Lactnetters, I recently came across a beautiful prayer to be said upon nursing one's child for the first time. I thought you'd enjoy it. May it be Your will, Lord my God and God of my forebears, that you provide nourishment for your humble creation, this tiny child, plenty of milk, as much as he needs. Give me the disposition and inclination to find the time to nurse him patiently until he is satidfied. Cause me to sleep lightly so that the moment he cries I will hear and respond. Spare me the horror of accidntly smothering my child while I sleep, God forbid. May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You, my rock and my Redeemer. I found this gem in a collection of Jewish women's prayers called "Out of the Depths I Call to You: A Book Prayers for the Married Jewish Woman" edited and translated by Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin. This is translated from a book of women's prayers written in Hebrew and given in 1786 by a Dr. Giuseppi Coen to his bride. Both Coen and his wife were Italian. Isn't it interesting to see how similar the concerns of women 200 years ago were to us today. We, too, pray that we will sleep lightly and nurse with patience. Naomi Bar-Yam