To Rachael concerning her comment about fatness and breast cancer: the
researchers in "Dressed to Kill" say that no link has been found between
breast size and cancer, so I assumed that meant that "fat" women have no
higher risk either (as being "fatter" and "having large breasts" usually go
together).

To everyone commenting about pain: I've had three labors, one of which was
totally pain-free without drugs (actually sort of a strange experience, as I
kept insisting it must be false labor, as I was having mild Braxton-Hicks
type contractions ONLY, and was walking around, taking a shower, joking with
my husband, friend, and daughter until the doctor insisted I lay down and
push; baby was born after two little pushes).  First and third labors were
totally different, such intense pain I became delusional and thought I was
going to die, both brought under control with a little stadol/demerol which
made me just barely able to realize what was going on and not go completely
crazy.  Given what I've learned since then, I assume much of the pain was
due to lying flat on my back trying to give birth to big babies with huge
shoulders, and that maybe if I'd been on all fours, or squatting, the labors
would have been much less painful and much quicker.  Only the absolute
terror of needles near my back (and concern for the effects on the baby)
kept me from considering an epidural.  For me, the bicycle analogy works
only if you imagine people lining the hill with knives ready to stab you and
baseball bats ready to whack you on the head -- and the choice of an
epidural is to make those people turn away and not stab/hit you.

Final quotes from "Dressed to Kill" about breastfeeding:  "Women are
ultimately responsible for their personal attitudes and behaviors toward
their breasts, but it would not be fair to place the blame on the victim.
Women are indoctrinated by the culture in which they live--and American
culture sees breasts primarily as subjects of fashion for display, rather
than as a source of love and nourishment for a baby.  One and a half years
after our frightening discovery of Soma's breast lump, my view of breasts
had dramatically changed.  We lay in bed together, contemplating our
discovery of a cultural trigger for breast cancer.  Our son, Solomon, who
was almost a year old, lay between us, nursing contentedly at his mother's
breast.  He would have been purring if humans could.  His eyes rolled up as
he tasted the sweet milk.  His little hands kneaded Soma's soft, warm
breast.  The scene was as beautiful as one can imagine.  "Now I know what
breasts are for," I thought to myself."

Excellent book, I recommend it to all of you.

Kathy Dettwyler