In my experience with pregnancy, you get to that point where you think you can't stand to be pregnant one day longer. Then you spend another WEEK pregnant, and THEN the baby is ready to deliver! Interesting that the Australian marathoner says motherhood made her a better runner. In my experience, having run a few races (not marathons) gave me the mental strength to get through natural childbirth. I remember running those races, and in the last few kilometres thinking with every step that I couldn't take one more step, but willing myself to just take that step anyhow (have to get back to the finish line one way or another, might as well run as walk!) and the suddenly the finish line is crossed and it is all over. Childbirth is SO much like that. I can understand how women who have never challenged themselves physically would not be able to challenge themselves to get through childbirth, or other tests of (mental) strength of motherhood. In this society that emphasizes personal fulfillment, how is it that we try to remove all tests of strength and the growth it brings, that are provided by the motherhood experience? Janice Reynolds Consumer Representative on the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] 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