Today I got a disturbing phone call from a mom who is breastfeeding her 20 month old son. Her husband kicked her out of the house when the baby was 3 months old and has only seen the baby 3 times since then. She has been back to court "about every other month" for one thing or another. Today she was very distraught because on her last visit the judge told her that she had to quit breastfeeding unless she could have a letter from her baby's doctor stating why it was important that she continue breastfeeding. She went to her baby's doctor and he told her "Just stop nursing, the baby doesnt' get any nutrition now anyway." So she went to another physician who said he didn't think it was important that she continue nursing but would write saying she should continue until the baby is 24 months. This woman is 26 with a strong family history of both breast and uterine cancers, and had a family member also die of a childhood cancer. She has had surgery for her severe endometriosis and doesn't know if she will ever be able to have any more children, and would really like to breastfeed her child until he weans himself. I told her I would write to all of you and see if any doctors out there could write a letter stating the importance of sustained breastfeeding for both mom and baby. She was so thankful. So if any of you feel like writing you can post to me and I will print off the letter and forward it to her. She has pulled alot of stuff off the internet on the benefits of breastfeeding, but the judge wanted a letter from a DOCTOR (because I guess only they know whats best for a child). I told her I would try, but that breastfeeding was a personal issue between her and her son, and even if the judge mandates that she stops (that seems so strange) that what she does with her son in her private life is her choice, I probably just wouldn't breastfeed in the courtroom or in front of the baby's father. Thanks in advance to all who choose to reply. Barb in Wisconsin where alot of doctors really don't believe there is much benefit to breastfeeding past 6 months. *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html