Breaking bad news compassionately is a skill to be striven for. The distinction between 'serious' and 'dangerous' is key there, I think. Things can be serious but not immediately life-threatening, like Down's syndrome, or a cleft lip and palate. And things can be life-threatening, or overwhelmingly sad. Most of my bad news experience has to do with informing parents about problems in babies. It is so crucial to communicate acceptance of whatever reaction the news elicits in the receiver, and if at all possible, your own recognition of the baby as a love-able being. Parents also say it means a lot to them that the person giving the news doesn't conceal her own sadness, as long as that doesn't turn in to the parents needing to take care of the 'messenger' who is dissolved in grief. Rachel in Norway *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html