>Three questions:
>
>Why is it that a cat nursing squirrels makes the 11 o'clock newss?  Why is
>it that *most* people get all mushy and "oooh and aaah" when they see small
>animals nursing?  Why is that *a lot* of people are totally grossed out when
>they see a human mother nursing her child?


Pam, I have pondered the last two combination questions for a long time.
One of my ideas is that if they were denied the experience of nursing from
their mothers' breasts or the experience of nursing their own children, then
somewhere deep inside there is pain of loss when they see a mother and child
sharing the intimacy of a nursing experience. Unable to discern or face this
hurt, they turn it into anger or disgust.  It is similar to those who have
never known tenderness, who then sneer or laugh derisivly at the tenderness
that they so deeply long for. Or who criticize family warmth and closeness
(which they never had )as inhibiting the growth of the children. We can all
think of similar reactions that seem so puzzling.

I admire the many people whom I have met who are able to face their own
grief and then go on to claim as much beauty in life as they can, and who
celebrate with others their life's joys. I guess somewhere, sometime someone
must have touched them with caring.

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee
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