Hi All,
    I too have been in the position of "making a mom feel guilty" and
not "helping a mom with her problem" (which she neglected to tell me the
FULL details of). Just before I started a LLL meeting I was giving
statistics of the number of babies who die because of not breastfeeind
and the mom I mentioned second, tried to cut me off, saying we don't
want to hear those things - I kept going as it is my meeting, it was
before the actual meeting and the mom I was talking to was interested. I
have come to realize that there are situations worth standing firm on
and worth closing one's mouth. Sometimes I feel like I am selling  out
breastfeeding, but I realize that the other person won't even try to
listen my information or medical research. Many people just feel that
their creditials are better than anyone elses (even if like me - I don't
list any so how do they know whether I have a medical oriented degree or
not?).
    I just want to pass this on for Opel (and other's in her place) call
me silly, but I have always thought that the opposite of informed choice
was uniformed choice - not guilt. Why such the big deal? And I am
constantly told by the counselor I am seeing, that no one can make me
feel guilty - I do it to my self. Maybe medical specialities need an
in-service on guilt, informed consent and one on who is responsible for
the final decision on the care of newborns.
    Lastly I reinterate that in many (most) other medical situations,
most doctors will provide options, as 1) a way to protect themselves
legally and 2) so that the patient can make an informed choice. I still
have to wonder why, in 1997, breastfeeding is so lightly considered -
especially since the one who benefits or risks the most is someone who
has no voice, no choice in the decisions being made. Perhaps that is the
key to the issue, educating parents while expecting how vitally
important they are to be their child's advocate and voice.

Leslie Ward
Vine Grove, KY
"Let your eyes be offended by the sight of lying and deceitful men."
Hopi proverb