Dear Naomi,

For example: If exclusive breastfeeding is 90% effective (I made this figure up) in preventing ear infections then 10 of every 100 exclusively breastfed babies will get an ear infection.  Or if exclusive breastfeeding is 98% effective in forestalling a return to fertility then 2 of every 100 sexually active, exclusively breastfeeding women can become pregnant.  Sounds like a small chance but multiply that by a population and that is a lot of babies on the way!  I am reminded of my pediatrician tsk tsking me that my exclusively breastfed 6 month old was below the 20th percentile for weight and suggesting that maybe I needed to supplement).  She was healthy in every way, had never had a cold or ear infection.  I calmly told him that someone's baby had to be below the 20th percentile, otherwise, where would the other 80% be? 

Laughing and loving statistics
Stacy Miller-Leonard RN,MS,IBCLC
Chicago suburbs

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