Dear Ann Marie, Please take heart in the fact that most of us have been where you are now. And we all feel the same way about "let's not make them feel guilty." As you get more experienced in speaking, you may find it easier to give the message without arousing feelings of insecurity in the audience. Remember that "always" and "never" are words we should rarely use - there will be exceptions to the rule that people will be more than happy to point out to you. I think that empowerment and informed decision-making are good tacts to take with mature audiences. Younger kids seem to respond to the message that breastfeeding is the logical and natural thing to do - there have been some good discussions about this on Lactnet in recent months. That said, don't let anything slow you down. You are performing an important service to your community. You will, as most of us have, get a "reputation" as the local bf fanatic, nut, guru, etc. But if you keep the dialogue in the positive mode, behave professionally, and maintain contacts, you will be the one that others refer moms to when they have problems or questions. You may be always viewed as somewhat of a "fanatic", but eventually that will be accompanied by affection and/or respect. Too much passion may get you into an occasional difficult situation, but without it, there is nothing to keep you going on those rainy days. Hang in there. Sharon Knorr (running off at the mouth for some reason) Lactation Consultant Services Rochester, New York mailto:[log in to unmask]