Rabbi Dr. Erin Leib Smokler
One of God’s names, in hasidic thought, refers to Shaddai as the one who offers enough and the one bearing breasts. Perhaps, says Rabbi Dr. Erin Leib Smokler, this reflects on the Divine role of the parent supplying nourishment and protection for an infant.
Rabbanit Leah Sarna
Feeding a baby differently one day a week is considered unsafe for a baby’s body, and mastitis is incredibly dangerous. Further, there is a non-exhaustive list of reasons why pumping, even if not common, may be necessary. Rabbanit Leah Sarna brings together sources about the physical necessity for an infant to eat, the prohibitions of squeezing as compared with electricity and the technicalities of modern breast pumps to explain the permissibility of electric pumps on Shabbat.
Rabba Dr. Carmella Abraham
Mastitis, a medical condition affecting up to 1 in 4 women, demands changes in the methods of nursing to prevent infection, and when the infant’s health is taken into account as well, Rabba Dr. Carmella Abraham explains the medical side of the necessity of pumping.