Beadie noted:

<< During lunch recently at the hospital this was a topic of casual
 conversation among those of us at the table mostly  CNMs and CEs "Where are
 the strong women of yesteryear?"   I remarked that if women today had to
 cross the country in Conestoga  wagons.....California would still be a
 wilderness!"  One of the CNMs snorted in disgust "Mississippi would still be
 a wilderness!!" >>

AMEN & AMEN!  Our Family Birthing Center at Providence Hospital in Southfield,
MI is not doing nearly the births they were doing '79-84 -- why?  No epidurals
offered.  The strong women of yesteryear are all becoming grandmothers....and
trying to convince our daughters to pick up the gauntlet, but some of us are
not succeeding at that very well.

Both my girls laugh at how much more "conservative" they are than I am.  Some
days I truly think I'm living in "Family Ties...."

Jan Barger who has only one earring in each ear; mother of Jill whose
rebellion has consisted of two earrings in the left ear, and Torrey Beth whose
rebellion was (is) a belly button ring.  But neither will color their hair.
Or have a home birth.  But they WILL breastfeed!!!