Cheryl Taylor White wrote,

> How I long for some of the systems I hear of in some European countries
> in the US!!
>
I have rarely been as optimistic about any step towards a
breastfeeding-friendly society as much as I am about the new extension
to parental leave in Canada.. It is 50 weeks, now. It *does* of course
have limits -- many part-time and occasional workers don't have access
to it, and it is being promoted as a way for fathers to spend more time
with their babies. However, the relief of many of the pregnant mothers
we have in our Group is tangible.
I'm really looking forward to the summer, when we will start seeing
mothers who have had their baby in 2001 and don't need to ask about
pumping, formula and solids in preparation for their impending return to
work, and when staying at home with your baby for a year will start to
become "normal". In this sense, even mothers who aren't eligible for the
leave benefit from a change in attitude.
Incidentally, La Leche League Groups are full of Leaders and members who
have lots of ideas about how you can make staying home affordable. And
many of us face the same challenges as the "high-risk" population in
order to do so. Yes, I would rather go to the food-bank and then come
home to my children... On the other hand, LLL Groups always have some of
those mothers who have faced incredible odds to maintain breastfeeding
while working and living in very difficult circumstances.
Jo-Anne

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