Reply #82: Have you ever known any dairy farmers?

[Kailassa]

Where I grew up, if you upset any of the precious milch cows, (each named after a local woman,) you would never be welcome on that property again. An upset cow produces less milk, and sometimes can't let the milk down at all.

Humans, on the whole, tend to be even more sensitive and temperamental than cows. When a feeding mother is made to feel your disapproval, particularly if it's her first baby, she can become unable to feed at all. Even if she can manage to still feed, her increased tension is likely to be picked up by the child, making it unable to suck properly.

Young mothers are very sensitive to the feelings of the community, and when they are doing something vital to their baby's welfare, deserve to have the encouragement and protection of that community.

(The farmer mentioned above seemed to love making my prudish mother blush by telling everyone how much milk her namesake had produced that week.)