All or Nothing?

I had an interesting conversation the other day with a health care provider who said, that she would love it if all of her patients could breastfeed exclusively for 1 or more years, but the reality is that few were able to do that. She said that what she was doing was helping moms figure out how to breastfeed as much as they could and leave the guilt behind.  They don’t have to feel bad  about pumping or supplementing with formula, because any breastfeeding is good for them and their babies. 
 
She found that when moms felt that they were successful with any breastfeeding they were likely to breastfeed longer, which is what we all want. A reasonable approach is one that takes into account that pressure to be exclusively breastfeeding may lead to some moms feeling discouraged if they don’t quite measure up.  If they can’t attain that ideal, they don’t have to give up, they can work around what works for them.  She found it to be more effective and helped the moms feel better about their abilities to nourish and nurture  their babies.  Take home message here:  It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Even if a mom is putting her baby to the breast for comfort, it’s still worthwhile and helps them stay healthy.