[timmybrown]

I never have noticed anyone brest feeding, but then they don't seem equipped for much of it anyway, maybe thats the reason that Thai eat such small portions at meals, was raised on small meals.555

you should check out the Richard's mentioned number 1 photo then. Then again, I doubt those are real.

[Fvmfrctt]

Betti, your post # 9 is a knowing rant. You have observed your fellow teacher's and their situations. Many year's in thailand betti, and you've just now seen how thing's work?? Distance is key to raising a thai kid. A non thai will never understand. And, I wonder if you think your way's are better than the thai way?

[yasmin]

According to a Thai-language news article I was just reading and listening to, Thailand has the lowest percentage of the Asian countries mentioned regarding breastfeeding children. The article claims that only five percent of Thai babies receive natural mother's milk throughout their first six months of life.

The reason given is the immense advertising budget of firms marketing powdered formula has been used to successfully convinced people that using formula will help result in healthier and ultimately smarter children.

I wonder what experiences and anecdotes others may have about this subject.

[Imagimifouxum]

My wife is currently breastfeeding and as far as i am aware all the mums in the same village are doing likewise.

[LasTins]

usually I avoid saying that my ways are better, but in this case, yes, I think it is better that women have the option of staying home with their young children for two years (without going bankrupt or losing their job) if they wish to do so and don't have to leave them in daycare.

[Hervams]

My friend's wife from Ubon, living in the states, started their child off breastfeeding. When the kid was old enough to each solid food, fed her hamburgers and coke. I was kinda surprised to see the child eating burgers and asked her about it and she said "It's good for her." I didn't even want to argue with her because she is very stubborn. So now at 5 years old, she has Coke addict on her hands that will rarely drink regular water and eats a ton of junk food.

[trettegeani]

SO true working mothers are generally back at work in less than 1-2 months, and then the infant is left with the grandparents or whatever.
There is also a culture thing, don't know how it started though.
I had to force my wife to continue breastfeeding our daughter beyond 3 months.
Although she resisted, she eventually saw that she was getting a better realtionship with our daughter, and that she was healthier than many other children the same age.
She has since read and seen documentaries about the importance of breast feeding and is glad she did it.

[ireleda]

I never have noticed anyone brest feeding, but then they don't seem equipped for much of it anyway, maybe thats the reason that Thai eat such small portions at meals, was raised on small meals.555

[ireleda]

There are just a lot of things like that going on here, so no wonder this country has never made it above 3rd world status and never will as long as this is going on.

But about the Breast feeding thing,
I think I will scout around for some seen money and buy a few breast pumps, I guess they have small ones for use here, then we can set up a route and have Bucky drive to the places where we have clients set up and he can take the product and store it in a reefer for later use, He is about the most dependable hands on guy that I know and I think he will do a very good job and we should be able to work this into a very good business and also it will be a boon to the mothers of Thailand.

[LasTins]

8 of my young colleagues had babies within the last year, and all of them had to be back at work within 2 months. I was told Thai laws allow 2 months paid leave and 2 months unpaid leave only, which is a shame. at our school some of them were given permission to stay home for 4 months after complications with the birth. I would guess this undermines breastfeeding for those who have to be off to work no matter what.... it would break my heart having to leave my 4-month-old in a daycare! anyway, some of my colleagues feed their babies formula, but 3 take the trouble to pop out in lunchtime and gap lessons, rush home and breastfeed the small baby, or if they cannot, they lock up in the infirmary room and extract breastmilk and keep it in a milk bottle in the fridge in the kitchen to be taken home. I really admire their determination.

last year I saw some kind of advertising campaign run by Princess Srirasmi (the wife of the crown prince), trying to promote breastfeeding. I don't know how "loud" and successful a campaign it was.

[AngelinaLip]

I did find it intestering how my fiance grew up in Korat with her Aunt while her mother worked in Bangkok. This to me is alien as in my mind when you have children they should be the most important piece of your life. If this means sacraficing work to spend time with them then you need to figure out a way to make that happen.

[LasTins]

presence at work is the most important thing. the actual work accomplished, or any underlying factors, such as your health, private problems, family issues, the welfare of your kids, etc, don't count. zero flexibility, very low productivity and efficiency. it's not like you can go when you're finished so you're motivated to be efficient and get home to your family quickly. no, you have to hang around and clock out on time even if your house is flooded, if there is nothing to do, if your mother is at hospital, if your baby would need you. even in a stupid school where you only do 18 hours of teaching a day and the rest could be done anytime, anywhere, you have to be there and suffer missing your children - I see it happening. some colleagues arrange for their maids to bring the kids (not just babies, but infants) at 3 when classes finish and then they hide somewhere until 4:30 to spend some time together. those poor young mothers with small babies and completely sleepless nights had to be in there in their office during summer school when there was nothing to do for that many people, as there were hardly any kids! I find this outrageous. a good boss back home - probably not all, sure - would have sent them home right away and faked their attendance papers and paid a full salary anyway. even small kids are regularly sent to school when they are seriously sick and cannot do more than lie in bed all day long. and it's often not even the case that the mother has to go to work and she has absolutely no other choice.

you have to be there, no matter what, even if you do nothing, the appearance must be perfect. I think that's one of the sources of the problem.

the other source must be the over-reliance on and the over-belief in artificial products, such as medicines and formulas. just look at the amount of meds an average kid is given if they cough just once. and of course they come to school with their meds and cough all over the place, their own immune system I presume is not motivated to work, and they nicely spread the cough in the group evenly and fairly. guess they grew up on formulas too.

sorry, I can go on a rant when it comes to this issue I really admire those mothers who try to walk the extra miles to give proper care to their babies but are prevented from doing so.

[esconsise]

So...is the kid a lardass, or what?