Hi All,
    In Naomi's post on the Pharmacies selling breast pumps and not being
able to/nor even wanting to provide support and education of the use of
the pump, this is probably one of the biggest problems we (who work with
breastfeeding moms) encounter. Trying to un-do the damage done by
inappropriate or improperly used breasts pumps, misinformation, wrong
information, inappropriate advice, etc. Our society is so mixed up and
unstable right now with confusion as to who 'knows' what, who is
'qualified' to do what, and 'what' is actually important, that reality
and what needs to be done - aren't. It is time America grows up and
starts acting like the adults they proclaim they are. Stop acting like
nudity is a necessity in advertising or film, and then going crazy on a
simple magazine cover.
    Speaking of the said, magazine cover, I enjoyed reading the post
from a British woman who finally got to see what the big deal is about.
Her reaction is an adult reaction. What is the big deal? Which of course
is what most of us here feel. What IS the big deal?!? And this leads me
into my final comment.
    HCP's and others who feel that their 1 hour, 1 grand round, or 1
class on breastfeeding, combined with their final degree gives their
advice or order, more (the only) credence over someone, who may have
been a breastfeeding mother times many babies herself and involved with
the working (experience) of assisting breastfeeding mothers for years. I
agree, medical degrees of any kind are important and recognize that this
person has become educated in many areas of human health and the body
that I do not have. However, just because I can not label in all the
Latin names the parts, is my advice on putting the infant to the breast
every hour in the first few days as a possible way to prevent severe
engorgement, worthless?!?
    The issue of all three of these is that the real issue is being lost
- breastfeeding. Why Wal-Mart and others who are not qualified are able
to selling inadequate pumps, the reason America went all crazy over the
Redbook cover, and the reason some HCPs dismiss breastfeeding and
breastfeeding advocates, is that breastfeeding IS NOT important in
America This dismissal of breastfeeding's importance and the value of
breastmilk, the virtues and rightness of it are given lip service by
many, and when reality begins to sink in, the big G word (guilt) is drug
out. Until this changes, we will need this forum, need to vent now and
again and still question as to what IS the big deal?!?

Leslie Ward
Vine Grove, KY
I must get to my cooking or we won't be eating turkey anytime today!