I loved Pamela's description of the high school textbook's breastfeeding information in Zimbabwe. In contrast is the health textbook my son used in 10th grade in Wisconsin, U.S.A. In, "Health: A Guide to Wellness," 4th ed (1994), by Merki and Merki, breastfeeding is mentioned only three times in 774 pages. The references to breastfeeding have to do with the transmission of the AIDS virus and with nicotine through the milk of smoking mothers. This is a book that covers good health, relationships, marriage, parenting and families, pregnancy, birth, the body systems (including the reproductive), growth and nutrition. I wrote to both authors, sending them information on the importance of breastfeeding, its documented benefits, the goals of "Healthy People 2000," the WHO-UNICEF and American Academy of Pediatrics recommendations, etc., and pointing out what an opportunity they had to help inform and teach about breastfeeding throughout the book. In reply I was told that space limitations played a part, that breastfeeding was too "political" an issue, and that including material on this might be seen as encouraging teen pregnancy. (The one author who replied said, however, that the other author was responsible for that chapter). So I think Zimbabwe is way ahead of us in this area. Feel proud! Anne Altshuler, RN, MS, IBCLC in Madison, WI