Pat also wrote, > I do believe, as someone = > else on this list has suggested, that the pregnant women are bombarded = > by information about products, and just assume that their layette (does = > anyone call it that anymore?) won't be complete without a breastpump. I = > think we need a voice in that picture, too. > I like the idea of suggesting they wait until after the baby is born to see if a pump is necessary. I think it also helps to say that "most mothers do not need a pump." I think it is helpful to talk about hand expression -- they may never need it, but I think it is good to present it as a great way of relieving engorgement, letting the flow slow down, "supplementing at the breast", as well as dealing with separations that may occur. Since this came up at a meeting, I asked mothers if they thought they would need a pump, and if so, why. It was an interesting discussion for me. Their replies were in the range of the "layette" attitude Pat mentioned. The other thing is that prenatal classes and the impact of the information revolution on prenatal preparation (more books, more advice, more experts, and an interesting collusion of corporate and professional interests) have been leaning towards a "buy it before the baby arrives" tendency. Another good meeting topic is "If you are an experienced mother, what furniture, equipment and clothing did you find you needed or didn't need?" and "If you are an expectant mother, what have you been told you need?" I realize that being asked questions is not necessarily what parents-in-training are used to. It must be hard to write books that way, or to earn a living asking questions. Jo-Anne ... etc. *********************************************** 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