Last weekend I attended my first baby education class! I started small, with a seminar on taking care of newborns and breastfeeding. I learned many awesome things, such as: 1. My belly is as big, or bigger than pregnant ladies with due dates several weeks (i.e., 4-6 weeks) earlier than mine. 2. I should bank cord blood because it may be the only cure for my future diabetes - everyone knows that the pharmaceutical industry quashes disease cures to ensure their continued profits. 3. Listeria is transmissible through breastmilk, so the prohibition on soft cheese and cold lunchmeat has to remain in effect until the baby is weaned. Although I "learned" all these things in class, please note that only item #1 above is true. Le sigh. I did learn a lot of great things, especially about coordinating breastfeeding/pumping/working, and tons of handy tips for helping my wee one to sleep. I practiced swaddling, and even bathed and diapered a realistic plastic baby. But it was painful to hear the teacher say that pharmaceutical companies bury disease cures to maintain profits. Although pharma companies may do a lot of things that seem "evil", these companies are also made up of individuals, the majority of which actually care about reducing human suffering. Shocking, I know. And the comment about Listeria being transmissible through breastmilk is bunk, or at least never proven. Just another way to limit the autonomy of pregnant and breastfeeding ladies "just in case". Listeriosis infection is very dangerous for pregnant women, and can cause miscarriage and stillbirth. A lot of people I know pooh-pooh my prohibition on unpasteurized soft cheese, but the fact is that pregnant women are 20 times more likely to contract listeriosis than other adults. This FDA factsheet estimates that 30% of all cases of listeriosis occur in pregnant women. Now, far less than 30% of the population is pregnant, so there is something magical about being pregnant that makes us gestators far more likely to get listeriosis. Capiche? I haven't had brie since last June (sniff). But the danger comes to an end once this baby pops out, and then I've got a brie bacchanalia all planned. St. Andre - here I come, lover.