For those of you who go read the column from the Toronto paper about Julia
Goforth nursing at the YMCA (he mentions the word "boob" a lot) -- I have
already written and sent my letter.  After I had sent it, I realized I
should have included some other points, so if any of you wish to include
these, it would make me feel better:

1)  I just said something like "The dangers of formula-use are well-known."
My husband said, Mr. Harder probably doesn't have any idea what you mean --
you should have given some examples and offered to send him copies.

2)  I meant to use an analogy to smokers vs. non-smokers -- that if the
action of one group makes the other uncomfortable, the people doing the
healthy thing should be protected, not the people doing the unhealthy thing.
Thus, if non-smokers are bothered by the smokers, the smokers should leave.
If people are bothered by breastfeeding, they should leave (or just not
look).  You don't send away the non-smokers for the comfort of the smokers,
and you should send away the breastfeeders for the comfort of the
non-breastfeeders.

By the way, my letter was very polite and gentle and I did offer to send him
copies of my research that explain why breastfeeding 2 and 4 year old
toddlers was perfectly fine (much of his column was rhetoric against older
nurslings, telling Julia she should grow up and let her children grow up --
i.e., not nurse any more).  I do think that soft and gentle is the way to
go, rather than threats of lawsuits, as both the YMCA and Mr. Harder are, I
suspect, not vicious, merely ignorant.

Kathy Dettwyler
Please do not copy this letter to anyone (an exception to my usual policy).