Breast-Feeding

Re “Panel Kills Bill on Breast-Feeding,” May 11: As unhappy as I am that the bill failed, at least I take some comfort in the fact that it sparked discussion of breast-feeding on talk radio and in print.

Since it has been proved that breast-fed babies need less health care, it behooves the state to encourage women to breast-feed as much as possible. Many women who would like to breast-feed their babies are easily intimidated and will use a bottle in public for fear of being asked to leave a public place. Any use of the bottle lowers the chances of continuing to breast-feed successfully. I hope when the bill is reintroduced in six months it will get more support.

LINDA VILLATORO

Van Nuys

* Los Angeles Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa and many of his Democratic colleagues have been conned. The women rallying in support of enacting a law to provide an explicit right to breast-feed have another agenda.

My wife nursed our daughter whenever and wherever either of them felt like it. She simply did it discreetly, using the ever-present baby blanket for modesty. It did not require any special effort--indeed it came naturally, as she is a modest person. Zero skin was exposed and I doubt if anyone outside of our immediate party every realized what was taking place. Once again, the left champions rights over responsibilities. These women need only acknowledge they have a responsibility to be discreet and their problem goes away.

R. ROESCH

Huntington Beach