Following Daphne’s article on breast-feeding (TMID, 7 September), here are some thoughts that I would like to share with your readers:

1. It is very sad to have my long-time fear publicly confirmed by a person like Daphne herself, that our education system educates people for careers but certainly not for parenthood.

2. It is equally sad that at the climax of motherhood, during birth, when a mother’s instincts are at their best, the exceptionally high statistics of medical intervention and “taking over” of the birth experience is not helping our mothers either.

3. The general trend to encourage mothers to go back to work, leaving their very young children with paid carers, may increase Malta’s financial income, but is certainly not doing much for the well-being of the young family.

It is unfortunate that there is no room left for emotions in our hectic life.

It seems there is a general drive to separate mothers from their babies as early as possible, turning them into insensitive robots as they become convinced that they are easily replaced by a bottle, a doctor or a carer, while they may go on with their career as if they never had a baby.

All this is done in the name of progress.

Wherefore, motherhood? Let’s hope we learn from the negative experiences of other modern nations before it is too late.

Marianne Theuma

Marsascala