Katherine is right about the need for those of us who have nursed long term to publicize the benefits of this. I freely discuss my 10+ years of nursing my 3 kids in my classes if it comes up. I discuss how I thought I'd nurse the 1st for 6 weeks, and just grew into nursing as my kids grew. I think I've shared before my 19 year old son's comment just this year as he watched his nephew nurse that he wondered how many people actually remember breastfeeding as he did. He's so positive about it that it's a delight. I had conversation this weekend with my 28 year old, the mother of the breastfeeding baby that further reinforced the benefits of prolonged nursing. Jonathan is not eating solid foods yet despite pressure from many including the MD. Amy says she's much more left wing about all these parenting and breastfeeding issues than she thought she was. She's become remarkably confident remarkably rapidly in her ability to meet the needs of Jonathan and the family and I'd like to believe that part of that comes from the relaxed and responsive environment we grew into with the kids. Watching her younger sibs nurse and grow helped her make her early decision to breastfeed ( "Of course we'll nurse!) and she is just the kind of mom I'd have wanted to be with her and wasn't because my parenting model was different. My philosophy currently is to take all the credit for the things I like and blame their genes for all the negative! Sue Samuels