Tina wrote:
>Ironically, I find that many women enjoy hearing my own stories of new
>parenthood confusion, learning to follow instincts etc, to help reinforce
>what they are experiencing as they begin to realize that pediatricians and
>other "experts", including LCs, do not/ can not have all the answers, and
>they have to learn to trust themselves---

This struck a familiar chord with me. Nearly 11 years ago, when my first
baby was about 5 days old and already screaming with colic, I asked the
paediatrician at the hospital what I should do to stop him crying. I
expected some technical/medical answer. He replied that one of his kids had
had colic and he found putting the baby in the car and driving round the
block in the middle of the night seemed to help!! I think my jaw must have
dropped to the floor in shock. :-o (Is this a new face I have created??) I
thought, if this learned doctor couldn't solve this problem, what hope has
an ignorant new mum like me got?! Nice to know that doctors are human too -
and I felt less of a failure at my inability to stop my baby crying. For
the curious, he suffered (and so did we) with colic for 5 long months, but
is now a terrific, very intelligent kid (keeps getting academic awards at
school - all that good breastmilk, I'm convinced!). Thanks to the support I
got from NMAA, I never considered weaning to "cure" him, and I am glad I
breastfed him for 2 years. In fact I think I can thank him for my intense
involvement with NMAA, which then led on to my passion for supporting
breastfeeding and becoming an LC.

Joy

P.S. Loved all the stuff about patriarchy, commercialism, and technology -
so true!!