keep up old chap.

true - but it highlights that there are aspects in one area seemingly countered by the "social acceptablity" of breastfeeding in public - so it is worthy of a crosslink (even if simply to shame the establishment in question into being more tolerant)

Tilia · #12 24.09.2008, 10:11

Yep :-)

www.seco.admin.ch/themen/00385/00390/00392/02072/index.html?lang=de&download

	Quote:	PlantHead
	Are you saying you can leave work with the express purpose of breast feeding your child, and that is allowed?..or have I mis-understood?

Tilia · #13 24.09.2008, 10:14

True, but if you for example choose to have your child in a Krippe close to work, it is perfectly feasable. Don't get me wrong, I am all for breast feeding and parental leave (as in I also think the father should have the right to stay at home) but I just want to point out that the legal protection of mother and child actually isn't as bad in Switzerland as sometimes it is painted to be.

	Quote:	BHBT
	True, but it's not easy to take that time off when mum works a long way from home. Barbra.

argus · #14 24.09.2008, 10:15

	Quote:	Tilia
	Actually, in Switzerland you have the right to take the required time of for breast feeding your child so for that purpose, no maternity leave is needed :-)

That's why it's so important to have a creche nearby.

Along Planthead's line of thinking, I'm amused to imagine guys getting interested in the breastfeeding roadshow.

As for the other remarks, therein lies the question -- does the mother's right to choose to breastfeed or not outweigh the baby's right to and need for breastmilk (assuming a woman is able to lactate and breastfeed)?

PlantHead · #15 24.09.2008, 10:17

	Quote:	Tilia
	True, but if you for example choose to have your child in a Krippe close to work, it is perfectly feasable. Don't get me wrong, I am all for breast feeding and parental leave (as in I also think the father should have the right to stay at home) but I just want to point out that the legal protection of mother and child actually isn't as bad in Switzerland as sometimes it is painted to be.

Should you really be putting a 12 week old baby in to a creche/krippe?

Tilia · #16 24.09.2008, 10:20

Very valid point! It is almost always the parents responsibility to make choices for their child, so also in terms of breast feeding. For a parent to be able to make good choices, we need correct information. Much of the information spread by the "pro-breastfeeders" isn't information as much as propaganda mixed with ideas and hypothisis dressed up as scientific facts. And that is what I am not in favour of :-)

	Quote:	argus
	does the mother's right to choose to breastfeed or not outweigh the baby's right to and need for breastmilk (assuming a woman is able to lactate and breastfeed)?

Tilia · #17 24.09.2008, 10:21

If the parents feel comfortable with it and with the Krippe, there isn't anything speaking against it.

	Quote:	PlantHead
	Should you really be putting a 12 week old baby in to a creche/krippe?

argus · #18 24.09.2008, 10:25

	Quote:	Tilia
	Very valid point! It is almost always the parents responsibility to make choises for their child, so also in terms of breast feeding. For a parent to be able to make good choices, we need correct information. Much of the information spread by the "pro-breastfeeders" isn't information as much as propaganda mixed with ideas and hypothisis dressed up as scientific facts. And that is what I am not in favour of :-)

May I ask which parts/points of the pro-breastfeeding platform are in question?

I'm inclined to think the nutrition and immunity provided by breastmilk to the baby are reasons enough.

BHBT · #19 24.09.2008, 10:27

	Quote:	Tilia
	True, but if you for example choose to have your child in a Krippe close to work, it is perfectly feasable. Don't get me wrong, I am all for breast feeding and parental leave (as in I also think the father should have the right to stay at home) but I just want to point out that the legal protection of mother and child actually isn't as bad in Switzerland as sometimes it is painted to be.

I know where you're coming from and am not arguing the point, however it is often simply not feasible to leave work and go to the Krippe, even if it's nearby. And with the difficulty of finding a Krippe place in the first place, I wonder how well this right can be exercised.

Barbra.

Tilia · #20 24.09.2008, 10:28

The immunilogical effects of breast feeding is in no way undisputed actually. Regarding the nutrial aspects, I believe it is undisputed that the infants subsitutes to milk in Europe is a 100% equal alternative to breast milk.

To be pro-breastfeeding is fine with me. It is the contra-bottlefeeding I am against.

	Quote:	argus
	May I ask which parts/points of the pro-breastfeeding platform are in question? I'm inclined to think the nutrition and immunity provided by breastmilk to the baby are reasons enough.