LMAO Dach - Esme hated chlorine boobie too! Also lactic acid-boobie (after a run) but i usually just gave EBM for those feeds. I definitely know a few girls who didn't BF because they thought they shouldn't wear deo and perfume etc. and couldn't have their once a week glass of wine. I was like "are you mad!?" but there's such a culture of science and "correctness" around everything nowadays - not just parenting, though parenting certainly suffers - that i do think in some ways we're told too much. Like take you Ryn - your DH has a nut allergy, so it is best for you to avoid nuts just now. I know THREE women with NO history of allergies in their families who are foregoing nuts, eggs and in one case dairy "just in case". They bemoaned the strictness of their diets all the time, and go on and on (often to pregnant would-be BFers who are now deciding to FF) about how hassly it is giving loads of stuff up for BFing.

I'm not into the "me me me" culture which seems to make out doing anything for anyone is a major major hassle and thus not worth it, but i'm also not at all a fan of "mummy-as-martyr" where (and i've seen this in antenantal classes (the one i attented), toddler groups and the weigh-in clinic at the GP's) whoever gave up the most for their baby "wins" and is thus the best parent. Insane.

ETA - Lucy you remain my parenting guru - you really speak my language!

bx