There have been a lot of terrific postings recently - love the pacifier stuff and the ref. on ear infections - anything out there on eye infections? Wish I could have a supply of fresh BMilk for personal use.. Am impressed with  the diligence of our lasses from Scotland as well. Everybody take your eyes off the monitor and give yourself hug. OK do it with your eyes still on the screen.

My feeling towards pacifiers is cultural, like the hairy legs reference - YUK. In recent years I have become more subtle in trying to separate the kid from the dummy (and they are not called dummies for nothing, folks). Several years ago Berry Brazelton gave a lecture here in Israel and told of how he teaches parents how to get their babies to suck their thumbs since it is a way of self regulating the sucking and comfort need. I just remember that the baby has to be on  his/her stomach and have the thumb in the visual field then the thumb is brought the lips and stroke/tickle. Sometimes it takes a while but it works. It seems logical that a person should be able to create self comfort and not have to depend on a piece of rubber. Some BF babies really need this and prbably almost all non-BF infants really need this because they ain't getting it from momma!

I seem to remember Princess Di using her finger as a pacifier. Dad's finger sounds great since it involves him in early care.

In light of all the venting about bottles,etc. I will repeat a true story about myself. Several years ago, when travelling with my girls (the 3yr old BFing frequently) on TWA back to Israel from NY, I was about to take my seat and suddenly saw a woman in the next aisle and I said - probably in a loud voice, "Oh my God, that woman is feeding her baby with a bottle!". In some forums it gets a good laugh, at a conference once I was attacked because how did I know that this woman didn't want to BF and couldn't. Sometimes you have to be tough.  I always say that I don't know what is worse the botlle or what's inside.

Don't you think we have exhausted the exposed breast thing? This is really cultural and I don't know how much we can change things in the West. I do think, however, that woman should breatfeed in public in a way that people are aware of what they are doing and consider it just as something part of the normal scene. Everyone doing it in her way.

I'd rather hear of 'strange places I have BF'd". My personal favorite is my daughter at the age of 2 going nuts in a crowed NY subway and me breastfeding her in the middle of the rush hour. It happened a few times and one of my friends said that it was probably the most normal thing going on in the subway.  Let's get back to the humor - we need it. Also would like to hear about what happened at the recent World Health Assembly in Geneva and discuss that as well as the possible results of the latest crisis in the UK with ABMs. It may be a victory for us but I do feel sorry for all of the parents that felt they were doing the best for their babies because they didn't know any better.

Countdown to KC!!

Evi