Original subtitles

Jennifer narrating: ACCORDING TO ANCIENT GREEK MYTH,

ZEUS HAS A SON NAMED HERACLES, BORN OF A MORTAL WOMAN.

ZEUS IS VERY FOND OF HERACLES AND WANTS HIM TO BECOME DIVINE.

HE THEREFORE PLACES THE CHILD ON THE BREAST OF HIS WIFE,

THE GODDESS HERA AS SHE LAY SLEEPING

SO THE BABY COULD NURSE FROM HER SACRED MILK.

HERA WAKES TO FIND AN UNKNOWN INFANT

SUCKLING AT HER BREAST.

SURPRISED, SHE UNLATCHES THE BABY,

SPRAYING HER MILK ACROSS THE HEAVENS,

CREATING THE MILKY WAY.

YOU'RE USING THIS REAL NATURAL KIND OF MATURE HOLD.

THEY CALL IT THE MADONNA HOLD OR THE CRADLE HOLD.

UH-HUH, RIGHT.

WHEN SHE GETS ON AND YOU FEEL THAT'S A GOOD LATCH,

THEN JUST KIND OF DO A HEAD-TO-TOE ASSESSMENT

TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY PART OF YOUR BODY

- IS RELAXED. - OKAY.

Jennifer narrating: EACH MOTHER HAS A COMPLETELY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

EVERY MOTHER HAS A STORY.

I'VE BEEN WORKING IN PEDIATRICS FOR 30 YEARS.

MY FIRST TEN YEARS WAS AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL

WORKING IN AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE WARD.

I STUDIED CHILD DEVELOPMENT AS A BACKGROUND PRIOR TO THAT.

THEN I JOINED A PRACTICE WITH DR. JAY GORDON,

WHERE I AM THE NURSE THERE, AND FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS,

I'VE BEEN ALSO THEIR LACTATION CONSULTANT.

OUR PEDIATRIC PRACTICE IS A BREASTFEEDING PRACTICE.

IT'S A WELL-BABY PRACTICE.

THE HEART OF PEDIATRICS SHOULD BE NUTRITION,

AND THE FOUNDATION FOR GOOD NUTRITION IS BREASTFEEDING.

IN THE LAST TEN YEARS AS A LACTATION CONSULTANT,

WHAT I HAVE SEEN OVER AND OVER IS HOW MANY WOMEN

HAVE SO MUCH MISINFORMATION

ABOUT WHAT IT IS TO BE AT EASE WITH BREASTFEEDING.

IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S BECOME THE MOST COMPLICATED,

DIFFICULT THING, WHEN IT SHOULDN'T BE.

BABIES HAVE BEEN BORN,

PUT ON THE MOTHER'S CHEST AT BIRTH.

BABIES DID A NATURAL CRAWL UP TO THE BREAST

AND BREASTFED ALL BY THEMSELVES.

WHY HAVE WE COMPLICATED THIS SO MUCH?

Nancy Williams: SINCE ADAM AND EVE, SINCE THE FIRST CAVEMEN,

SINCE THE VERY BEGINNING OF WHAT WE KNOW,

BABIES HAVE BEEN TAKEN CARE OF IN A CERTAIN WAY.

Jennifer narrating: THROUGHOUT HISTORY, ARTISTS DEPICTED

THE MOTHER AND CHILD BREASTFEEDING,

MOTHERING ALL OVER THE WORLD.

THE NURSING MOTHER WAS SIGNIFICANT.

WE CAN SINGLE OUT VERY FAMOUS ARTISTS

WHO REPRESENTED THE THEME FROM LEONARDO DA VINCI

TO EL GRECO AND LATER EXAMPLES

BY PEOPLE LIKE MARIE CASSATT AND PABLO PICASSO.

Jennifer narrating: IN LESS THAN ONE CENTURY,

THE ICONOGRAPHY OF THE NURSING MOTHER FADED AWAY.

THE FIRST COMMERCIAL MILK PASTEURIZERS

WERE PRODUCED IN 1882.

IN THE LATE 1800s,

WHEN PASTEURIZATION BECAME MUCH MORE AVAILABLE

AND EASY TO DO, CERTAIN COMPANIES LIKE NESTLE

AND CARNATION DECIDED THEY WOULD COME UP

WITH A FORMULA THAT WOULD SUBSTITUTE FOR BREAST MILK.

Male announcer: SOMEDAY, THE NEW BABY WILL PLAY

WITH BIG BROTHER'S TOYS,

MIGHT EVEN INHERIT THAT PRECIOUS BASEBALL GLOVE.

BUT THE FORMULA HE GROWS ON MUST BE HIS OWN EXCLUSIVELY.

ALL BABIES ARE DIFFERENT.

THAT'S WHY HOSPITALS SEND MORE BABIES HOME

ON FORMULAS MADE WITH PET EVAPORATED MILK

THAN ON ANY OTHER FORM OF MILK.

WE'LL COME UP WITH A VERY SPECIAL FORMULA

FOR YOUR SPECIAL BABY, YOUR UNIQUE BABY.

NO BABY GETS THE SAME THING. THAT'S HOW IT GOT ITS NAME.

BECAUSE THE DOCTORS WOULD COME UP

WITH THE SPECIAL INGREDIENTS FOR YOUR BABY.

SO THEY WERE ABLE TO CONVINCE WOMEN THAT THIS WAS MUCH BETTER

THAN THEIR BREAST MILK.

Jennifer narrating: IN 1945, AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II,

MOST BABIES WERE BOTTLE-FED.

HERE'S MOMMY, DARLING! DON'T CRY!

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT PROMPTED THIS WAS THE WAR,

THE GREAT WAR, AND WOMEN WERE GOING TO WORK

AS ROSIE THE RIVETER.

MY GRANDMOTHER WAS ONE OF THOSE,

AND MY MOTHER WAS BOTTLE FED, CONSEQUENTLY.

BUT THAT WAS THE NEW THING BECAUSE IT FREED UP WOMEN.

Jennifer narrating: BY 1956,

U.S. BREASTFEEDING RATES HAD DROPPED TO 20%.

IN THE '50s, WE AS CULTURE, THE WESTERN CULTURE,

WE START SELLING THINGS

THAT WERE TOTALLY UNRELATED TO BREASTS,

SUCH AS BEER, CARS, CIGARETTES, WITH LARGE BREASTS,

WOMEN WITH LARGE BREASTS EXPOSING THEMSELVES

STANDING THERE, SELLING MERCHANDISE,

AND VOILA, IT WAS SOLD.

Jennifer narrating: BY THE LATE 1950s,

PREDOMINANT ATTITUDES WERE THAT NURSING WAS DISGUSTING

AND FOR THE UNEDUCATED AND LOWER CLASSES.

DOCTORS OPENLY DISCOURAGED IT.

I ASKED MY DOCTOR, MY GYNECOLOGIST

ABOUT BREASTFEEDING.

I WANTED TO BE PREPARED.

AND HE LOOKED AT ME AS IF I WAS CRAZY AND SAID,

"BREASTFEEDING? WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT?

YOU'RE NOT A COW." I DIDN'T QUESTION ANYTHING.

I DIDN'T QUESTION IT.

Jennifer narrating: BY THE 1960s,

FORMULA COMPANIES INCREASED THEIR MARKETING CAMPAIGNS,

ESPECIALLY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

IN 1977, THE NESTLE BOYCOTT BEGAN.

WOULD YOU AGREE WITH ME THAT YOUR PRODUCT

SHOULD NOT BE USE WHERE THERE IS IMPURE WATER?

- WE GIVE ALL THE INSTRUCTIONS-- - JUST ANSWER.

- WHAT WOULD YOU-- - OF COURSE NOT, BUT WE CANNOT COPE WITH THAT.

AS I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU SAY IS WHERE THERE'S IMPURE WATER,

- IT SHOULD NOT BE USED. - YES.

WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE SO POOR THAT THEY'RE NOT GOING

TO REALISTICALLY BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO PURCHASE IT,

WHICH IS GOING TO MEAN THAT THEY'RE GOING TO DILUTE IT

TO A POINT, WHICH IS GOING TO ENDANGER THE HEALTH--

- THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE USED? - YES.

DO YOU FEEL THAT YOU HAVE ANY RESPONSIBILITY?

WE CAN'T HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY, SIR.

MAY I MAKE A REFERENCE TO--

- YOU CAN'T HAVE THAT RESPONSIBILITY? - ( echoing ) NO.

Jennifer narrating: MEANWHILE, THE WOMEN'S LIBERATION MOVEMENT

WAS IN FULL SWING.

Crowd: WOMEN'S LIBERATION NOW!

I LOOK AT BREASTFEEDING AS A VERY FEMINIST ISSUE,

AND MANY OF THE FEMINISTS HAVE IGNORED IT

BECAUSE THEY LOOK AT THE FIGHT THAT WENT ON

IN THE EARLY '70s OF BEING ABLE TO PUT ASIDE THE FACT

THAT WE GET PREGNANT AND THAT WE HAVE BABIES

AND BREASTFEED, AND THAT INTERRUPTS WORK.

AND WE'VE BEEN FIGHTING TO SAY, "WE'RE JUST AS GOOD AS MEN.

DON'T CONSIDER US WEAK OR LESS THAN."

SO THEY LOOK AT BREASTFEEDING AS BIO-ESSENTIALISM.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS JUST THAT SINCE YOU CAN HAVE BABIES,

YOU MUST HAVE BABIES, BUT MY VIEW IS THAT, YEAH,

WE'RE DIFFERENT. WE NEED TO LOOK AT OUR DIFFERENCES,

AND RATHER THAN TRYING TO SQUEEZE US INTO THIS

ESTABLISHED MALE MODEL, LET'S CHANGE THE MODEL.

Nancy: WE HAVE PERFORMED A GREAT SOCIAL EXPERIMENT.

WE DON'T BIRTH THE SAME WAY ANYMORE,

AND WE DON'T FEED BABIES THE SAME WAY ANYMORE,

AND WE DON'T RELATE AND CARE FOR BABIES THE WAY WE USED TO.

A LOT OF THE MESSAGES YOU HAVE HAVE A COMMERCIAL INTENT.

AND THE COMMERCIAL INTENT IS "YOU'RE NOT ADEQUATE

UNTIL YOU BUY X, Y, Z

OR WEAR THIS OR CONSUME THAT,"

AND THERE'S A PROFIT MOTIVE.

THERE'S A REASON WHY THIS MESSAGE KEEPS BEING SENT OUT.

AND I THINK, I THINK THAT WE HAVE-- IN AMERICA--

MIGHT HAVE STOPPED QUESTIONING THAT MOTIVE.

BREASTFEEDING IS SYMBOLIC, IN A WAY,

TO ALL SORTS OF OTHER THINGS THAT CREATE THE ATTACHMENT

OF HUMAN BEINGS, THE BONDING OF HUMAN BEINGS

WHICH IN ITSELF IS THE BASIS OF CULTURE.

IF YOU DON'T GET THAT RIGHT, THE CULTURE BEGINS TO FRAGMENT.

Chantal: IT'S THE CONNECTION, THE PHYSICAL CONNECTION

AS WELL AS AN EMOTIONAL CONNECTION.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE CLEAR

IS THAT WOMEN CAN TRUST THEMSELVES.

THEY CAN TRUST THEIR BODY AND THEY CAN TRUST THEIR BABIES.

Jennifer narrating: CHANTAL IS MY MENTOR AND MY BEST FRIEND.

WE'VE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR OVER 30 YEARS.

TOGETHER, CHANTAL AND I WANT TO NORMALIZE

BREASTFEEDING IN AMERICA.

WE WANT TO SEE A CULTURAL SHIFT

AND RESTORE THE NURSING MOTHER TO A PLACE OF HONOR.

WE'VE DEVELOPED A UNIQUE WAY OF WORKING WITH MOTHERS.

OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE A MOTHER IS CONFIDENT

WITH THE TOOLS AND KNOWLEDGE SHE NEEDS

TO TRUST HERSELF AND HER BABY.

WHY IS AMERICA'S BREASTFEEDING SUCCESS RATE SO LOW?

AND WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO TO SOLVE THIS GROWING CRISIS?

WE NEED SOME ANSWERS, AND WE NEED TO TURN THIS AROUND.

Jennifer narrating: SO WHAT ARE THE ISSUES?

- FIRST OF ALL-- - Crowd: OOH!

Jennifer narrating: WHAT ARE BREASTS REALLY FOR?

Man: * LOOK AT 'EM, SO SOFT, SO JUICY *

* GROWTH SPURT SMOOTH AND GIMME THEM BOOBIES *

* I INSTINCTIVE

* NEVER BITE HARD WHEN I'M DIGGIN' MY TEETH IN *

* TEETHIN', GOT ME SLEEPING LIKE A BABY, SAFELY *

* ALL I THINK ABOUT LATELY

* IS YOUR LOVE, I NEED IT... *

WOMEN SEE THEIR OWN BREASTS AS SEXUAL FEATURES

OF THEIR BODY, BUT SO ARE LIPS.

YOU USE THOSE FOR KISSING AND EATING.

AND SO ALL SORTS OF OTHER PARTS OF OUR BODIES

CAN BE MULTI-FUNCTIONAL.

THERE'S SO MUCH PRESSURE ON ME, AND I THINK ON WOMEN IN GENERAL

TO HAVE SEXUALITY BE THE FOREFRONT OF WHAT I PRESENT.

AND THE QUESTION WAS BEGGED, WHO WOULD I BE WITHOUT THAT?

Black: THAT IMAGE, THAT POSITIVE IMAGE

OF THE NURSING MOTHER

HAS DROPPED OUT OF OUR VISUAL WORLD.

WE SEE LOTS OF IMAGES OF SEXUALIZED BREASTS ON TV,

ON THE INTERNET, BUT THE IMAGE

OF A LACTATING BREAST IS SOMEHOW UNUSUAL.

I UNDERSTAND PEOPLE WANT PEOPLE TO BREASTFEED.

YOU CAN'T BREASTFEED PREMATURE BABIES.

THAT IS FOR THE PARENTS TO DECIDE AND THE DOCTOR.

THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD--

MICHELLE OBAMA, NOW PROMOTING BREASTFEEDING

AS PART OF HER CAMPAIGN TO FIGHT CHILDHOOD OBESITY.

YOU GOING TO BREASTFEED YOUR BABIES BECAUSE--

I'M LOOKING, I'M GOING, YEAH YOU BETTER

BECAUSE THE PRICE OF MILK IS SO HIGH RIGHT NOW.

BREASTFEEDING A BABY IS AN INTIMATE ACT.

AND IT SHOULD BE DONE PRIVATELY LIKE FARTING

OR MASTURBATING OR PISSING.

DO YOU SEE WHERE SOME PEOPLE MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE?

Female reporter: ANOTHER BREASTFEEDING CONTROVERSY.

Female reporter: THE MOMS SAY THE LIFEGUARD ON DUTY

BLEW HIS WHISTLE AND ORDERED THEM TO STOP BREASTFEEDING.

THEY SAID THAT WE WERE PUBLICLY EXPOSING OURSELVES.

Whoopi Goldberg: IT'S CREEPY. TO ME, THAT'S CREEPY.

Woman #2: A LOT OF PRESSURE ON WOMEN TO BREASTFEED.

GISELE BUNDCHEN, SHE NOW WANTS A LAW...

Whoopie: ...THAT WOULD FORCE ALL MOMS...

- Woman #3: TO BREASTFEED THEIR BABIES... - Woman #4: FOR SIX MONTHS.

GIVE ME ADVICE ON HOW TO KEEP MY TEETH WHITE, BUT SHUT UP.

NOW WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO THE BEAUTIFUL GISELE, SHUT UP AND MODEL.

( discordant noise )

PEOPLE EQUATE NURSING TO JUST FEEDING A BABY.

10% OF WHAT GOES ON AT THE BREAST IS ABOUT NUTRITION.

90% OF WHAT IS HAPPENING IS THE LAYING DOWN

OF THE SYNAPSES OF THE BRAIN AND THE DEVELOPMENT

OF THAT HUMAN BRAIN OF AN INFANT,

IT'S GROWING AT A PHENOMENAL RATE.

BREASTFEEDING IS FASCINATING BECAUSE IT'S NOT JUST THE MILK.

IT'S THE SMELL, THE COMFORTS, THE FEELINGS,

THE ATTACHMENT WITH THE CHILD, WITH THE MOTHER

AND THE MOTHER'S FORMING OF THE HABITS WITH THE CHILD.

THE INTERACTION THAT GOES ON IN THAT VERY EARLY PERIOD

IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL

TO DEVELOPING THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.

Jennifer narrating: IN THE EARLIEST STAGES OF A BABY'S LIFE,

100 BILLION NEURONS ARE FORMED IN THE BRAIN,

NEARLY AS MANY AS THERE ARE STARS IN THE MILKY WAY.

LIKE NO OTHER TIME IN A PERSON'S LIFE,

SKIN-TO-SKIN IGNITES THE NEURONS.

AND IF THEY ARE NOT ACTIVATED, THE NEURONS ARE LOST...

( echoing ) FOREVER.

THE MOTHER RELEASES THOSE BONDING CHEMICALS

EVERY TIME THAT BABY IS EVEN SNUGGLED

NEXT TO HER BREAST,

BUT PARTICULARLY WHILE HE SUCKLES.

FROM THE MOTHER'S PERSPECTIVE,

THERE'S ALL OF THIS BIOCHEMICAL ENCOURAGEMENT

TO BOND TO THAT BABY, TO LOVE THAT BABY,

TO PROTECT THAT BABY WITH HER LIFE IF NECESSARY.

MY SON, MORDECAI AND I HAVE THIS VERY SWEET

AND RELAXED FEEDBACK LOOP BETWEEN US.

I KNOW WHEN HE NEEDS TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.

I KNOW WHEN HE NEEDS TO EAT, TO SLEEP.

WHEN A BABY BREASTFEEDS, THERE'S A CONTROL THAT'S SET

CALLED THE APPESTAT WHERE A BABY KNOWS

THAT FOOD'S ALWAYS AVAILABLE.

DON'T EAT ANY MORE THAN YOU NEED.

IF YOU'RE HUNGRY TEN MINUTES LATER,

SOMEONE'S GOING TO FEED YOU.

START AND STOP AS YOU FEEL LIKE IT.

THAT ABILITY TO REGULATE YOUR INTAKE OF CALORIES

AND OF FOOD, THAT CAN STICK WITH YOU YOUR WHOLE LIFE.

IT JUST HAS TO BE SET DURING THOSE EARLY MONTHS

WHERE WE SAY TO A BABY, "FOOD, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT.

IF YOU DON'T FINISH WHAT YOU WANT RIGHT NOW,

WE'LL FEED YOU A LITTLE MORE LATER."

BREAST MILK IS FULL OF THE MOTHER'S IMMUNITIES,

IMMUNITIES THAT COME FROM THE BABY

EXPOSING THE MOTHER.

THAT'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE THINGS.

IF A BABY IS EXPOSED TO SOMETHING,

A VIRUS OR A BACTERIUM, AND THE MOTHER ISN'T EXPOSED,

THE BABY'S SALIVA WILL CHANGE, AND WHEN HE GOES TO BREAST,

HE WILL SIGNAL THE MOTHER TO BEGIN TO MAKE ANTIBODIES

FOR THAT THING THAT HE WAS EXPOSED TO THAT SHE WAS NOT.

MOTHERS HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED

TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR BABIES.

THEIR BREASTS MAKE A PRODUCT THAT IS SO IN TUNE

WITH THEIR BABY THAT IF YOU HAVE A PREMATURE BABY,

IT MAKES SPECIAL MILK FOR YOUR PREMATURE BABY.

IT'S SPECIFICALLY CREATED FOR YOUR BABY.

BREAST MILK DOESN'T GO FROM A BABY'S MOUTH

TO THE ESOPHAGUS TO THE STOMACH ALL DAY LONG.

IT GOES UP A BABY'S NOSE, OUT THE BABY'S NOSE.

IT GOES RETROGRADE UP THE EUSTACHIAN TUBE

AND WHEREVER BREAST MILK GOES, IT STERILIZES THE TUBES.

WE WOULD THINK IT VERY STRANGE

IF ANIMALS SUDDENLY QUIT BREASTFEEDING

AND HANDED-- SOMEHOW HANDED THEIR BABIES

A BOTTLE OR SOME ARTIFICIAL FEEDING.

YET WE'RE DOING IT REGULARLY.

Jennifer narrating: WE ARE FLOODED WITH THE MESSAGE

"BREAST IS BEST,"

ESPECIALLY FROM FORMULA COMPANIES.

Announcer: THE GERBER GENERATION KNOWS

THAT BREASTFEEDING IS THE BEST WAY

TO NATURALLY PROTECT YOUR BABY.

Announcer: THE ROUTINE FORMULA DESIGNED

TO HELP AVOID COMMON FEEDING PROBLEMS

LIKE FUSSINESS, CRYING, AND GAS.

WHAT IT DOES IS CREATE THE QUESTION,

WHETHER OR NOT BREAST IS BEST OR FORMULA IS BEST

OR FINE OR WHATEVER, AND IF YOU THROW THAT QUESTION

UP THERE, THEN IT'S UNDER QUESTION,

THERE IS A QUESTION OVER WHAT IS BETTER.

THAT'S WHAT THE FORMULA COMPANIES WANT.

Jennifer narrating: I HAD HEARD ABOUT A BLOGGER,

THE FEARLESS FORMULA FEEDER,

AND I WAS CURIOUS TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HER.

I DISCOVERED THAT SHE WAS A MOM WHO OFTEN FELT ALIENATED

BY BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS.

I WASN'T FEARLESS. I WAS ANYTHING BUT FEARLESS.

I WAS WRITING IT BECAUSE I HAD SO MUCH FEAR

AND SO MUCH GUILT AND SO MUCH STRESS.

THE FACT IS THAT EVERYBODY WAS STRUGGLING.

WE'RE ALL TRYING AS NEW MOMS,

AND THEY WERE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT,

AND OF COURSE THEY HAD A RIGHT TO FEEL PROUD.

AND OF COURSE THEY HAD A RIGHT TO BE TALKING

ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF BREASTFEEDING

AND WHY FORMULA'S SO BAD

BECAUSE THAT WAS PART OF THEIR NARRATIVE, YOU KNOW,

BUT I THINK NOBODY STOPPED TO THINK, LIKE, WELL, YOU KNOW,

SHE'S SITTING THERE WITH A BOTTLE.

HOW DOES THAT MAKE HER FEEL?

THE OTHER DAY I WAS IN A STORE,

AND I WAS COMING OUT OF THE DIRTY, DARK BATHROOM.

AS I WAS WALKING OUT, THERE WAS A MOTHER

WALKING RIGHT PAST ME TOWARDS THE BATHROOM WITH HER NEWBORN.

AND I SAID, "OH, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

THAT BABY LOOKS REALLY HUNGRY."

AND SHE SAID, "OH, I'M GOING TO FEED MY BABY."

I SAID, "WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"

AND SHE GOES, "I'M GOING INTO THE BATHROOM."

I SAID, "OH, NO, YOU'RE NOT." ( laughs )

AND I TOOK HER AND I SAID,

"I'M GOING TO FIND YOU A NICE COMFORTABLE PLACE TO NURSE

UP IN THE FRONT OF THE STORE, FOLLOW ME."

Amelia: MY CHILD IS THREE MONTHS OLD.

WE WERE KICKED OUT OF A STORE

IN VENICE, CALIFORNIA, OF ALL PLACES.

WE'RE ASKED TO LEAVE, AND, UM... WE DID.

Carrie-Anne: HAD DINNER WITH MY HUSBAND,

AND SOME FRIENDS WERE THERE, AND SOMEBODY MADE A COMMENT

ABOUT ME NURSING MY BABY THERE, AND YOU COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING.

AND MADE A COMMENT ABOUT, YOU KNOW,

"BABIES AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE AT RESTAURANTS.

THEY NEED TO BE AT HOME WITH THE NANNY."

AND I REMEMBER AT THE TIME JUST BEING LIKE--

YOU'RE SO SENSITIVE, TOO, WHEN YOU'RE NURSING.

Minnie: I SORT OF GOT THE IMPRESSION

WITH THE RATHER PINCHED EXPRESSIONS

ON THESE WOMEN'S FACES THAT THEY WERE SORT OF--

EVEN IF THEY COULDN'T REALLY SEE IT,

THEY KNEW THAT MY BOOB WAS EXPOSED ON SOME LEVEL

AND I WAS FEEDING A BABY.

Katie: I WAS AT A MUSEUM.

AT THE TIME MY DAUGHTER WAS ABOUT 18 MONTHS.

SHE WAS TIRED AND WANTED TO NURSE.

SO I SAT DOWN AND NURSED MY CHILD.

TO AVOID A TANTRUM IN THIS PARTICULAR EXHIBIT,

WHICH WAS A VERY QUIET PLACE,

AND I WAS ASKED TO COVER UP.

I MEAN, I'VE EVEN HAD FRIENDS OF MINE WHO'D BEEN TOLD THAT,

YOU KNOW, "THAT'S DISGUSTING," OR YOU KNOW,

THEY'LL BE LOOKED AT LIKE "HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY

DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT," AND IT'S SO BIZARRE

BECAUSE IN THIS CULTURE, YOU KNOW,

YOU SEXUALIZE BREASTS, AND THAT'S OKAY

BUT IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY DOING WHAT THEY'RE MEANT TO DO,

THEN SOMEHOW IT'S, LIKE, WRONG.

Zoe: THANKFULLY I HAVE TWO CHILDREN,

AND I KNOW I'M DOING THE BEST THING FOR MY BABY.

SO I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF NEW MOMS

WHO MIGHT BE TEETERING ON THE EDGE OF,

"DO I REALLY WANT TO DO THIS? CAN I DO THIS?"

AND YOUR DIRTY LOOK MIGHT BE THE THING

THAT MAKES HER GIVE UP ON HERSELF.

I WAS OUT TO DINNER. I WAS TOLD TO COVER UP.

HEY, I WAS SHOPPING AND I WAS TOLD TO COVER UP.

CAN THEY DO THIS?

MANY WOMEN, MANY EMPLOYERS DON'T KNOW THE LAW.

THAT WE HAVE A LAW THAT PROTECTS US.

WE CAN NURSE WHEREVER WE NEED TO NURSE.

WHEN MY LOVELY WIFE AND I BECAME PREGNANT,

WE, LIKE MOST PARENTS, RAN TO THE BOOKSTORE

TO READ ABOUT HOW TO BECOME

THE MOST PERFECT PARENTS ONE COULD.

AND AFTER READING ALL OF THESE WORKS,

MY WIFE, WHO IS ALSO AN ANTHROPOLOGIST,

WERE LED TO ONE OF TWO CONCLUSIONS--

EITHER EVERYTHING WE HAD LEARNED ABOUT HUMAN DEVELOPMENT,

THE EVOLUTION OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR, PARENTING AND INFANCY

WAS FALLACIOUS COMING OUT OF ANTHROPOLOGY

OR ALL OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY WESTERN PEDIATRICIANS

AS TO HOW BEST TO CARE FOR INFANTS

HAD REALLY NOTHING TO DO WITH BABIES AT ALL

AND WERE REALLY BASED ON MORE RECENT

CULTURAL WESTERN IDEOLOGIES.

DOCTORS, THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS

HAVE TAKEN OVER WHERE MOTHERS

USED TO HAVE A KNOWLEDGE THAT THEY SHARED.

IT WAS A COLLECTIVE KNOWLEDGE.

THEY PASSED IT ON TO THEIR DAUGHTERS,

THEIR GRANDDAUGHTERS.

Jennifer narrating: EVEN LACTATION CONSULTANTS,

MY ASSOCIATES, ARE INCONSISTENT.

SHE ASKED ME WHAT COLOR HIS STOOLS WERE.

SHE GOES, "OKAY, LOOKS LIKE WE'RE FOUR DAYS BEHIND."

SO ALREADY, BEFORE I EVEN GOT THE REFERRAL,

THIS OTHER LACTATION CONSULTANT TOLD ME

THAT I WASN'T DOING WELL ENOUGH YET,

THAT I WAS BEHIND.

WOMEN COME TO ME LACKING THE SUPPORT, THE KNOWLEDGE,

THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING ABLE TO TRUST THEMSELVES

AND BEING ABLE TO TRUST THEIR BABIES.

I THINK THAT THE SUPPORT THROUGH BREASTFEEDING IS CRUCIAL

HAVING THE RIGHT INFORMATION, THE RIGHT TOOLS.

Jessica: WHEN YOU TRY TO SUCCEED AT BREASTFEEDING AND YOU FAIL,

IT'S EMOTIONALLY REALLY DESTROYING,

AND IT NEARLY HAPPENED TO ME, AND IT HAPPENED TO MY SISTER.

IT HAPPENED TO MANY WOMEN I KNOW WHO ARE CLOSE TO ME.

AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE PHYSICALLY THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO DO IT,

BUT THEY POTENTIALLY DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT.

YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT AS A MOM IS TO FEED YOUR BABY.

TO FEEL LIKE YOU'RE FAILING AT THE FIRST ASSIGNMENT

IS HEARTBREAKING AND REALLY DIFFICULT.

ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS RISE TO THE OCCASION.

I WAS SO FREAKED OUT THAT I WASN'T DOING

ANYTHING RIGHT, AND THE MOST BASIC THING

I NEEDED TO DO WAS MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS FED.

I COULD HOLD HIM AND I COULD TALK TO HIM

AND I KNEW THAT I WAS DOING THAT OKAY,

BUT I WASN'T SURE THAT THE FEEDING WAS WORKING.

BUT I KNEW THAT I COULD LOOK AT A BOTTLE AT LEAST

AND TELL THAT IT WAS-- HE WAS DRINKING IT.

Jennifer narrating: WITHOUT A SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYER

AND PAID MATERNITY LEAVE,

THE NURSING MOTHER IS CHALLENGED EVEN MORE.

WE DON'T WANT TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT

WHERE HAVING TO CHOOSE BETWEEN YOUR PAYCHECK

AND THE HEALTH OF YOUR CHILD BECOMES A DECISION

THAT A MOTHER HAS TO MAKE AT A REALLY VULNERABLE TIME.

WHEN WOMEN HAVE LONGER LEAVES, THEY BREASTFEED MORE.

Jennifer: THE SADDEST THING FOR ME--

AND I DON'T THINK I'LL EVER GET OVER IT--

IS THAT I HAD TO GO BACK TO WORK.

I HAD TO LEAVE MY CHILD AT THREE MONTHS OF AGE.

I KNOW HE WAS GRIEVING FOR ME. I WAS GRIEVING FOR HIM.

AND YET EVERYBODY AROUND ME TOLD ME, "WELL, THAT'S NORMAL.

HE'LL BE OKAY.

LISTEN, HE'LL STOP CRYING AS SOON AS YOU LEAVE.

HE'LL BE FINE."

HE WASN'T FINE.

I THINK IF WOMEN HAD THE SUPPORT

AND THEY WERE ABLE TO STAY HOME WITH THEIR LITTLE ONES,

I THINK THAT THEY WOULD CHOOSE TO DO THAT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE CHOICE,

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?

THERE ARE ONLY FOUR COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

WITH NO GOVERNMENT-MANDATED PAID MATERNITY LEAVE.

AND THE UNITED STATES IS ONE OF THEM.

WE EXPECT WOMEN TO COME BACK TO WORK

RIGHT AFTER THEY'VE HAD A BABY,

AND WE EXPECT THEM TO RESUME THE LIFE THAT THEY LED BEFORE.

WE HAVE THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT,

AND THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT PROTECTS WOMEN

WHO ARE PREGNANT, AND IT'S SEX DISCRIMINATION

IF WE DISCRIMINATE AGAINST THEM IF THEY ARE PREGNANT.

HOWEVER, IT DOESN'T COVER LACTATION.

AND SO IN FACT, ALL OF THE U.S. CASE LAW

AROUND LACTATION IN THE WORKPLACE OPINES

THAT THERE IS NO CONNECTION BETWEEN PREGNANCY AND LACTATION.

SO EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE THE RIGHT

TO FIRE A WOMAN IF SHE IS BREASTFEEDING.

AND THERE IS NO REAL CASE-LAW RECOURSE.

YOU'RE NOT BEING PAID MATERNITY LEAVE

AND YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK,

IT MAKES IT A LOT HARDER TO KEEP BREASTFEEDING.

Carrie-Anne: I THINK THAT OUR SOCIETY LOOKS AT MOTHERING

AS A COMPARTMENTALIZED PART OF LIFE.

AND I THINK THE THING THAT'S HAPPENED

AND I THINK IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT SITUATION

THAT WOMEN ARE IN IS THAT WOMEN WANT TO HAVE CAREERS

AND THEY WANT TO HAVE CHILDREN, AND THE REALITY FOR ME

WAS THAT I COULDN'T DO BOTH THE WAY THAT I WANTED TO DO IT.

WE FORCE WOMEN BACK TO WORK HERE SO QUICKLY,

AND THEY GO INTO TO MOTHERING THINKING

THAT THEY'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

AND IT'S A SHAME BECAUSE WE'RE ALL JUST--

WE'RE LOSING OUT ON THIS ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME EXPERIENCE.

Chantal: RIGHT AFTER BIRTH,

SEPARATION OF THE BABY FROM THE MOM

IS ONE OF THE MOST DAMAGING INTERVENTIONS

THAT PROFESSIONAL MEDICINE HAS COME UP WITH.

WHEN A MOTHER HAS HER BABY IN THE HOSPITAL,

IT'S THE WAY THAT SHE'S TREATED IN THE HOSPITAL

THAT'S GONNA MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

ON WHETHER OR NOT SHE'LL BE ABLE TO BREASTFEED.

MY GUT WAS SAYING, LIKE, "NO, SOMETHING'S OFF.

I KNOW THIS ISN'T SUPPOSED TO WORK THIS WAY."

BUT NO ONE SEEMED TO LISTEN AND I FELT LIKE, WELL,

I'VE NEVER HAD A BABY.

YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

Chantal: HOSPITALS MAKE MONEY IF A BABY

IS READMITTED WITH AN ILLNESS.

THEY REALLY DON'T MAKE MONEY IF A BABY IS HEALTHY.

AND THEY ACTUALLY CONSIDER

THE NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT,

THE PEDIATRIC UNIT, THEY CONSIDER THE BABIES

IN THOSE UNITS AS A PRODUCT LINE.

Woman: EMPLOYERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES

HAVE THE RIGHT TO FIRE A WOMAN WHO'S...

Man: ( overlapping ) IT'S REALLY NOTHING TO DO WITH BABIES AT ALL.

Woman #2: YET WE'RE DOING IT REGULARLY...

Woman #3: YOU'VE BEEN TOLD THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT'S DISGUSTING...

( overlapping voices )

Jennifer narrating: THE OBSTACLES ARE OVERWHELMING.

I WAS BEGINNING TO WONDER HOW ONE PERSON,

HOW I COULD REALLY HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

CHANTAL AND I SPOKE ABOUT THE CHALLENGES

THAT SO MANY WOMEN FACE IN AMERICA.

SHE REMINDED ME ABOUT THE BREASTFEEDING PRACTICES

IN SOME OF THE EUROPEAN COUNTRIES.

SHE VISITED A HOSPITAL IN BERLIN A FEW YEARS AGO

AND TOLD ME ABOUT SOME OF THE AMAZING THINGS

THEY WERE DOING WITH THEIR TINIEST BABIES

IN THE NICU AS WELL AS THEIR FULL-TERM BABIES.

MANY OF THESE COUNTRIES HAVE HIGHER SUCCESS RATES

WITH BREASTFEEDING AND WE DECIDED

WE HAD TO FIND OUT WHY.

WHAT ARE THEY DOING RIGHT?

TODAY WE ARE HEADED TO ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL

IN BERLIN, GERMANY.

THEY ARE A CERTIFIED BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL

WITH AN EXTREMELY HIGH BREASTFEEDING RATE.

THEY WERE THE FIRST BABY-FRIENDLY

CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL IN THE WORLD.

Jennifer narrating: 97% OF FULL-TERM BABIES

AND 86% OF PREMATURE BABIES

LEAVE ST. JOSEPH EXCLUSIVELY BREASTFED.

THE BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL INITIATIVE WAS LAUNCHED IN 1991

AS AN EFFORT BY UNICEF

AND THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

TO INCREASE BREASTFEEDING RATES WORLDWIDE.

DOCTOR ABOU-DAKN EXPLAINS TO ME HOW THEY USED TO DO THINGS

BEFORE THEY WENT BABY-FRIENDLY.

KATRIN BAUTSCH ESTABLISHED THE BABY-FRIENDLY PROGRAM

AT ST. JOSEPH HOSPITAL'S NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.

BUT SHE DID MORE THAN JUST INITIATE A PROGRAM

THAT SUPPORTS BREASTFEEDING.

KATRIN CREATED THE UNIT WHERE EVERY MOTHER

STAYS IN THE SAME ROOM WITH HER BABY

FOR THE ENTIRE TIME THAT BABY NEEDS TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL.

KATRIN EXPLAINED TO US HOW IMPORTANT IT IS

TO KEEP VERY ILL AND EVEN DYING BABIES

WITH THEIR MOTHERS AND FATHERS.

SHE THEN TOOK US TO MEET A MOTHER

WHO HAD RECENTLY LOST ONE OF HER TWINS.

SHE'S DOING GOOD NOW.

- YEAH, THEY SAID JUST-- - 33 WEEKS.

"WHOSE BABY SYNDROME"? I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

I REMEMBER THE NURSE GIVING HER TO ME.

AND I WAS REALLY A BIT SCARED.

- YEAH. - ACTUALLY I SAID, "OH, NO, NO, NO, DON'T."

BECAUSE I WAS SO AFRAID I COULD BREAK HER.

SHE WAS JUST SO SMALL,

HAD THAT LITTLE BREATHING MASK ON.

THE NURSE SAID, "NO, NO, NO, SHE REALLY NEEDS YOU NOW.

SHE'S AFRAID AS WELL,

AND SHE THINKS NO ONE IS THERE FOR HER.

SO TAKE HER, TAKE HER AND MAKE HER FEEL

THAT MOMMY'S THERE," AND I THOUGHT, OKAY, OKAY, OKAY.

IMMEDIATELY, EVERYTHING WAS FINE.

Jennifer narrating: I WAS TOTALLY SURPRISED

BY HOW THE STAFF AT ST. JOSEPH TRUST THE PARENT.

IN THE UNITED STATES, IT'S THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE.

DOCTORS AND NURSES ROUTINELY TAKE CONTROL

AWAY FROM MOTHERS AND FATHERS.

Jay: IN MEDICAL SCHOOL THEY DON'T TEACH US A LOT

ABOUT BREASTFEEDING AND THEY ALSO DON'T TEACH US

THAT MUCH ABOUT INTERACTING WITH PARENTS.

WHAT WE DO IS WE LEARN HOW TO TAKE CARE OF SICK KIDS.

WE DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT WELLNESS.

WE DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT WELL-BABY CARE.

MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS HAVE TAKEN THE STAND THAT, "OH, NO,

WE KNOW BEST FOR YOUR BABY, AND YOU NEED TO LISTEN TO US."

SOMETHING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR CULTURE

KIND OF SLOWLY AND SUBTLY

OVER THE LAST 50 OR 75 YEARS

IS KIND OF AN EROSION OF THE VALUING THE IMPORTANCE

OF THAT MOTHER-BABY RELATIONSHIP

AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE MOTHER HERSELF.

Jennifer narrating: THE MOTHER IS NOT ONLY LESS VALUED

IN THE UNITED STATES BUT PARENTS ARE DISCOURAGED

FROM QUESTIONING HOSPITAL POLICES.

IN MANY CASES, PARENTS ACTUALLY HAVE THEIR BABIES TAKEN AWAY.

Reporter: ANNA NICOLAI HAVE REACHED OUT TO US

AFTER POLICE WENT INTO HER HOME LAST NIGHT.

THEY WERE THERE WITH CPS.

ANNA SAYS THIS WHOLE THING STARTED WITH A TRIP

TO THE HOSPITAL AND HER NEED FOR A SECOND OPINION

ON HER BABY BOY'S CONDITION.

IT'S A CHARGE THAT BAFFLES BOTH ANNA AND HER HUSBAND.

IT SEEMS LIKE THE PARENTS HAVE NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER.

ONE LOCAL COUPLE SAYS THEIR BABY WAS KEPT IN THE HOSPITAL

AGAINST THEIR WILL AFTER A NURSE CALLED SOCIAL SERVICES.

HE SAID, "WELL, IF YOU WOULD LEAVE THE HOSPITAL,

I WOULD HAVE TO ARREST YOUR HUSBAND."

Woman reporter: CELIA IS REFERRING TO THE POLICE OFFICER

WHO WAS SENT TO HER ROOM JUST HOURS AFTER SHE GAVE BIRTH,

ALL BECAUSE SHE AND HER HUSBAND TOLD A NURSE

THAT THEY DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP LILIA OVERNIGHT

IN THE NICU TO BE TREATED FOR JAUNDICE.

BASICALLY THEY WERE GOING TO TAKE THE BABY

AND PUT HER IN THAT INCUBATOR NO MATTER WHAT.

Jennifer narrating: ALL OF THESE MESSAGES THAT WOMEN RECEIVE

IN OUR CULTURE CREATE DOUBT AND FEAR AND UNDERMINE

A MOTHER'S INTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE OF HER BABY.

I SEE THIS SO OFTEN WITH THE MOTHERS I WORK WITH.

THEY ARE TERRIFIED

AND FEEL AS THOUGH THEY ARE FAILING AS MOTHERS.

A BABY NEEDS TIME

TO CRAWL TO THE BREAST AND LATCH ON.

James: OF ALL THE MAMMALS, OF ALL THE PRIMATES,

THE HUMAN INFANT IS NEUROLOGICALLY

THE LEAST MATURE AT BIRTH THAN ANY OTHER PRIMATE.

ITS OWN NERVOUS SYSTEM EXPECTS TO ENGAGE

TO CREATE WHAT'S CALLED A MICROENVIRONMENT

THAT WOULD PROTECT AND BUFFER

THIS EXTREMELY VULNERABLE INFANT.

IT'S ABSOLUTELY VITAL TO SELF-REGULATION, TO HEALTH,

TO THE IMMUNE SYSTEM, TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

AND TO ALL LAYERS OF THE BEING.

Chantal: EVEN THE PREEMIE SHOULD BE PUT

ON THE MOTHER'S CHEST AFTER BIRTH.

Jennifer narrating: THIS IS CALLED KANGAROO MOTHER CARE.

THE BABY STAYS IN SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT

WITH THE MOTHER MOST OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.

Chantal: IT'S MUCH MORE DIFFICULT

WHEN THEY'RE PUT IN AN INCUBATOR

WITH ALL OUR HIGH TECHNOLOGY

COMPARED TO RIGHT ON THE MOTHER'S CHEST

WHERE THAT BABY IS ALREADY PROGRAMMED TO RELAX.

MY BABY WAS BORN ONE DAY SHY OF 27 WEEKS.

I DIDN'T SEE HIM RIGHT AFTER HE WAS BORN.

HE WAS WHISKED OFF TO THE NICU.

THERE WERE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THE ROOM.

I PROBABLY GOT TO HOLD HIM

MAYBE FIVE DAYS AFTER HE WAS BORN.

I WAS PREGNANT WITH TWINS. I DELIVERED AT 36 WEEKS.

I HAD A C-SECTION.

THEY GAVE ME CHLOE AND TAL FOR MAYBE A FEW MINUTES.

I DON'T THINK EVEN A FEW MINUTES AND THEN THEY TOOK THEM AWAY,

AND CHLOE HAD TO GO UNDER OBSERVATION.

I THINK HER BREATHING WAS A LITTLE BIT QUESTIONABLE,

BUT SHE WAS FINE, AND TAL WAS FINE.

AND I DIDN'T REALLY SEE THEM FOR HOURS AFTER THAT.

Katrina: THERE ARE PEOPLE THERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BABY.

THEY ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO HOME AND GET REST

SO YOU'LL BE RESTED UP WHEN THE BABY DOES COME HOME.

SO IF YOU ARE A LITTLE DIFFERENT,

THEN YOU KIND OF STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB

IF YOU DO WANT TO BE THERE.

ALL THEY HAVE IS JUST STANDARD CHAIRS.

SO THEY GOT A BIGGER CHAIR THAT LET UP FOR ME.

I HAD TO SLEEP AT THE NICU IN A CHAIR.

YES, I DID.

Jennifer narrating: SEPARATING BABIES FROM THEIR MOTHERS

IS UNIQUE TO THE 20TH AND 21ST CENTURIES.

WHEN THEY CUT THE CORD AND PUT THE BABY OFF

IN THE WARMER AND STIMULATE IT,

WHAT THEY CALL IT, TO GET IT TO CRY,

THAT ACTUALLY PUTS THE BABY INTO DISTRESS,

INTO SURVIVAL MODE.

IT HAS TO TRY TO TAKE CARE OF ITSELF ON ITS OWN.

WITH MY SON, HE WAS AN EMERGENCY C-SECTION DELIVERY.

IT WAS HORRIBLE.

I MEAN, I SAW HIM BRIEFLY WHEN HE WAS BORN

HE WAS ALL WRAPPED UP, AND ALL I SAW WERE THESE LITTLE--

YOU KNOW, HIS LIKE EYES AND NOSE AND IT WAS LIKE,

"HERE'S YOUR SON!" AND THEN HE WAS GONE.

THEY WHISKED HIM OFF TO, I GUESS, YOU KNOW, TEST HIM,

BATHE HIM, WHATEVER THEY WERE GOING TO DO WITH HIM.

OVERALL, I JUST FELT VERY REMOVED

AND LIKE SOMETHING VERY FOREIGN HAD JUST HAPPENED.

I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER HOLDING HIM FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

I DON'T-- I KNOW THAT I DIDN'T HAVE SKIN-TO-SKIN

WITH HIM UNTIL AT LEAST THE SECOND DAY.

IT JUST WAS ALL VERY HAZY,

AND I DIDN'T FEEL VERY IN CONTROL OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.

IT FELT LIKE I WASN'T REALLY THERE.

THE BABY'S BIO-PHYSICAL RESPONSE

TO HIS ENVIRONMENT CHANGES WHEN HE'S NOT IN HER ARMS.

EVERYTHING IS DIFFERENT DURING SEPARATION.

Jennifer narrating: DR. LOUISE DUMAS HAS DONE EXTENSIVE RESEARCH

ON THE EFFECTS OF SEPARATION AND SKIN-TO-SKIN CARE

OF BABIES IMMEDIATELY AFTER BIRTH.

THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON WITHIN THOSE TWO FIRST HOURS,

AND WE CALL IT A SENSITIVE PERIOD BECAUSE THE BABIES

THAT HAVE BEEN SEPARATED DON'T BEHAVE THE SAME WAY.

THE MOTHERS DON'T BEHAVE THE SAME WAY WITH THOSE BABIES,

AND THE BABIES DON'T REACT THE SAME WAY.

Jennifer narrating: THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

RECOGNIZES THE BENEFITS OF SKIN-TO-SKIN

AND ACTUALLY RECOMMENDS IT AS HOSPITAL POLICY.

YET IT IS DEFINITELY NOT THE NORM.

WHY WOULD THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS

RECOMMEND IMMEDIATE SKIN-TO-SKIN BUT NOT MAKE SURE

IT IS ENFORCED IN ALL HOSPITALS?

IT'S INTERESTING TO NOTE

THAT A LOT OF OUR PRACTICE SEEMS TO BE

OUT OF CONVENIENCE RATHER THAN SCIENCE.

WE TALK A LOT ABOUT EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE

AND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO HAVE SCIENCE

BEHIND THE THINGS THAT WE TEACH AND THE THINGS THAT WE DO.

AND YET, TO MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE IS NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE

ANYWHERE THAT SAYS THAT IT'S GOOD, HEALTHY,

OKAY FOR A MOTHER AND HER BABY TO BE SEPARATED.

IT'S FUNDAMENTAL PHYSIOLOGY--

CONTACT CHANGES THE CLINICAL DIRECTION

OF A BABY'S DEVELOPMENT.

Jennifer narrating: AT ST. JOSEPH, THEY PROVIDE FAMILY BEDS

SO THAT BOTH MOTHER AND FATHER

CAN STAY WITH THEIR BABY AFTER BIRTH.

SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR BABY

CLOSE TO YOU AT NIGHT IS THAT THEY LEARN

TO BREATHE REGULARLY BY BEING NEAR YOU.

THEIR HEART LEARNS TO BEAT REGULARLY

BY BEING NEXT TO YOU. IT'S CALLED ENTRAINMENT.

SOMETIMES BABIES FALL OUT OF SYNCHRONICITY.

SO WHEN THEY'RE WITH THEIR PARENTS

THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO REMIND THEM.

Jennifer narrating: AT ST. JOSEPH, THEY ALSO ENCOURAGE PARENTS

TO CO-SLEEP WITH THEIR BABIES AFTER BIRTH

AND TO CONTINUE THIS PRACTICE EVEN WHEN THEY GO HOME.

YOU'RE TOO BIG. YOU WILL SMOTHER THE INFANT.

BABIES ARE DYING.

BECAUSE THEY WERE PUT IN AN UNSAFE SLEEP ENVIRONMENT.

A NEW AD CAMPAIGN WILL HELP SAVE INFANT LIVES.

THE NEW CAMPAIGN TO CONVINCE PARENTS

TO PUT THEIR BABIES IN A CRIB.

WE THINK IT'S CLEAR.

WE DON'T THINK THAT THERE IS ANY DEBATE.

WE DON'T THINK THERE IS "SAFE" WAY

TO SHARE A BED WITH YOUR BABY.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY NOT TRUE

THAT CO-SLEEPING IS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS.

IF THAT WERE TRUE,

NONE OF US WOULD BE HERE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION.

Jennifer narrating: DR. JAMES McKENNA IS A PROFESSOR

OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME

AND IS THE WORLD'S LEADING AUTHORITY

ON MOTHER-INFANT CO-SLEEPING.

HE CONDUCTS HIS RESEARCH IN A SLEEP LAB IN THE DARK

USING ONLY INFRARED LIGHT.

THE FOOTAGE SHOWS THE LOVE AND AFFECTION

A BED-SHARING BABY RECEIVES AT NIGHT

THAT IS NOT AVAILABLE TO AN INFANT SLEEPING ALONE.

THE ONLY WAY BABIES HAVE SURVIVED

THROUGH THE MILLENNIA AND THROUGHOUT

OUR ENTIRE EVOLUTION IS BY VIRTUE

OF SLEEPING NEXT TO THEIR MOTHERS FOR BREASTFEEDING.

WE ARE A CULTURE THAT FOR ABOUT A 100 YEARS

HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT CO-SLEEPING WITH YOUR BABY

WAS ODD, UNUSUAL, AND STRANGE.

WE WERE AND ARE PERHAPS THE ONLY SOCIETY IN THE WORLD

FOR WHICH THOSE THOUGHTS WOULD BE ACCEPTABLE

OR EVEN CONSIDERED.

Chantal: THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL PUBLIC HEALTH CAMPAIGNS

THAT HAVE SHOWN PHOTOGRAPHS OF NEWBORN BABIES

WITH A BUTCHER KNIFE IN THE BED WITH THEM.

THEY ARE NOT LOOKING AT THE COMPETENCE OF BABIES.

SO WHAT THE MEDIA IS NOT NECESSARILY DISTINGUISHING

IS SAFE CO-SLEEPING CONTEXTS AND SITUATIONS FROM UNSAFE ONES.

YOU HAVE TO KEEP IN MIND THAT THE HUMAN INFANT IS BORN

NEUROLOGICALLY AND DEVELOPMENTALLY

TO ENGAGE IN A CO-SLEEPING ENVIRONMENT.

IN OTHER WORDS, THE BABY IS DESIGNED

TO SLEEP NEXT TO THE PARENT AND/OR THE MOTHER

AND PARTICULARLY A BREASTFEEDING MOTHER.

EVERY OTHER CULTURE KNOWS THAT THE CLOSER A MOTHER

AND BABY ARE AND THE MORE TIME THEY SPEND TOGETHER,

THE MORE BREASTFEEDING SUCCEEDS.

AND THE MORE BREASTFEEDING SUCCEEDS,

THE LESS LIKELY IT IS THAT A BABY WILL GET SICK,

THAT A BABY WILL DIE.

James: FOR BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS,

CO-SLEEPING NEXT TO YOUR BABY IS INCOMPARABLE.

THE CLOSER THE BABY TO THE MOTHER,

THE GREATER THE NUMBERS OF BREASTFEEDS,

AND THAT OF COURSE INCREASES MOTHER'S MILK SUPPLY

AND IT PERMITS MOTHER TO MANAGE THAT MILK

AND HER BABY AND HER SLEEP IN A MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE

AND/OR EFFICIENT WAY.

Chantal: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,

A BREASTFED BABY CAN SMELL WHERE THE FOOD IS,

THEY KNOW WHERE THE FOOD IS, AND THEY CAN NAVIGATE

IN THE DARK AND ACTUALLY LATCH THEMSELVES ON

WITHOUT EVEN WAKING THE MOTHER UP.

IT ACTUALLY CREATES A HIGH LEVEL OF COMPETENCE IN A NEWBORN BABY.

Jennifer narrating: MOTHERS AT ST. JOSEPH

WITH PREMATURE BABIES HAVE TREMENDOUS SUPPORT

FROM THE DOCTORS AND NURSES SO THEIR BABIES LEARN

TO BREASTFEED FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

Chris: WEIGHT WAS 980 GRAMS.

KATRIN CAME AND EXPLAINED TO ME, "MAY I TOUCH YOUR BREAST?"

AND, "THIS IS WHAT I'M DOING, TAKING THE VERY FIRST MILK,"

Chris: PUMPING IT FIRST AND THEN PUTTING IT IN A LITTLE SYRINGE,

AND SHE HAD A FEEDING TUBE THAT WENT IN THROUGH HER NOSE.

SO WE HAD TO FEED HER WITH A SYRINGE THROUGH HER NOSE.

AND THE NURSES CAME IN AND DID IT THE FIRST TIME

AND THEY SHOWED US HOW TO DO IT

AND HOW FAST TO PRESS THE PLUNGER

AND JUST DO IT GENTLY IN STAGES AND THIS AND THAT.

I REMEMBER HER LITTLE HEAD AND COMPARED TO MY BREASTS.

I THOUGHT, THAT'LL NEVER WORK.

BUT THEN, UM, KATRIN CAME OVER AND SAID,

"OH, NO PROBLEM ,THEY HAVE A FLEXIBLE JAW."

SHE OPENED HER MOUTH AND-- ( pops )

Jennifer narrating: THESE BABIES GAIN SUFFICIENT WEIGHT

BY NURSING AT THEIR OWN PACE.

AND THEY EVALUATE EACH BABY INDIVIDUALLY

BASED ON THEIR OWN UNIQUE SET OF NEEDS.

THEY HAVE SUCH A PROFOUND TRUST

IN A BABY'S ABILITY TO BREASTFEED

AND IN THE MOTHER'S ABILITY TO PROVIDE FOR HER BABY.

SINCE GOING BABY-FRIENDLY,

THE NUMBER OF WOMEN WHO HAVE CHOSEN TO GIVE BIRTH

AT ST. JOSEPH HAS INCREASED BY 110%.

I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK OF THE MANY MOTHERS

I HAVE WORKED WITH IN AMERICA

AND HOW DIFFERENT THEIR EXPERIENCES COULD HAVE BEEN

IF THEY HAD BEEN GIVEN THE SAME SUPPORT

THESE MOTHERS HAVE RECEIVED.

Wendy Slusser: A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, "WE DON'T WANT TO LAY GUILT

ON THESE WOMEN."

MY READ ON LITERATURE IS THAT THE WOMEN WHO CHOOSE

NOT TO BREASTFEED ARE MAKING A VERY CONSCIOUS CHOICE,

AND THEY DON'T FEEL GUILTY.

IT'S THE WOMEN WHO FAIL THEIR GOALS,

THEY'RE THE ONES WHO FEEL GUILTY.

AND THEY'RE FAILING NOT BECAUSE OF THEMSELVES.

THEY'RE FAILING BECAUSE OF PEOPLE OR INSTITUTIONS

LIKE HOSPITALS THAT DON'T SUPPORT THESE WOMEN.

Jennifer narrating: MANY WOMEN IN AMERICA ENTER THE HOSPITAL

WITH EVERY INTENTION TO BREASTFEED,

BUT OFTEN, IT'S NOT THAT SIMPLE.

WE ARE IN A SOCIETY THAT SPENDS A LOT OF TIME

DOING THE OPPOSITE OF EMPOWERING WOMEN.

I THINK WOMEN IN MY OPINION GO INTO HOSPITALS

FEELING LIKE THEY CAN'T DO THIS BY THEMSELVES.

THIS IS A PROCESS THAT SOMEBODY ELSE

IS IN CHARGE OF THAT IS DONE ON A DOCTOR'S CLOCK.

AND I THINK THAT NURSING IS VERY MUCH THE SAME THING.

I THINK THAT THEY HAVE THEIR CONFIDENCE RUINED

BY PEOPLE SAYING, "OH, YOU'RE GOING TO NURSE?

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT," PERPETUATING THIS CYCLE

OF PEOPLE DOUBTING THEMSELVES.

THE NURSES BROUGHT THE BABIES.

THE ASSUMPTION WAS THAT I WAS TO BREASTFEED.

I HAD A PUMP IN MY ROOM,

AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO PUMP EVERY 15 MINUTES.

AND SOMEONE SHOWED ME HOW TO USE THE DEVICE,

AND I'VE NEVER-- JUST ONCE,

AND IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS VERY FOREIGN TO ME.

I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

Suzanne: WE ASKED TO SEE THE LACTATION CONSULTANT,

BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS A WEEKEND,

AND THEY WEREN'T AVAILABLE UNTIL THE NEXT DAY

AND THAT WE WOULD BE LOW A PRIORITY LIST

BECAUSE WE WERE NURSING WELL, AND I SAID TO THE NURSES,

"I DON'T THINK HE'S NURSING WELL.

HE KEEPS TRYING TO LATCH,

AND HE IMMEDIATELY PULLS OFF AND JUST SCREAMS."

I WASN'T FEELING VERY SUPPORTED

BY THE LACTATION STAFF AT THE HOSPITAL.

I WAS ABLE TO START TRYING WITH THE BREASTFEEDING

WHEN HE WAS CLOSER TO COMING HOME, I WOULD SAY.

SO HE WAS IN THE NICU FOR TEN WEEKS.

MAYBE AROUND THE FIVE- OR SIX-WEEK MARK

IS WHEN WE GOT TO THAT POINT.

IT WAS, YOU KNOW, ABOUT MIDNIGHT,

AND THE NURSE CAME IN AND JUST SAID,

"YOU JUST SQUEEZE YOUR BOOB TOGETHER LIKE THIS,

AND YOU PUT THE BABY ON."

AND SO I TRIED THAT, AND I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW

IF I WAS DOING IT RIGHT.

IT DIDN'T FEEL OKAY, AND WITHIN A FEW HOURS,

I WAS BLEEDING A LOT FROM MY NIPPLES,

AND IT WAS SUPER PAINFUL.

Jennifer narrating: WHEN WOMEN COME HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL,

THEY OFTEN STRUGGLE EVEN MORE.

WHEN YOU COME HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL WITH A NEW BABY,

IT'S-- EVERY SINGLE THING IS NEW.

YOUR ENTIRE LIFE HAS TURNED UPSIDE DOWN,

AND FOR ME TO HAVE MULTIPLE CHALLENGES WITH BREASTFEEDING

ON TOP OF JUST ADJUSTING TO NEW MOTHERHOOD

WAS JUST OVERWHELMING TO ME.

HE WASN'T GAINING WEIGHT AS FAST AS HE WAS EXPECTED TO,

AND THAT JUST MEANT MORE BREAST MILK,

AND THEN THAT MEANT MORE FEAR AND STRESS AND ANXIETY

ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT I WAS GONNA BE ABLE TO DO THIS.

A WOMAN IS VERY VULNERABLE AT THIS TIME IN HER LIFE.

AND THE SLIGHTEST WORD SUCH AS "YOU HAVE FLAT NIPPLES,"

THAT IN A WOMAN'S MIND COULD STOP HER

RIGHT FROM THE GET-GO THINKING THAT,

OH, I DON'T HAVE WHAT IT TAKES.

Amelia: ABOUT SIX MONTHS INTO NURSING,

AND, YOU KNOW, I HAD NO SUPPLY PROBLEMS AT ALL.

MY SON WAS THRIVING, WAS GAINING WEIGHT LIKE A CHAMPION.

AND IT TOOK ONE COMMENT FROM A FAMILY MEMBER

QUESTIONING HOW LONG MY SUPPLY WOULD LAST,

FOR MY SUPPLY TO ACTUALLY DIP.

IT WAS WITHIN TWO DAYS OF SOMEONE INSTILLING

ONE LITTLE SEED OF DOUBT IN MY MIND.

I THINK AFTER ABOUT A WEEK OF BEING HOME, I STARTED REAL--

OR MAYBE A FEW DAYS, I STARTED REALLY STRESSING OUT

THAT THIS BREASTFEEDING THING WASN'T WORKING.

SO I DECIDED TO GO TO MY LOCAL BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT CENTER,

AND THE LACTATION CONSULTANT THERE SAID

THAT SHE DOESN'T KNOW IF MY MILK WILL EVER COME IN.

AND SHE-- I MEAN, IT WAS VERY TRAUMATIC FOR ME.

SHE LIFTED MY BOOBS UP WITH KIND OF DISGUST LIKE THIS

AND SAID, "HMM, I DON'T THINK YOUR MILK'S GOING TO COME IN.

I DON'T KNOW IF IT WILL EVER WILL."

I WAS DEVASTATED, AND I THINK LIKE I CAME HOME

AND CRIED AND CRIED, AND, UM...

THEN I TALKED TO MY FRIEND MEGAN

WHO SAID THAT I SHOULD CALL JENNIFER.

SHE CAME OVER, AND IT WAS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

SHE WAS SO ENCOURAGING.

SHE BROUGHT THE LITTLE THING, THE TUBE THING

THAT YOU STICK ONTO THE NIPPLE

THE FEELS LIKE THE BABY'S BREASTFEEDING.

IT JUST WAS-- REALLY MADE THE DIFFERENCE

AND I JUST LIKE-- WHEN I THINK ABOUT THAT,

LIKE, I FEEL IF I HAD JENNIFER FROM THE BEGINNING,

IT WOULD'VE BEEN TOTALLY DIFFERENT, SO...

I THINK WOMEN ARE SURROUNDED BY A LOT MORE PEOPLE

WHO ARE READY TO HELP THEM FAIL

AND ALLOW THEM TO FAIL THAN TO HELP THEM SUCCEED.

Jennifer narrating: I ORIGINALLY CAME TO ST. JOSEPH

TO SEE THE EFFECTS OF SKIN-TO-SKIN AND KANGAROO CARE.

BUT I HAVE COME AWAY FROM THIS EXPERIENCE

WITH SOMETHING MUCH MORE PROFOUND.

IT IS NOT JUST ABOUT THE HOSPITAL'S POLICIES,

IT'S ABOUT TRUSTING THE BOND BETWEEN MOTHER AND CHILD.

THE BERLIN WALL, A SYMBOL OF A COUNTRY DIVIDED,

MOTHERS, FATHERS, BROTHERS AND SISTERS,

FAMILIES TORN APART.

IN THE UNITED STATES,

ARE WE CREATING AN INVINCIBLE WALL OF OUR OWN

BETWEEN MOTHERS AND THEIR BABIES?

WE KNEW THAT SWEDEN HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST BREASTFEEDING RATES.

SO WE FIGURED WE ARE CLOSE ENOUGH.

I CAN TELL YOU THAT WE'VE ALREADY SEEN

WOMEN BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC ALL OVER THE PLACE.

Scott Montgomery: HISTORICALLY, SWEDEN, IF YOU GO BACK TO '60s,

FROM COUNTRIES OUTSIDE SWEDEN, IT WAS SEEN

AS A VERY ADVANCED COUNTRY

WHERE YOU WOULD SEE MORE NUDITY.

IT ISN'T AS SHOCKING TO SEE A WOMAN BREASTFEEDING HERE.

WE DON'T HAVE THIS SHYNESS ABOUT THE BREAST.

A CHILD WHO IS BREASTFEEDING, IS A VERY NICE THING TO SEE.

( woman speaking Swedish )

Scott: WHEN I FIRST CAME TO SWEDEN I WAS SURPRISED

BY THE RATES OF BREASTFEEDING HERE

BECAUSE THEY ARE STRIKINGLY HIGH.

WHEN I GIVE BIRTH TO MY SON NICHOLAS,

THAT IS ALMOST SEVEN YEARS AGO, EVERYBODY TOLD ME,

"OH, YOU HAVE TO BREASTFEED," AND THAT WAS THE MAIN THING.

BUT THEN I REALIZED THAT IT'S NOT THAT EASY.

I HAD MY MOTHER TO ASK, AND WE ARE FIVE KIDS

AND SHE HAS BEEN BREASTFEEDING FOR LIKE A DECADE.

( laughs )

SO SHE OF COURSE KNEW HOW TO TEACH AND HOW TO DO IT.

( speaking Swedish )

IN SWEDEN WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE BECAUSE WE CAN STAY AT HOME

WITH OUR KIDS FOR SUCH LONG TIME COMPARED TO OTHER COUNTRIES.

AND THAT OF COURSE MAKES IT EASIER TO BREASTFEED, TOO.

THEY KNOW THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SAVE MONEY

IF THEY ENCOURAGE BREASTFEEDING

IN THE FIRST SIX TO 24 MONTHS OF LIFE.

YOU CAN COMPARE, FOR EXAMPLE, VARIOUS SOCIETIES

THAT INVEST IN THE INFANCY,

IN THE MOTHER/CHILD RELATIONSHIP

BY JUST GIVING TIME OFF FROM WORK, FOR EXAMPLE,

OR HAVING MATERNITY LEAVE BE SOMETHING

THAT EVERYBODY ACCEPTS IF THEY SO WISH TO TAKE IT.

THESE THINGS ENABLE THE CULTURE TO HAVE MORE STABILITY.

( Britt-Mari speaking )

Jennifer narrating: IN SWEDEN,

A MAN WHO GOES BACK TO WORK RATHER THAN TAKE

HIS PAID LEAVE IS NOT WELL-REGARDED IN HIS COMPANY.

( Britt-Mari speaking )

THERE WAS SOME PRESSURE FOR WOMEN

TO GO BACK TO WORK EARLIER AT ONE STAGE,

A SUGGESTION IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR WOMEN

NOT TO TAKE SO MUCH TIME OFF WORK,

AND THE SUGGESTION WAS THEY COULD BREASTFEED

USING EITHER EXPRESS MILK OR FORMULA.

THE RISK IS IF YOU'RE REMOVING THAT TIME THAT MOTHER AND BABY

SPEND TOGETHER EVEN IF THEY'RE USING EXPRESSED MILK,

THE BABY ISN'T HAVING

THAT CLOSE PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH THE MOTHER.

Jennifer narrating: PROFESSOR SCOTT MONTGOMERY

IS THE LEADING EPIDEMIOLOGY RESEARCHER

AT THE KAROLINSKA INSTITUTE IN SWEDEN.

HE STUDIES THE EFFECTS SKIN-TO-SKIN HAS ON IMMUNITY,

OBESITY, AND DISEASE PROCESSES LATER IN LIFE.

WE KNOW FROM ANIMAL STUDIES THAT RAT PUPS, FOR EXAMPLE,

WHO DON'T HAVE PHYSICAL CONTACT IN THE FIRST DAYS OF THEIR LIFE

WITH THE MOTHER RAT,

THEY TEND TO DEVELOP POORER CONTROL OF THE STRESS RESPONSE.

THE STIMULATION OF SKIN-TO-SKIN CONTACT FOR THEM

SEEMS TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

AND WE SUSPECT THE SAME THING IS TRUE FOR HUMANS.

BREASTFEEDING IS AN IMPORTANT TIME

OF PHYSICAL CONTACT BETWEEN MOTHER AND BABY.

Jennifer narrating: THE SUPPORT THAT MOTHERS

AND FATHERS ENJOY HERE IN SWEDEN IS INCREDIBLE.

IMAGINE THE DIFFERENCES THESE PRO-FAMILY POLICIES

WOULD MAKE IN AMERICA.

THEY ENCOURAGE BED-SHARING.

THEY ENCOURAGE BREASTFEEDING IN PUBLIC.

EVERY MOM GETS EDUCATIONAL PRENATALLY

ABOUT BREASTFEEDING,

AND THEN THEY HAVE TOTAL SUPPORT.

( Britt-Mari speaking )

( speaking Swedish )

( Britt-Mari speaking )

IN THE HOSPITAL, I WAS OFFERED FORMULA.

I WAS OFFERED THE LUXURY OF BEING ABLE

TO GIVE MY BABY OVER TO THE NURSES

AND HAVE HER TAKEN TO THE NURSERY AND, YOU KNOW--

SO THAT I COULD SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT,

AND THEY WOULD GIVE HER, OBVIOUSLY, FORMULA.

WHEN I SAID, "BUT ISN'T SO MUCH BETTER JUST TO BREASTFEED?"

LIKE, "LOTS OF PEOPLE USE FORMULA, IT'S FINE.

THAT'S FINE IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT, YOU CAN DO THAT."

IF YOU WANT TO BREASTFEED, WE HAVE A PUMP.

WE HAVE A LACTATION CONSULTANT." SO I TRIED TO BREASTFEED.

AT SOME POINT, I STARTED FREAKING OUT.

I WAS TOTALLY SCARED THAT THEY WERE STARVING TO DEATH.

THEY'RE GOING TO STARVE. SO I GAVE IN TO FORMULA.

AND IT WAS DISGUSTING. BUT THEY DRANK IT.

AND THE NIPPLE WAS REALLY EASY TO SUCK

BECAUSE IT CAME OUT REALLY FAST.

AND SO-- BUT THERE WAS--

EVEN THOUGH I WAS DISGUSTED, THERE'S A SIGH OF RELIEF

THAT THEY WERE-- I FELT LIKE THEY WERE AT LEAST BEING FED.

IT WAS THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, AND THE NURSE,

I WAS CALLING FOR HELP BECAUSE MY BREASTS WERE BLEEDING

AND MY NIPPLES WERE REALLY, REALLY SORE.

IT SEEMED LIKE SHE WAS FRUSTRATED

THAT I NEEDED ATTENTION

THAT SHE WASN'T ABLE TO DEVOTE TO ME,

AND SHE JUST SAID, "IT'S PROBABLY TIME

FOR YOU TO JUST GIVE HIM FORMULA."

Chantal: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE FOUND IN SWEDEN

WAS THAT SWEDEN VALUES THE HEALTH

OF THEIR CITIZENS OVER BUSINESSES.

Jennifer narrating: IN SWEDEN, YOU NEVER RECEIVE FREE FORMULA

AT THE HOSPITAL, AND AS NEW PARENTS,

YOU NEVER RECEIVE FREE GIFTS IN THE MAIL.

THE REASON THAT FORMULA IS NOT BEING MARKETED IN SWEDEN

THE SAME WAY IT IS IN THE UNITED STATES

IS BECAUSE THEY FOLLOW AN INTERNATIONAL CODE

WHICH WAS WRITTEN BY THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IN 1981.

IT SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT FORMULA COMPANIES

SHOULD NOT ADVERTISE OR GIVE ANY GIFTS OF FORMULA

TO PREGNANT WOMEN OR MOTHERS WITH INFANTS

UNDER THE AGE OF SIX MONTHS.

MANY COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD

FOLLOW THE GUIDELINES OF THE WHO CODE.

THE UNITED STATES IS ONE OF ONLY SIX COUNTRIES

THAT DOES NOT FOLLOW THE CODE.

IN FACT, WE SHAMELESSLY VIOLATE IT.

IN SWEDEN, I CAME TO MY GROCERY,

AND THERE WAS A FULL SHELF WITH A LONG THING

SAYING IN SWEDISH AND ENGLISH FOR THE NEXT X MONTHS

THIS COMPANY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED

TO SELL ITS PRODUCTS HERE

BECAUSE IT WAS NOT RESPECTING THE CODE.

Jennifer narrating: I WENT TO A MARKET IN STOCKHOLM

AND FOUND THE ONLY FORMULA FOR INFANTS

UNDER SIX MONTHS OF AGE WAS WAY DOWN ON THE BOTTOM SHELF.

LOOK AT THIS WHOLE THING.

THIS IS ALL THERE IS ON THIS SHELF,

THIS LITTLE TINY BIT OF FORMULA, GUYS.

Jennifer narrating: I ASKED THE STORE MANAGER AND THE CLERK,

AND BOTH SAID THAT THEY HARDLY SELL ANY.

WOMEN LEAVE THE HOSPITAL, THEY GET FORMULA IN THEIR HANDS,

THEY TAKE IT HOME. THEY STRUGGLE.

IT'S THE FIRST THING THEY TURN TO.

IF FORMULA HAS TO BE IN A HOSPITAL

FOR THOSE RARE OCCASIONS WHEN IT'S ACTUALLY NEEDED,

THEN IT SHOULDN'T HAVE A LABEL ON IT.

WHY ARE THEY PROMOTING A COMPANY?

WHY IS A HOSPITAL PROMOTING A COMPANY'S PRODUCTS?

THIS IS NOT APPROPRIATE.

THE BABIES ARE IN A LITTLE BIN, AND UNDER THE BIN ARE TWO TRAYS,

AND IT'S FILLED WITH SUPPLIES.

I LEFT WITH, YOU KNOW, A CAR LOAD OF SUPPLIES

AND TONS OF FORMULA.

IT WASN'T A GOOD FEELING GOING HOME WITH ALL OF THOSE SAMPLES.

IT FELT LIKE I FAILED BECAUSE...

I NEEDED... STUFF

TO DO SOMETHING THAT WAS JUST SUPPOSED TO BE NATURAL.

I ACTUALLY HAD A NUMBER OF FORMULA COMPANIES,

JUST, YOU KNOW, SEND BOXES OF SAMPLES OVER.

AND THE FRUSTRATION I PERSONALLY HAVE IS THAT,

YOU KNOW, I SORT OF HAVE BECOME LIKE THE DE FACTO SPOKESPERSON

OF THE FORMULA-FEEDING COMMUNITY.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO TALK TO THE FORMULA COMPANIES

AND TELL THEM, LIKE, "STOP DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING."

THEY DO THINGS LIKE,

"THIS IS OUR BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT LINE," YOU KNOW,

"CALL IF YOU'RE HAVING PROBLEMS" OR PUTTING ADS ON,

YOU KNOW, BREASTFEEDING ARTICLES.

Nushin: HAVING IT AT HOSPITALS,

I THINK IT GIVES IT A CERTAIN CREDIBILITY.

THE DOCTORS ARE VALIDATING THESE FORMULAS.

ONE TIME I ASKED ONE OF THE NURSES

IF I COULD SEE THE NOTEPAD.

AND SO I STARTED FLIPPING THROUGH IT AND IT SAID

"WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE TO THE HOSPITAL WITH YOU

WHEN YOU'RE DELIVERING, WHAT YOU NEED

TO TAKE HOME WITH YOU, WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE."

AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHECKLIST,

THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING-- THERE WAS A FORMULA BRAND.

ALREADY THEY WERE TRYING TO INSTILL THIS.

THEY WERE TRYING TO GET YOU TO START THINKING ABOUT IT

AND VALIDATING IT.

Jennifer narrating: IF SWEDEN CAN ENFORCE THE WHO CODE

AND IT'S WORKING,

WHY AREN'T WE DOING THIS IN THE UNITED STATES?

Chantal: THE FORMULA COMPANIES HAVE CREATED A HUGE INSECURITY

FOR MOMS THAT MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE

THEY CAN'T FEED THEIR OWN BABIES.

AND IT'S SO OFTEN VERY SUBTLE

THAT WHEN WE LOOK AT HOW A MOM IS HOLDING THE BABY,

THE BABY'S TUMMY UP,

AND WHEN I WAS A POSTPARTUM NURSE,

THE MOMS WOULD OFTEN BE VERY SHOCKED

WHEN I WOULD TURN THE BABY IN TOWARDS THEIR TUMMY

BECAUSE YOU CAN'T BREASTFEED A BABY WITH ITS TUMMY UP.

THAT'S A FORMULA-FEEDING POSITION.

Jay: WHAT THEY'VE FOUND IS THAT IF THEY PAY LIP SERVICE

TO SUPPORTING BREASTFEEDING,

THEY CAN SNEAK IN THE BACKDOOR AND GET MORE FORMULA SOLD.

Chantal: THERE'S A PICTURE OF A MOM BOTTLE-FEEDING,

AND SHE'S GORGEOUS.

SHE HAS WHITE TEETH, AND YOU SEE HER WEDDING BAND,

AND THE BABY'S SMILING. YOU SEE THE BABY'S FACE.

AND THE ARTICLE ABOUT BREASTFEEDING

HAS THE BABY KIND OF TURNED AWAY

AND MAYBE THE MOM'S LOOKING AT THE FOOT,

AND EVERYTHING'S KIND OF BLURRY,

YOU DON'T SEE HER WEDDING RING AND MAYBE HER TEETH

AREN'T QUITE AS WHITE,

AND SO YOUR BRAIN SORT OF REGISTERS,

OH, BREASTFEEDING LOOKS A LITTLE HARD.

THIS IS NOT IN THE COGNITIVE BRAIN AT ALL.

THIS IS IN THE RIGHT BRAIN,

AND IT'S GOING STRAIGHT TO YOUR HEART.

Announcer: NEWBORNS ARE DIFFERENT.

NEWBORNS GROW AT LEAST A QUARTER INCH A WEEK

DURING THE FIRST MONTH OF LIFE.

VITAMIN D IS A KEY TO THIS GROWTH.

NEW ENFAMIL PREMIUM NEWBORN HAS 25% MORE VITAMIN D

INTENDED TO HELP MEET THE EXTRA RECOMMENDED DAILY INTAKE.

Announcer #2: BABY FORMULA--

IT'S ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHOICES YOU MAKE AS A PARENT.

THERE ARE SO MANY COMPONENTS IN HUMAN MILK

THAT HAVEN'T EVEN YET BEEN IDENTIFIED.

SO THERE'S NO WAY THAT THEY COULD BE PUT INTO FORMULA.

IN ADDITION TO THAT,

WHEN YOU PLACE AN ARTIFICIAL COMPONENT IN,

WHAT WE KNOW IS THAT THE HUMAN BODY

DOES NOT UTILIZE IT IN THE SAME WAY.

FORMULAS ARE DEAD.

THEY DON'T HAVE LIVE TISSUE IN THEM.

BREAST MILK IS A LIVE TISSUE.

IN FACT, SOME RESEARCHERS REFER TO IT

AS WHITE BLOOD BECAUSE IT TENDS TO HAVE

VIRTUALLY THE SAME COMPONENTS IN IT THAT A MOTHER'S BLOOD HAS.

SOME OF THOSE ARE BEING ADDED TO FORMULAS NOW,

BUT THEY'RE ARTIFICIAL COMPONENTS.

THEY DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TO PUT INTO A GIVEN FORMULA,

WHEREAS WITH THE BREAST MILK,

THE BABY HAS EXACTLY WHAT HE NEEDS TO MEET

HIS EXQUISITELY UNIQUE GENETIC PROFILE.

Samantha: THEY ENCOURAGED ME TO STICK WITH THE FORMULA,

PARTICULARLY BECAUSE HE ENDED UP LOSING

TOO MUCH WEIGHT AND THERE WAS CONCERN

THAT HE WASN'T GETTING ENOUGH, SO I HAD TO GIVE THE FORMULA

TO GET EVERYONE TO SHUT UP.

THEY ENCOURAGE YOU TO SUPPLEMENT ONE BOTTLE A DAY

SO THEY WILL CONTINUE TO MAINTAIN THEIR WEIGHT,

AND THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THEM GETTING ENOUGH CALCIUM.

I FEEL IT'S THEIR PREFERENCE TO...

BOTTLE-FEED THE BABY MORE SO

BECAUSE THEY KNOW HOW MUCH THE BABY IS GETTING PER DAY

IN CALORIES THAT THEY HAVE MORE CONTROL OVER IT.

BABIES WHO ARE GETTING MORE JAUNDICED

SHOULD BE LOOKED AT CLOSELY.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE SUPPLEMENTED WITH FORMULA.

BABIES WHOSE MOMS HAVE SORE NIPPLES

OR BABIES WHO ARE GAINING WEIGHT SLOWLY

DON'T NEED SUPPLEMENTATION.

THEY NEED EXTRA CARE.

IF YOU CAN CONVINCE PARENTS

THAT THEIR BABIES ARE GROWING TOO SLOWLY,

YOU CAN GET THEM TO SUPPLEMENT WITH FORMULA.

GROWTH CHARTS HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR AS LONG

AS I'VE BEEN IN PEDIATRICS AND AS LONG AS I'VE SEEN THEM,

THEY'VE BEEN MISUSED.

THEY'RE PRINTED FOR FREE BY THE FORMULA MANUFACTURERS.

THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THESE COMPANIES MAKE

IS DEVOTED TO MARKETING, PEOPLE SITTING IN BOARDROOMS

DECIDING HOW THEY'RE GONNA SHUT DOWN YOUR MILK SUPPLY.

THEY DON'T WANT YOU TO SUPPLY MILK BECAUSE IF YOU SUPPLY MILK,

YOU WON'T BUY THEIR PRODUCT.

SO THEY SHUT DOWN HER MANUFACTURING PLANT,

ONE AND TWO-- FINISHED. THAT'S THEIR FIRST PRIORITY.

THERE'S NO PROFIT TO BE HAD

IN SUPPORTING BREASTFEEDING, PERIOD.

FORMULA COMPANIES, ALL OF THEM, GIVE MEDICAL SCHOOLS,

UNIVERSITIES, THE AMERICAN ACADEMY

OF PEDIATRICS, TONS OF MONEY.

THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE OF PEDIATRIC CARE IN AMERICA

HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY FORMULA-COMPANY MONEY.

THEY HAVE MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO SPEND

SUPPORTING OUR CONFERENCES AND TO BUY US DINNERS

AND TO FLY SPEAKERS IN AND OUT ON LEGALIZED BRIBERY.

THEY MAKE SURE THEY ARE WELL TAKEN CARE OF.

Jessica: THEY LOBBY HEAVILY IN THE GOVERNMENT.

THEY TALK TO THE POLITICIANS.

THE USDA IS THE ONE WHO RECOMMENDS

WHETHER OR NOT WIC WILL GET FORMULA MONEY.

WHAT ABOUT THE DAIRY COUNCIL?

THEY'RE ALL MAKING MONEY FROM IT.

ONE OF THE REASONS WE ACTUALLY HAVE NURSERIES

SEPARATE FROM THE MOTHERS IN A HOSPITAL,

FORMULA COMPANIES WOULD ACTUALLY GIVE FREE

ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES AND THEY DESIGNED IT

SO THAT IT WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT

TO SUPPORT BREASTFEEDING.

THEY DID THAT ON PURPOSE.

THEY DID THAT TO CREATE A NEED FOR THEIR PRODUCT.

WE HAVE A LOT MORE BABIES WITH ALLERGIES.

THERE ARE CHRONIC ILLNESSES WHICH ARE ON THE UPSWING,

INCLUDING EVERYTHING FROM ARTHRITIS

TO DIABETES TO OBESITY.

LET'S NOT MENTION THE FACT THAT IT MIGHT DESTROY

YOUR KIDS' IMMUNE SYSTEM BECAUSE THERE'S ANOTHER

FOR-PROFIT INDUSTRY LATER THAT CAN BENEFIT FROM THAT.

IF YOU LOOK AT A CAN OF FORMULA AND YOU LOOK AT THE INGREDIENTS,

YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THE HIGHEST INGREDIENTS

IS HIGH-FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.

THEY USE PALM OIL AND OTHER INGREDIENTS

THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN PROVEN BEYOND A DOUBT TO BE SAFE.

Jay: 50, 60, 70% OF OUR KIDS ARE OVERWEIGHT.

THE JURY IS COMING IN SHOWING US

THAT THIS IS DETRIMENTAL BIOPHYSICALLY,

THIS IS DETRIMENTAL EMOTIONALLY.

WE'RE SEEING 10-YEAR-OLD KIDS WITH ADULT-ONSET DIABETES

AND THE REASON IS THAT WE'RE TEACHING THEM

TO EAT TOO MUCH EARLY ON,

AND THEN WE'RE CONTINUING THIS PATTERN.

WE'RE STARTING TO SEE PHYSICAL PROBLEMS

TWO AND THREE GENERATIONS IN TO BOTTLE-FEEDING FAMILIES.

Chantal: FORMULA-FEEDING IS THE LONGEST LASTING

UNCONTROLLED EXPERIMENT

LACKING CONSENT IN THE HISTORY OF MEDICINE.

Reporter: FOX 6 REVIEWED

ALL THE MEDICAL EXAMINER REPORTS

IN WHICH BABIES DIED IN THE BED WITH AN ADULT

IN 2009 AND SO FAR THIS YEAR.

ONE FACTOR WAS EVIDENT IN EVERY SINGLE CASE.

WHICH DO YOU THINK IT WAS-- THE ADULT HAD BEEN DRINKING,

THERE WERE OTHER CHILDREN IN THE BED,

THE BABY WAS FORMULA-FED,

OR THE ADULT AND BABY WERE SLEEPING ON A SOFA?

ALL THE BABIES WERE FORMULA-FED.

Jay: FORMULA-FED BABIES WILL SLEEP LONGER

BECAUSE THEIR STOMACHS STAY FULL.

FORMULA EMPTIES FROM YOUR STOMACH INCREDIBLY SLOWLY.

IT'S LIKE HAVING A ROCK IN YOUR STOMACH.

BABIES ARE SUPPOSED TO WAKE UP, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO TOUCH BASE,

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO EAT AND GET AN ELEVATED BLOOD SUGAR,

THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE SYNCHRONIZED

TO A MOTHER'S HEARTBEAT AND A MOTHER'S RESPIRATORY PATTERN.

James: THERE IS A WHOLE BEHAVIORAL

AND PHYSICAL RECONNECTION BETWEEN THE MOTHER AND A BABY

WHEN BREASTFEEDINGS OCCUR THAT JUST DOES NOT SHOW UP

WHEN THE MOTHER AND BABY ARE BOTTLE-FEEDING.

Jennifer narrating: WHAT WOULD PARENTS DO

IF THEY FOUND OUT THAT IN AMERICA,

TWICE AS MANY BABIES DIE WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF LIFE

THAN IN SWEDEN?

WHY IS THE U.S. ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN?

I DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO GO HOME

AND HELP TRANSFORM AMERICA.

Woman: THANK YOU FOR CALLING ABBOTT NUTRITION.

Man: THANK YOU FOR CALLING NESTLE NUTRITION.

( overlapping distorted voices )

( telephone line ring )

Woman #2: WE ARE PROUD THAT ENFAMIL IS THE NUMBER-ONE

INFANT FORMULA BRAND RECOMMENDED BY PEDIATRICIANS.

YES, HI, MY NAME IS JENNIFER DAVIDSON.

I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE,

HEAD OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

I'M DOING A DOCUMENTARY ON BREASTFEEDING IN AMERICA.

Woman on phone: OKAY, UM...

DO YOU MIND SENDING ME AN EMAIL WITH YOUR REQUEST

SO I CAN RELAY IT TO THE APPROPRIATE PERSON?

YES, WHO WOULD THAT APPROPRIATE PERSON BE?

Woman on phone: YOU CAN SEND IT TO MY EMAIL,

AND I'LL GET IT TO THE RIGHT PERSON.

THE SOPHISTICATED PSYCHOLOGICAL WARFARE

THAT THEY ACTUALLY WAGE ON A MOTHER IS NON-STOP.

IT'S CONSTANT, AND AS I SAY, THAT'S THEIR JOB.

YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO EXPECT THAT

BUT HELP PROTECT MOTHERS FROM IT.

WE NEED CONSUMERS TO BE SPEAKING TO THESE PEOPLE

AND SAYING, "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH,"

AND "WE ARE YOUR CUSTOMER BASE."

BECAUSE MAYBE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LISTEN

IF IT'S NOT AFFECTING THEIR BOTTOM LINE.

BUT WE ARE THEIR BOTTOM LINE AND THEY NEED TO HEAR, YOU KNOW,

WE WANT BETTER QUALITY INGREDIENTS.

WE WANT THIS OPTION, THAT OPTION, WE WANT NO GMO.

THERE'S SO MUCH INFORMATION OUT THERE.

THERE IS THE OTHER SIDE.

IT'S JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, COMMERCIALLY SPONSORED.

SO IT'S NOT AS WIDELY AVAILABLE.

IT'S NOT AS SLICK A LOT OF TIMES.

YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT AS PACKAGED AND PUT IN FRONT OF YOU.

THERE'S A BIGGER PICTURE THAN WHAT WE SEE IN THE MEDIA.

SO IN THE END, IT'S UP TO US TO BE ABLE

TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN A GOOD MARKETING CAMPAIGN

AND THE ABILITY TO TRUST OUR INSTINCTS.

Jennifer narrating: WE NEED TO HELP WOMEN TO SUCCEED,

AND ONE WAY OF DOING THIS IS TO CHANGE THE LAWS

AND ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES

TO IMPLEMENT FAMILY-FRIENDLY POLICIES.

I THINK THAT IT NEEDS TO BE INSTITUTIONALIZED SOMEHOW

THAT MOMS GET SUPPORT, YOU KNOW,

THAT IT'S NOT JUST THREE WEEKS OFF

AND GET BACK TO WORK.

IF WE HAD A MONTH OF PAID LEAVE FOR FATHERS

AND SIX MONTHS FOR MOTHERS,

THAT WOULD BE ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE

COMPARED TO WHAT WE DO HAVE.

THERE ARE ADVANTAGES TO SUPPORTING

AN EMPLOYED MOTHER TO BREASTFEED,

WHICH INCLUDES INCREASED RETENTION, PRODUCTIVITY,

AS WELL AS REDUCED HEALTHCARE COSTS AND ABSENTEEISM.

WE'RE HERE TO SUPPORT HOWEVER YOU CHOOSE TO FEED YOUR BABY.

BUT IF YOU'VE GOT EIGHT OUT OF TEN MOMS DISCHARGED

IN LOS ANGELES THAT ARE CHOOSING TO BREASTFEED,

YOU'D BETTER BE READY TO SUPPORT THOSE WOMEN.

Jennifer narrating: AND AS WOMEN,

WE NEED TO SUPPORT EACH OTHER.

MY MAIN INTENTION WOULD ALWAYS BE

TO SUPPORT SOMEONE FROM THEIR B TO THEIR C.

SO IF, YOU KNOW, BREASTFEEDING IS IN THEIR WHEELHOUSE

AND THEY'RE UP FOR THE CONVERSATION

I'D SAY GO FOR IT, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN DO IT.

BUT IF IT'S REALLY A DISTANT CONVERSATION,

THEN I JUST WANT TO SUPPORT THEM TO GET TO THEIR NEXT PLACE.

IT'S VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE SOMEONE WHO CAN MOVE YOUR ELBOW

A LITTLE BIT, GIVE YOU REASSURANCE,

SUPPLY WHAT OTHERWISE MIGHT HAVE BEEN SUPPLIED

BY CULTURAL SUPPORT AND BY THE FACT

THAT EVERYBODY AROUND YOU IS BREASTFEEDING.

TANZANIA, MY COUNTRY, HAS MANY TRIBES.

ONE OF THE TRIBES, THE SHAMBALA PEOPLE,

WHICH IS MY TRIBE, WHEN THE WOMEN HAVE BABIES,

THEY STAY INDOORS, TAKEN CARE OF,

PAMPERED FOR 30 DAYS.

MOTHERS SHOULD STICK TOGETHER.

IF YOU HAVE THAT SUPPORT FROM OTHER WOMEN

AND FROM THE HUSBANDS AS WELL,

THAT THIS IS THE BEST THING FOR OUR YOUNG TO BREASTFEED.

COMMUNITY, REALLY, IS WHAT WE NEED.

BECAUSE I'M A SINGLE MOM, I DIDN'T HAVE--

I DIDN'T HAVE SUPPORT FROM A HUSBAND OR A PARTNER.

BUT I HAD ENORMOUS SUPPORT FROM MY FRIENDS,

AND WE FORMED A MOMMY GROUP

THAT IS STILL GOING STRONG TO THIS DAY.

Jennifer narrating: ONE REALLY BEAUTIFUL WAY FOR MOTHERS

TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER IS MOTHER-TO-MOTHER MILK SHARING.

BABIES WHO REALLY NEED MILK SHOULD HAVE BANKED MILK.

AND THIS SHOULD BECOME MORE OF A PRODUCT

WHICH IS MUCH MORE EASILY ACCESSIBLE.

I FOUND THIS WEBSITE CALLED MILKSHARES,

AND THEY MATCH MOTHERS WHO HAVE TOO MUCH MILK

WITH MOTHERS WHO DON'T HAVE ANY MILK OR NEED MILK

AND SO I FOUND THIS WONDERFUL WOMAN

WHO JUST HAD A WHOLE FREEZER FULL OF MILK.

SO I SUPPLEMENTED MY TWINS WITH HER BREAST MILK

UNTIL THEY WERE ABOUT ALMOST 11 MONTHS OLD.

AND SO I REALLY WAS ABLE TO STAY OFF THE FORMULA.

MY TAKEAWAY FROM DONATING MILK TO ANOTHER FAMILY WAS AMAZING.

IT MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS HELPING OTHER FAMILY,

LIKE I WAS BEING PART OF THE VILLAGE

THAT EVERYBODY WANTS WHEN THEY HAVE A KID.

IT OPENS A DOOR FOR YOU TO HAVE A CONNECTION

TO ANOTHER MOTHER WHICH IS SOMETHING YOU WILL NOT REGRET.

I WOULD DO IT AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT.

IT WAS A REALLY REWARDING, AWESOME EXPERIENCE.

MOST OF WHAT I LEARNED, I LEARNED FROM PARENTS.

AND I WATCHED MOMS FEED THEIR BABIES.

I WATCHED BABIES GROW AT DIFFERENT RATES.

I WATCHED MOTHERS DO THIS WITH DIFFERENT STYLES.

AND I LEARNED THAT MOTHERS KNOW THEIR BABIES

A LOT BETTER THAN I DO.

MY REAL JOB IS JUST TO GET OUT OF THE WAY

AND SUPPORT A WOMAN AS SHE DISCOVERS

HER OWN ABILITY.

SO MUCH OF THAT FIRST STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, IN MY OPINION,

IS ABOUT NOT FEELING THAT I EXIST

AND NOT FEELING THAT I TRUST LIFE OR THAT MY NEEDS

ARE GONNA BE MET, AND THEN ALL OF THE OTHER

STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT BUILD ON THAT ONE.

SO I JUST FEEL LIKE OFFERING THAT TO THE PLANET

WOULD BE THE GREATEST GIFT.

WE'RE TRYING TO TO COME AT SOLVING THE WORLD'S PROBLEMS

FROM THE SYMPTOMATIC STUFF BACK.

I THINK IT WOULD BE SO MUCH EASIER

TO START FROM THE BEGINNING AND WORK UP.

I THINK THE AMERICAN MODEL IS BASICALLY FASCINATING,

BUT IT'S NO LONGER PERTINENT TO THE MODERN AGE.

HOW DO WE BUILD A SOCIETY WHICH NURTURES BREASTFEEDING

AS PART OF A LARGER CONCEPT OR ATTACHMENT?

WE'VE GOTTA BUILD CITIES WHERE WE ACTUALLY LIVE TOGETHER,

LIVE TOGETHER.

AT TIMES, I FEEL LIKE I'M FIGHTING A LOSING BATTLE,

BUT I'M NOT GONNA STOP FIGHTING BECAUSE IF WE QUIT FIGHTING,

BABIES SUFFER.

IT'S VERY SIMPLE.

SOCIETY NEEDS TO RECOGNIZE THAT AND SAY,

"WE WANT TO INVEST IN THE HEALTH AND LONG-TERM HEALTHCARE

OF OUR CHILDREN, AND THAT MEANS SUPPORTING THEIR MOTHERS."

I THINK IF YOU'RE PART OF A SOCIETY

THAT KNOWS WHAT BIRTH LOOKS LIKE,

KNOWS WHAT FEEDING A BABY LOOKS LIKE

AND SUPPORTS THAT, THEN THAT WILL LEAD

TO HIGHER RATES OF BREASTFEEDING.

IF WE CAN AFFECT THE MEDIA, IF WE CAN AFFECT POLICY

AND JUST OVERALL WHAT MESSAGES LITTLE GIRLS

AND WOMEN ARE TAUGHT,

THEN WE CAN AFFECT A CHANGE CULTURALLY.

IT IS ONE STEP AT A TIME, AND IT'S ABOUT AWARENESS,

AND IT'S ABOUT CHANGING THE STORY

AROUND BEING A MOTHER.

Charlene: I CAN'T HELP BUT WONDER IF THE IMAGE

OF THE LACTATING BREAST WAS MORE NORMALIZED,

MORE VISIBLE IF WE SOMEHOW COULDN'T BRING

THESE TWO SIDES OF OURSELVES BACK TOGETHER,

THIS IDEA THAT WE WERE NURSING MOTHERS

BUT WE WERE ALSO SEXUAL BEINGS.

WE NEED TO SEE IT.

IF WE DON'T SEE IT, THEN IT DOESN'T BECOME NORMAL.

WE NEED TO NORMALIZE IT.

WE NEED TO GET OUT THERE AND BREASTFEED OUR BABIES,

NOT HIDE AWAY IN CARS OR AT HOME.

WE HAVE THINGS TO DO.

*

Jennifer narrating: WE NEED TO CREATE A MOVEMENT.

WE NEED TO GET EXCITED. WE NEED TO CHANGE THINGS.

THIS HAS TO CHANGE.

WOMEN NEED TO STAND UP FOR THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS.

THE BIOLOGICAL MANDATES ARE CLEAR--

LET'S REVERSE THE TREND.

LET'S TURN THE CORNER AND GO BACK TO A CULTURE

THAT LOVES AND NURTURES ITS FUTURE GENERATIONS.

LET'S PROTECT OUR FUTURE.

NEVER SEPARATE A MOTHER AND BABY.

IT TEACHES INTIMACY. IT TEACHES CONNECTION.

IT TEACHES CARE.

I THINK THESE ARE HUGE VOIDS IN SOCIETY IN GENERAL.

SO WE'RE THE LIVING EMBODIMENT OF IT

NOT ONLY IN THE DOING OF IT BUT IN THE OFFERING OF IT

DIRECTLY AND MICRO-COSMICALLY TO THE LITTLE ONE.

YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE THAT IN THEIR BACK POCKET NOW.

IT'S NOT JUST HER GETTING IT FROM ME.

I'M GETTING IT FROM HER AS WELL.

AND IT MADE ME FEEL VERY POWERFUL,

LIKE I HAD SOME KIND OF SUPERPOWER,

LIKE THIS WAS MAGIC.

IT IS THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY THING THAT HAS EVER HAPPENED.

I WAS KEEPING LITTLE BEING ALIVE.

IT MADE ME FEEL EVEN MORE EMPOWERED THAN I ALREADY DID.

WE ARE ABLE TO SUSTAIN THE LIFE OF ANOTHER HUMAN BEING

WITH OUR OWN MILK.

Jennifer narrating: CRADLED IN THE COMFORT OF A MOTHER'S ARMS,

A BABY IS AT HOME.

HONORING THIS NURSING RELATIONSHIP

SECURES THE FUTURE HEALTH OF AMERICA

AND THE WELL-BEING OF EVERY MOTHER AND CHILD.

* AS MANY DROPS OF WATER AS IT FILLED THE OCEAN *

* WILL LOVE YOU

* AS MANY GRAINS OF SAND AS THEY BUILD THE LAND *

* I WILL LOVE YOU

* AS MANY TRIES TO FLY IN THE WIND AND I WILL LOVE YOU *

* 'CAUSE YOU'RE AIR IS MY AIR *

* AND YOUR FLESH IS MY FLESH *

* I WAS MADE TO LOVE YOU

* IT'S WRITTEN IN THE STARS *

* I WAS MADE TO LOVE YOU

* NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE

* PAST THE STARS, PAST THE MOON *

* PAST THE MILKY WAY, I DO *

* I WILL LOVE YOU

* I WILL LOVE YOU. *

( music playing )

* YOU ARE THE ORIGINAL TEMPLATE *

* YOU ARE THE ORIGINAL EXEMPLARY *

* HOW SEEN WERE YOU ACTUALLY? *

* HOW REVERED WERE YOU HONESTLY AT THE TIME? *

* WHY PLEASED WITH YOUR LOW-MAINTENANCE? *

* YOU LOVED US MORE THAN WE COULD'VE LOVED YOU *

* YOU RUN FROM THE HOUSE IN THE SNOW MELODRAMATICALLY *

* OH, MOTHER, WHO'S YOUR SISTER? *

* OH, MOTHER, WHO'S YOUR FRIEND? *

* THE HEART OF THE HOUSE

* THE HEART OF THAT HOUSE

* ALL HAIL THE GODDESS

* WE LEFT THE MEN, AND WE WENT FOR A WALK IN THE GATINEAUS *

* AND TALKED LIKE WOMEN, LIKE WOMEN TO WOMEN WOULD *

* WOMEN TO WOMEN WOULD

* "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT FROM? *

* DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN MY GYPSY GARAGE-SALE WAYS? *

* IN MY FITS OF LAUGHTER?

* IN MY TINKERBELL TENDENCIES? *

* IN MY LACK OF COLOR COORDINATION?" *

( camera person laughing )

HOW IS THAT FOR A FILM?

( camera person laughs )