Dear Kathleen and all, Some mothers want to breast feed if it is "easy". I feel we can usually help make it easier through education about newborn's normal feeding patterns, I & O, comfortable latch and positioning, etc. But some mothers I have met really don't want to breast feed somewhere deep in their mind, and with the first problem see a reason to stop. Perhaps a family member or friend was pressuring the mom in the first place to try it........we don't know all the factors in her decision. Maybe she will be more committed with the next child. During lactation rounds in the hospital I often ask how long is she planning to be nursing? The answer gives me a clue on where to focus my teaching, if the woman says she is "trying it for a week" to see how it goes, I try to make it super simple and easy for her, and give a few health benefits for mom and baby. If the answer is something like a year or six months, the mom is usually more committed. I had a mom about a year ago who really was having some problems with terribly cracked, sore nipples, and engorgement. I saw her on a consult on a Sat afternoon, and was able to help her with a good feeding at the breast. On the follow-up call the next day, she said "I started bottle feeding last night, it just hurt too much." That clued me in that she already made a decision to stop, and I felt she wanted/needed "permission" from a hcp not to breast feed. I told her she can be a loving mom, hold her baby close and bottle feed, her baby had mother's milk for one week and that was a healthy start. Later I found out from the LC who had seen her inpatient that her two sisters-in-law had been putting a lot of pressure on her to breast feed. I felt I did a good job with this mother. I guess we need to continue giving information and support, and the rest is up to the individual moms/families. Susan Potts RN IBCLC Minnesota ___________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com/getjuno.html or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]