Amy s interest in breastfeeding began when she worked as a nurse in labor and delivery in the 1970s, when breastfeeding rates hit an all time low in the United States. So few mothers were choosing breastfeeding, and I was intrigued by what motivated those who did. She sat for and passed the certification exam, and has since become a nationally recognized leader promoting the professional development of lactation consultants in the United States. Amy is passionate about the life s work that she has chosen. That is what breastfeeding is all about.
People typically put breastfeeding in the context of infant nutrition, but it is more than that.
Breastfeeding is about touching and bonding. Health care professionals often talk to expectant and new mothers about the choice between breastfeeding and bottle feeding. But these are not equivalent. It would be logical to talk about the choice between breast milk or formula in a bottle, but breastfeeding is more than that. Amy believes that as a society we do well at encouraging women to breastfeed, but we do not support them while they are breastfeeding.