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nearby, and I talk about these in the book. I think that it would be ideal if we could all combine work with mothering,
but if you can't, what better way to compensate for separations than by practicing attachment techniques when you
are together. Especially sharing sleep, because that's eight full hours that you have together, sharing bodily contact.
Breastfeeding is important for so many reasons, and we all know most of those reasons. I think that in terms of the working mother, one of the risks of working outside of the home is that your baby will grow and develop but you, as a mother, may not. I think that a mother needs to develop alongside and in synch with her baby. You learn to be a mother and you grow as a mother. One of the powerful things about breastfeeding is that it provides a blueprint for mothering - Niles Newton said that breastfeeding nudges other aspects of maternal care. Breastfeeding involves give and take, as well as the ability to read a baby's signals. It works as a blueprint on many levels and in many ways - mothering a sixteen-year-old has many of the same elements as mothering a baby in terms of being partners, being empathetic, and working together. Also, breastfeeding shows you that you are the center of your baby's world - you would be even if you weren't breastfeeding, but breastfeeding tells you in a way that you really need to know that this is true. This is a confidence builder. Q. What lessons can a woman learn from her mothering role that are beneficial in her professional life? I have found that things I know as a mother are very useful at work - there is always a place for empathy, cooperativeness, and even holding a firm line! For example, a hard, cold, advertising principle is to sell the benefit to the buyer, and mothers do this constantly: "If you get your shoes on, we'll get to the ice cream store faster." Being empathetic and sensitive to other people's cues will serve you well, and doesn't make you less competitive in the workplace. This actually makes you far more effective! Go To Page: 1 2
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