The age and activity of the child in question is a key issue. Some babies
will sit and stare lovingly at mom for hours on end. I had one of those
kind - and usually they're not the problem, even when they get a bit older.
I found the hardest decisions were forced upon me when the kids were at the
stage when they're too big to take, but to little to leave. (One of my
nurslings got stuck in a "pterodactyl" stage, complete with joyous
screeching, around 5 months.)

If the child is difficult to take but also difficult to leave, IMHO the
answer to that particular dilemma is: make a choice. The child will only be
little once. There will always be another conference.

At some periods of our lives, we simply have to make a choice between family
needs and professional opportunities. Might be a hard-to-take toddler. Or a
needy father-in-law. Or a personal illness. Or a school graduation,
promotion party, husband's job triggering a move to Texas, Uncle Ed visiting
from Boston..... life is all about priorities. That's life.

I worry about those who would claim to "support breastfeeding"
professionally but not tolerate breastfeeding mothers and babies in their
presence while learning about those exact same mothers and babies.

Linda J. Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC
Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre
Dayton, OH USA
http://www.bflrc.com

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