This goes to the thread about why women may not seek support even when they in theory know where it can be obtained.  Heather's post rang very true for me, and I doubt there is anyone on this list who has never had a phone call where the caller started sobbing as soon as she realized she had made contact with someone who might be able to help her.  I think 'It's all right, I can wait until you are ready to go on' is the most frequently repeated opening line after 'hello?' in my quarter century of taking calls from mothers in need.

Where I live there are no pump rental agents who also offer breastfeeding guidance, and I think that's a good thing.  Another reason someone might hesitate to get in touch is that they are wary of being told they need yet another piece of equipment that is going to cost them money as well as be a physical reminder of the failure of the normal process.  They usually assume everyone else in the world is happily breastfeeding without pain or soreness, and with a thriving baby who falls asleep after fifteen minutes at the breast, burping instantly on coming off but of course waking only just in time to have a diaper change before the next feed three hours later.  

Sorry to everyone who is sick and tired of my extolling the virtues of public funding for maternity care, but it really does make it easier for women to seek help when they don't have to wonder about the motives of the person helping them.  You still don't reach the women who are so upset that they can't even reveal their despair to a helper, but you remove an economic barrier to seeking help, and in many settings that is a huge obstacle.

Rachel Myr, enjoying listmother's prerogative of no limits on number of daily posts, in Kristiansand, Norway

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome