Cathy Kaiser <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>My co-Leader and I met with a group of pregnant students at the local high
>school today.

<snip>

> We talked about advantages to the mom & baby, modelled
>discreet nursing, talked about pumps, etc., but they kept coming back to the
>issue of pain.  Two were very definitely against bf, and two were kind of on
>the
>fence about it.

<snip>

> I had expected questions about birth control pills, smoking,
>alcohol,
>sex, but none of those things came up.  Just sore nipples...

Cathy, I've done some teaching with pregnant teens, and they are a
challenging audience, aren't they?  :-)   When I get the kind of response
you've described, I remind myself that they won't always be teenagers, and
that seeds sown now may not take root until years later.  Perhaps at a
different time in their lives, they'll remember what we shared with them, and
a second or third child may benefit, even if this particular child doesn't.
 And, believe me, sometimes they're listening when you think they're not.
I've seen a few of the girls I talked to come in and breastfeed beautifully.
 And others, who chose to formula feed, were still eager to show me their
babies, so I know they weren't totally turned off--they really do want to do
well, and I think they do the best they can at the time, just like most of
the rest of us.

Judy D in WV