A couple of thoughts about guilt and breastfeeding: 1) mothe's/parents have the right to make an informed choice. They are not informed if they are not told that breastmilk/breastfeeding is the superior food/feeding method. As health professionals I believe we have a responsibility to inform our clients and to work with them to overcome the many barriers which may keep them from breastfeeding. We also need to work to build support for breastfeeding so they have a place to get questions and concerns addressed. 2) I find many health professionals who are feeling internal conflict if they did not breastfeed. After talking with many staff about this, I now start new staff training sessions by talking about the breastfeeding rates in the early 70s, if they did not breastfeed they are not alone, and "you did what you did with the information available at the time." I encourage them to move on, and learn about how breastfeeding works, the benefits of breastfeeding, and how they can help the infants and mothers they are working with. Mary Johnson Mary Johnson WIC Breastfeeding Coordinator Minnesota WIC Program Minnesota Department of Health 717 Delaware Street SE Minneapolis, MN 55440-9441 Phone: 612-623-5400 FAX: 612-623-5445 internet: [log in to unmask]