Not to throw a wet blanket on everyone's enthusiasm or anything, but this
discussion on being surprised/angry that people in general don't consider
the possibility of nursing the septuplets......  Let's get serious here
before we get too crazy.  How many of us would have considered this
before getting so heavily into this field?  When I was nursing my first
baby, enthusiastically, I still couldn't believe that women at the LLL
meetings were nursing their toddlers(I ended up nursing both kids for 5
years each).  I think it is great that the doctor on the Today show
pointed out that breastfeeding was still a possibility, at least to some
degree.  But Katie Couric was probably just expressing the average
person's thoughts on the subject - how could a mom nurse seven babies?
This also ties in a way with the "Oh God" story - that is how most moms
(and HCPs, unfortunately, they should know better) view using bottles and
formula (and pain meds in childbirth) - "what is the big deal?" they
wonder.  We know what the deal is, in great detail, but most of them
don't.  That is why firing off angry letters, in many instances, is
counter-productive - they just don't get it.  A better approach, IMHO, is
to step back for a moment, consider the source and the situation, and
then fashion a reply that is supportive, informative, but still makes a
strong point.  Education and persistance is the only real antidote to
ignorance.

Sharon Knorr
Lactation Consultant Services
Rochester, New York
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