>
>
>I am seeing a big difference in persistence between women who show up 
>to LLL while pregnant, versus those who only make contact after.  When 
>they come before the birth, they SEE mothering through breastfeeding, 
>and I think that they somehow then identify themselves as nursing 
>mothers.  When trouble hits, they are "nursing mothers with some 
>hurdles to jump" rather than new moms who see formula as an acceptable 
>default.
>
Absolutely! I see this all the time, too, Lynn, and I'm not the only one 
-- many mothers, when they attend their first meeting with a newborn, 
listen to the mothers who started coming before their babies were born. 
These are the moms who say "Oh, I really wish I knew about you when I 
was pregnant!"

However, it's hard to get that message out. I *do* tell mothers that no, 
this is not like childbirth education classes when the instructor tells 
you not to attend until just before the birth. This is a place you can 
come before you even think of conceiving, and you won't forget the 
"information". The info. is about how great mothering is, and how 
challenges can be overcome with help, encouragement and information.

Too often, I talk to mothers on the phone who say "Am I the only one who 
has trouble latching my baby on?" Mothers who come to our meetings don't 
feel isolated that way. Sometimes I think the message that "everyone can 
breastfeed" works in unusual ways -- especially when you also hear the 
other message from the ones who "couldn't" breastfeed. It's always the 
mother of a woman who tried and had to face challenges, it seems.

Jo-Anne

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