The ninth edition of this text is symbolic, in that Dr. Ruth Lawrence raised nine children beginning with breastfeedingeach one. This experience intimately connected her with the role and efforts required of a breastfeeding mother. It was this experience, with intellectual curiosity and recognition of the importance of breast milk and breastfeeding to the health of the maternal
infant dyad, that led to her persistence in the study of breastfeeding and the creation of nine editions. Over the years, several of her children have contributed in different ways to its publication, and now her grandchildren Madeleine Morris, Nathaniel Lawrence, and Jackson Morris have added their kind and loving assistance to the book and their “Grammy.”