We must believe we can make a difference or we wouldn't be out there
doing it.

"never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"
Margaret Mead

Consider the environmental activists who have forced large industry to
consider the impact on our environment, the animal rights protesters
who spoke for the ones who cannot speak for themselves. The people who
spoke up against tobacco smoke being blown in our children's and our
own faces wherever we were.

We also have our mission, to ensure that every baby has access to his
birthright of human milk, ideally his own mother's. We can't let the
obstacles get in the way of our goal. Pat is right, if we believe we
can empty the lake, then we can, one bucket at a time, rose coloured
glasses firmly fixed on our noses, because we all need to believe that
we can make a difference, and then go out and do it. Whatever help we
can enlist on the way will be a bonus - AAP statements, research,
environmental aspects, WHO Code, BFHI, LACTNET, LLL, NMAA, etc, etc,
etc. The most important thing is not to give in. If the formula
companies arrive with homemade cookies and advertising, we can still
ask who funded the studies and why they still give out packages that
have been proven to have no effect. I love the LGMFM approach!

In my corner of the world...
I have fun at our health clinic. I exploit my position in the
community to the utmost and arrive with stacks of world breastfeeding
week and other posters and Family Project materials, assume that
everyone agrees that breastfeeding is the absolute best for babies and
make sure I go back frequently enough to see whether the materials are
being used. Nobody so far has been brave enough to query this
approach - or maybe they all support breastfeeding absolutely? Our
community noticeboard in the mall is sporting a beautiful "I'm just
trying to have my lunch" breastfeeding baby poster and the mining
offices even have breastfeeding posters around the halls thanks to a
friendly NMAA Counsellor who works there and management support. The
next workplace agreement will hopefully have a section for
breastfeeding mothers guaranteeing them paid breaks for feeding or
expressing. (these are already available, but not formally noted). We
have a fabulous breastfeeding rate and few major problems, lucky?
Maybe, or maybe the mothers here just have lots of support within the
community. Mothers feed their babies at football on Friday afternoons,
at Melbourne Cup Luncheons, at school assemblies and at church -
anywhere.
My family may be moving on soon, our position here is uncertain, but
hopefully the breastfeeding culture is here to stay. I haven't changed
the world, there was already a good breastfeeding culture here, maybe
I have helped to reinforce the message a little.
There is always something we can do.

I love a quote from Jude Kurokawa's homepage (where are you Jude?)
"here is a test to find out whether your mission on earth is finished:
If you're alive, it isn't"
warmly
Querida
NT. Australia