There's battle lines being drawn.
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong.
Young people speaking their minds
getting so much resistance from behind

Monday, February 12, 2007

The things you'll learn

WARNING, adult subject ahead. If you're easily embarrassed, or giggle over that word or the word titular, do not proceed.

Ah, the things you learn when you decide to write, especially for science fiction and fantasy. Oh sure, there's the physics, the strange way the world works, politics, the edge of science, historical references for the fair folk, how legends and mysticism work (and they can be very specific in a way to make steam-engine engineers seem like punters), all that stuff. Including this small fact learned at my writers group last night, that there are, in this world, lactation consultants. Forget the knitted boobies and other things with birthing and (how can I say this) actual life, Lactation Consultants. Like a business card title (of which I've collected many interesting titles, part of the day job) not just a job responsibility.

2 comments:

Dan said...

You need to check out the Le Leche League. (lalecheleague.org) Having two little guys under 2, I've been learning ALL about such groups.

We've actually spoke with one of the aforementioned consultants. Amazingly enough, it's not as easy as one would believe. Tiny people can sometimes have some real trouble 'latching on' correctly. That's why the formula industry is so big. It's just easier. Not necessarily better, but easier.

Steve Buchheit said...

Hey Dan, yeah I know about them. They do a lot fo things, but I heard about their org from promoting breast-feeding in public, which I agree with wholeheartedly. It's time to take some of the idiotic taboos out of society. It's life. Also, mother's milk is something like 20 times better than formula (not only nutrient rich, mental and phsyical bonding, but immune system benefits for baby and mother - btw, other little fact, a baby's stem cells can transfer to the mother through the placenta and will still be present many decades later).

And I've heard about kids having problems getting into proper position, etc. So I think some education is now necessary. After all, it's not like you hook-up breasts like you're self-serving gas.