Regarding fees: One of the things that parents have been told for many years is how inexpensive breastfeeding is. If this is a primary motivation in breastfeeding they seem to get quite put-out by having to pay for services. Part of what we need to do is begin to educate parents that they may need, or want, to spend the money on a visit to a lactation consultant and to budget it into their planned expenses for having the baby. I can't think of a time when a family would ever pay more for LC services than for ABM (and all the resulting expenses) but this is one of those times when the money spent is well worth it. Many times I have heard parents lament, "I thought breastfeeding wasn't going to cost us anything" I gently remind them that the cost of my consultation is probably less than one month of ABM. They will still be breastfeeding long after that month has come and gone. They usually smile and understanding smile at this point. Denise Parker, BA, IBCLC