You know, as breastfeeding advisors, we are essentially filling in for
the mothers of women who are currently giving birth and raising babies.
For millenia, it was primarily the mother's mother who provided support
and information on breastfeeding.  Since most grandmothers of young
children now  have no experience with breastfeeding, they are, of
course,  not qualified to perform this service.  By helping women
breastfeed, we are not only helping the current generation of infants
and children to be breastfed, but also enabling these mothers to assist
their own daughters with breastfeeding in the future.

There are two women in particular who have served this motherly function
for me when.  I would like to pay tribute to Elizabeth Hormann and Linda
Dunn, who probably don't realize it, but have given me support when I
needed it most.  It was Elizabeth who gave me permission to follow my
heart and allow my little Thomas to keep nursing as long as he needed
to, (four and a half years) even though my mother and other relatives
thought it was strange, if not perverse.  And it was Linda who was the
only one who believed in me when I refused to give up my efforts to get
my nearly one year old, antisocial adopted daughter nursing , and who
reminded me of all of the benefits my adopted babies were recieving,
when I was feeling inadequate because I could not produce more than a
third of the amount of breastmilk they needed.

I think everyone on this list has a right to feel proud of their efforts
on Mothers' Day.

Aloha,
Darillyn