Please let me know what you think of this, I am afraid it might be a little too tough...Catherine Family Circle 110 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10011 re: "What to Expect When You're Expecting" Dear Dr. Brazelton, While I appreciate your long-standing work with parents and infants, and your endorsement of breastfeeding, I fear I must call into question the validity of your breastfeeding information. Nipple preparation is no longer advocated, after repeated studies showed this to be counterproductive. An infant who is latched on properly has the nipple in the back of the mouth, and causes no discomfort to mom. Colostrum is present in the first few days after birth, in amounts sufficient to fill the walnut sized newborn stomach. This is all the food that the newborn needs, giving water increases the chance of jaundice; reduces the number of calories the baby gets; and can confuse the baby's sucking patterns causing painful nursings or refusal to breastfeed. I think a respected physician in your position needs to be very certain that his information is correct, as parents take your every word as gospel. This is difficult when the volume of research in a field is huge, as it is in human lactation. I would recommend the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine as a resource for physicians interested in breastfeeding. You can contact them at: ABM; address removed. Respectfully, Catherine Watson Genna, IBCLC