Kathy D says: "If we are interested in what "normal" range of variation is
for humans in
terms of when babies sleep through the night on a regular basis (however
defined), that research needs to be done with breastfed, co-sleeping babies,"

Yes, that and that alone will give us a biological, physiological picture
of the norm.

But breastfeeding is a social and cultural act.  It has always been thus,
surely.  It is more than the sum of its  biological  and physiological
parts.

We need to know if bf does, and  can, and by how much, adapt and survive
when social and cultural restrictions (and they are almost always
*restrictions*) are placed upon it.

We know, empirically, that some modern cultural and social restrictions
*are not good for bf*...eg timing and limiting of feeding frequency,
introduction of other foods and fluids.  Yet in some *individual cases*, bf
adapts and survives despite these restrictions. In general, we  know,
however, and again empirically,  that bf stands the best chance of
surviving when it is carried out as close to the physiological and
biological norm as possible, especially at first.

But in the West, no one - okay, hardly anyone! - breastfeeds as we 'should do'.

Hardly anyone gives birth in a supportive, loving unmedicated way in
familiar surroundings (even our homes are not 'normal' biologically...).
Even the ones who do give birth in this way have expert knowledge about
cleanliness and basic safety etc, and their act of birth is also subject to
cultural and social expectations.

Hardly anyone carries her baby all the time, and sleeps with her baby, and
feeds her baby several times an hour without ever thinking about it as 'a
feed' ...for months and then, with some changes, for  years.

We can mimic some of that, sometimes with enormous effort, but it is very
hard to duplicate it.

We need the research not just on 'normal physiological bf' but the sort of
bf many of us do, and certainly the vast majority of our clients do....can
bf survive today's cultural and social 'norms'?

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK

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