Good morning all,
I, too, have become a zealot (though I had no idea what that meant till my
hubby explianed it to me!  Then it was "Oh, Yeah! I'm one of those!!  :) ).
 Often times, though, the only people who I can be a zealot with are those
who are already pro BF.  I have started talking more to people on the street
(so to speak) and when a client calls to rent  a pump ( I run a pump station)
they ask questions about BF and there I go!  I try not to let my enthusiasm
take over 'cause I have been know to be so enthusiastic as to scare people!
 :)  I have found that with new moms or moms to be I have to tone down my
tone of voice and how I present the BF idea so as not to overwhelm them.  I
think I would make a good BF spokesperson on TV, but I may be misinterpretted
 as an extremist!  Gee, would that be all that bad?  But, I wouldn't want
people to start thinking that BF is only for those rebel types!  My family is
already sick of my pro-BF ways and ideas.  It will be interesting next week
though.  We are having a family reunion, and if my Mother thinks I'm going to
go hide to BF Ben, she's nuts!  Needless to say, my side of the family is not
real pro-BF.  My in-laws, however are!  My father-in-law still loves to peak
over my shoulder and watch Ben nurse!  (Ben is 11 mo old)  We are planning on
getting preg real soon, if we aren't already, and my mom-in-law sid she can't
wait to see me tandem nurse!  (Any suggestions on doing that would be really
helpful by the way!  Please send advice by private e-mail!)
Anyway, I also agree with Judy K. on the *guilty* thing.  I think it would be
really neat to have formula feeding be as taboo (except in cases where it is
the only way a baby will stay alive!) as not have your baby innoculated.  I
have spoken to moms who said they didn't have their babies innoculated
because of the possible side effects.  My response was what about the side
effects of the disease they might get because they *weren't* innoculated!
 Same thing with the BF.  A friend of mine formula feeds her baby.  She just
can't understand why her baby is sick all the time (colds, ear infections...)
and mine isn't!  I tried to tell her why, and I think she is finally starting
to come around.  Maybe next baby will get the real thing, you know?  Also, a
WIC client has a baby in hosp. due to under developed lungs.  Her 20 mo. old
is formula fed and always sick.  This mom wants to BF the newborn 'cause she
doen't want him to go thru what her 20 mo old has gone thru (being sick all
the time).  My suggestion?  Start tandem nursing!  I figure that it certainly
couldn't hurt the 20 mo old and (tho I am not sure about this, any studies?)
maybe it would actuall help her stop getting sick all the time!  This mom
*loved* the idea!  I have to call her back and see if it's working.
Goodness, I do ramble.  Sorry, gals.  I know I am a zealot, and I'm proud to
stand among those of us who are!
Keep "zealoting" away ladies!  We need more of it!

Janet
LC (zealot) in training and having a ball!

P.S.  A really sad story just on the news in my area.  A janitor found a
newborn in a dumpster here.  I want to call the hospital where the baby is
now and tell them to bring the baby to me so I can give him/her natures best
and give him/her a better start on a life that didn't start out to well.  Is
that a little weird?  I wonder, but I can't help how I feel!  Heck, I'll just
keep the baby, for that matter!