Hi Rachel and All, I can not believe, however, it is not surprizing, the comments made to Rachel by Mr. Kelly. I can not understand the comment, 'tarred by the lunatic fringe'. In breastfeeding groups, articles and books I have found some not mainstream views but 'lunatic fringe' - the connotation of that phrase is just appalling. To strongly belive in something, is not lunatic by any measure. To put anyone down, simply because of their views, to hold a value or belief without knowledge of the other side or view - that borders on lunatic - but not even then is it lunatic, it is ignorant, biased, narrow-minded and just plain rude. There is much that I think of as 'gross' or that personally I wouldn't do, however, I will not criticize anyone who choses to do them, unless they are illegal. What happened to the desire to admire individuality and respect? It appears to me, that those exist only if you hold to beliefs and practice what some particular group feels is 'normal' and 'acceptable' (who is doing the chosing, media, politicians or groups who have the money and behind the scenes power?). And finally on this issue - where are these breastfeed or die proponents? Yes there are some I know that personally hold that feeling and make some slight comment, such as 'my baby never had a bottle is his life' or 'my baby never had formula in her life' but 'breastfeed or die,' ? My concern is where these comments come from, is it one person's opinion, experience or 'imagined' response? Are there women out there (or perhaps a male MD) who have reduced a mom to tears, guilt or humiliation due to her choice? Is it rampent somewhere that I have not been? I have lived in the US in the midwest, southwest and CA and overseas in Germany? And why are we judged on the statements of one or a few? To answer Mr. Kelly, yes a child can survive without bottles, breast pumps, or pacifiers, as I have children who have as have many of us, and he is not acknowledging that these wonderful little devices are of fairly recent origin (in the scheme of the history of human kind). My last question on this letter, why are Mr. Kelly's personal beliefs and values acceptable and Rachel's seen so negatively? Inquiring minds want to know - but in reality, I know the answer, just not how we have come to this point, why nor what we can do to change it. Leslie Ward Vine Grove, KY "Everyone who is successful must have dreamed of something." Maricopa proverb