I volunteered for many years to teach other moms to nurse -- that's how strongly I felt (and feel) about how vital human milk is for human babies. I showed up at the local WIC clinic and arranged to teach two breastfeeding classes per week. Then I started a support group. The moms could call me anytime for help. I also was a LLL leader and did several related things. I would say that of the mothers who made sure to prepare themselves well before the birth, few had any significant problems unless they had an unusual situation (multiples, prematurity, illness, cleft palate, etc.) Moms need information and support -- and if they are returning to work, they need a good place and opportunity to pump. They also need someone they can call for help if they do end up with any kind of problem. The lack of support and information is a societal issue. We owe it to parents to do better.

I had a pretty easy time because I started attending LLL while still pregnant, and read some books and watched other new moms show how nursing worked. I had moms to call if I had questions later, which of course I did. I had plenty of milk and no soreness. I made sure my daughter had all the info and support she needed, too. Both of my children and both of my grandchildren have been 100 percent breastfed. I am lucky in that my mom supported breastfeeding. She was one of the rare ones who actually nursed in 1966, when I was born. Few people were nursing in 1989 when I had my first.