My mother bf all three of us (born in '61, '63, '66) and even bf me until I was 2!  (Her mother stood over her chair murmuring "he's gonna starve, poor little thing" while she nursed my older brother.  She wasn't invited back for the other births.....)

So when I got pregnant it never occurred to me that I _wouldn't_ bf.  I was told by many people how it hurt and was a little apprehensive.  So I signed up for a one night bf course at the hospital, taught by Terry Sanborn an IBCLC (are you on Lactnet, Terry?).  She mentioned the many benefits of bf - lessened allergies (which I have plenty of), higher IQ, lessened SIDS, weight loss for mom, immunological help for baby, etc.  I went in thinking I would bf; I came out _knowing_ I would.  The other factor that was very weighty in our decision was that it was *** FREE ***.  With young, struggling professionals (especially if mom wants to stay home with baby) never, ever underestimate this as a good way to motivate!  I figured, if it was excruciatingly painful I could always quit.

We hit problems at about 3 weeks and I was sobbing in the bed as we nursed.  Luckily a lady in the mall had hooked me up with a Nursing Mothers group and my counselor had me call Terry and she got us back to pain-free nursing.  She said in the course, give yourself 6 weeks before you decide to quit - let yourself and the baby get the hang of it before you decide you hate it.  So I originally signed on for 6 weeks.  Two and a half years later (and still nursing :) ) I am so grateful for my mother for making bf part of mothering, for Terry whose course made a believer out of me, for the lady in the mall who had the nerve to ask a pregnant lady if she wanted a bf support group and for my counselor who helped me through those normal but still shaky early weeks.  Now I counsel, trying to make a similar difference in the lives of other women.  We drop a stone in a pond and never know how far the ripples might go.

Linda V.