In a message dated 12/2/03 11:20:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes: My 13 year old daughter is in public school doing her 8th grade health section. She informed me that her health teacher told them that giving birth was "like going to hell and back". Dear Friends: Carol writes with concern about the messages that young women receive about birth, and will write a letter to her daughter's teacher. This is a way to improve the future for our young women. In the States today, the cesarean section rate is climbing towards 30%, the national epidural rate is over 60% and the national induction/augmentation rate is over 40%. Birth can be like a trip to 'hell and back' if it is interfered with. This is the big problem with connecting the dots. People believe that birth is hellish when the fact is that routine technology is hellish; birth has always been hard work that women are made to do. Breastfeeding becomes difficult as a result of routine technology. I would love to see a national ad campaign promoting spontaneous birth in a loving environment as a way to increase breastfeeding rates and reduce health care costs. dreaming, Nikki Lee RN, MS, Mother of 2, IBCLC, CIMI, CCE, craniosacral therapy Adjunct faculty, Union Institute and University, Maternal and Child Health: Lactation Consulting Supporting the WHO Code and the Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html