All language subtitles for The.Milky.Way.2014.1080p.AMZN.WEB-DL.DD+2.0.x264-monkee.[eng]

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 )