Every year, people all over the world celebrate mother's day. The celebration is fitting. Mothers are very important in one's life because they give birth, nurse children and stay up sleepless nights when the children get sick. Most of all they raise generations of people. This creates an inseparable relationship between mother and child. The bond starts quite early, specially from the time when the mother nurses her child. Unfortunately nowadays, most young women do not nurse their babies anymore. Some say their milk dries up too soon while others claim that nursing curtails their freedom — they cannot go out with friends or travel. This is true, but this raises some questions: whom did God equip to produce baby milk? Who has a womb and who has an elastic body to support pregnancy and childbirth?These issues are part of a hot debate in Saudi Arabia about women and femininity. It is scientifically proven that babies nursed on mother's milk are healthier, stronger, smarter and full of life than those who are raised on cow or soya milk, particularly in can. And they suffer less from sickness and colic. And yet, even without those scientific findings, many mothers know that nursing babies with their own milk has many advantages, even if some complain that it curtails their freedom. Many studies and interviews undertaken on this subjects support this. In a baby clinic, a young mother took her baby to the doctor for a full checkup because she thought that the baby needed some vitamins to improve his appetite for food. The doctor told the worried mother that her baby was smarter and healthier than many babies of his age. Interviewed, the mother said that she visits the baby's doctor only for vaccinations and at that particular time when she brought the baby for a full check up. She admitted that nursing her baby take much of her time but added that it also spares her from preparing milk and washing bottles as well as sleepless nights attending to a sick baby. She was aware of the scientific findings about the advantages of raising babies with mother's milk. And she shared some valuable information that many mothers may not be aware of, like, there are times that a mother's breast may dry up for a day or a week but that the milk will come back if the baby is allowed to dry-suck while giving the child suitable alternative foods. It often takes 48 hours to happen. This issue may sound boring to many people, especially to the men, but it is important for both men and women to know because raising babies with mother's milk has more advantages than feeding them with cow's milk or worse with milk in can. (The author can be reached at khadijah_ [email protected]) __
