I'm 27 and live at home, my family and I are very close. How do I raise moving out into my own place?

It's time to leave the nest. I have it great here - free food, I pay no rent (I help with cleaning and paying for groceries), and my family life is great.

Financially, I have a well-paying job, no debt, and I've saved a lot of money for the future.

I don't want to offend my parents, but I need to grow up and be responsible for my future.

Ready

It's a normal step in our society to separate from parents and live independently, when possible.

If your parents' background culture has them thinking it's hurtful for you to make this move, explain that, it's a tribute to their good upbringing that you are financially stable, and capable of being responsible for your life.

Stress to them that you'll still be devoted, and interested in their well being.

Then find an apartment - not too close - and make the move.

I recently gave birth to my first child. She had trouble latching on to breastfeed. I attended all the hospital breastfeeding clinics.

The nurse said she needs some supplement (formula) while trying to learn to breastfeed. It made sense to me but my sister kept making me feel bad for letting the nurse give her some supplement.

My sister overheard me telling the nurse that my family was very judgmental regarding breastfeeding and pressuring me that it's the only way (I'm well aware of breastfeeding benefits).

My sister accompanied me to a breastfeeding class and told me how angry she was about my comment.

All the stress was not helping me. Besides, I was VERY sore from giving birth, and on the verge of a mental breakdown due to my daughter crying from hunger.

My sister kept saying the nurses were lazy and just wanted to stop the baby's crying rather than help me get her to latch on.

I said if she's going to be judgmental she should leave the class. Now she won't talk to me and has deleted me off Facebook, claiming I was rude to her.

A new mother has to take control of the situation from her own gut instinct and listening to the nurses was, in my opinion, the safest option.

I now formula feed and breastfeed as well as pump milk due to my condition known as "Reynaud's Phenomenon." It affects circulation to my nipples, which results in very painful breastfeeding sessions so I limit it to two to three times daily and feed her breast milk and formula for the rest.

I'm now losing my milk supply and the family's still giving me awful comments. I just want to enjoy my baby.

Stressed Out

Hand them the facts: Raynaud's Phenomenon affects up to 20% of women of childbearing age, affects the nipples of breastfeeding mothers, and is a cause of painful breastfeeding.

Then ignore and avoid judgmental people, for as long as necessary to get past caring what they think.

As a former breastfeeding mother who believes in its value wholeheartedly, I still say that what a baby needs most is a loving, un-stressed parent.

There's something else going on in the relationship with this sister and anyone else who keeps hounding you on this topic. They're more interested in being right than in supporting you.

Focus on your baby. You can deal with difficult family members later, if you choose.

FEEDBACK Regarding the writer whose husband was addicted to a computer game (Dec. 23 and Feb. 23):

Reader - "I'm an avid player of MORPHs as was my ex-husband. We used to play together and had a great time - until a friend of hers introduced him to another woman.

"They started playing together - without me. Then they were calling or texting each other all the time. He was never there when I needed him - unforgivable since I was his wife and she was someone he'd never met as she lived in a different country.

"After they finally met in person, their relationship died down. He no longer plays. This often happens in such online relationships.

"I eventually ended up examining the whole relationship breakdown and found that the feelings of isolation are not rare, nor are they unusual. There's a lot of researched information available on gaming and relationships."