>> Thank you for your letter regarding the August story "What's the Worst
Thing
> That Could Happen If..." We have received a great number of passionate
reader
> letters about the breast-feeding issue. This came as no surprise to us as
it
> generated strong opinions among the editors as well. Ultimately, everyone
on
> staff agreed that breast-feeding is always better than not breast-feeding
(and
> in the article we clearly outline the benefits) but also recognized that
not
> every mother is capable of nursing for the 12 months recommended by the
American
> Academy of Pediatrics. There are women who are forced go back to work
after 8
> weeks of unpaid maternity leave and don't have private offices or
convenient,
> discreet stations for pumping. There are women who suffer from infections
> during breastfeeding, making nursing unpleasant and painful, and
ultimately
> interfering with the enjoyment of their babies. This article was for the
benefit of
> those women, who try their hardest to do the right thing, but are defeated
by
> circumstance and subsequently saddled by guilt.
>

Okay, I guess I should write an article for parenting magazines on why it
isn't really a big deal not to use carseats. Sure, we agree that using
carseats is better than not using carseats, but not every parent is capable
of using them every single time they go out in the car. There are parents
who can't afford carseats. There are parents who have a hard time reading
the instructions and figuring out how to install the darn things. There are
babies who cry and scream in the carseat, making driving unpleasant and
painful and ultimately interfering with the parents enjoying their baby. So
for the benefit of those parents, who try to do the right thing but are
defeated by circumstances, this article will reassure them that nothing too
bad will happen. Hey, my parents didn't have a car seat when I was a baby -
and I'm just fine.

Teresa Pitman
Guelph, Ontario

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