In a message dated 98-02-22 17:29:41 EST, you write:

<< My brother in law and his wife just found out that they are going to be
 parents in three weeks.  They are adopting a newborn, right from the
 hospital.  She really wants to attempt to breastfeed and wants some
 information. She is lacking self confidence right now.  Does any one have
 any ideas, suggestions, or inspiring stories for me to pass on to her?
 Should I have her start pumping now?
 Heather Richards >>
Dear Heather,
   I hate to bother anyone by repeating this but will for the sake of an
"inspiring story", so pleade bear with me if you;ve heard this before...
A mom who goes to my house of worship has adopted two children. The first,
before I knew her, she pumped and used a LActAid, and I think exclusively
mothered this child at breast , with AIM as needed. The second was adopted
when the first was about 4 so she was much busier and felt she didn't have the
time or energy to pump and try to mother fully at breast. I told her if she
had any questions she could pull me aside any time. Some weeks later, after
seeing only bottles of AIM and no BF, I saw this mom changing her babies
diaper. I marveled at how healthy and alert this baby  was looking, and then I
saw the diaper. It was a yellowy loose stool ...I told the mom that it looked
like the stool of a nursing baby, and asked if she was putting the baby to
breast once in a while. She got the biggest grin on her face! She said she
liked to nurse her a few times a day just for the "connection" but didn't
think she was actually getting anything... when I told her that her baby was
certainly getting some,she was so thrilled! I really had nothing to do with
this, but it made me feel so good to just let this mom know that her efforts
were acheiving even more than her goal was...
Judy LeVan Fram, Brooklyn, NY