Wendey says:

"regardless does the number really matter?  when a mom is unable for
whatever reason to be meeting her baby's needs I've found few comforted by
not being alone. "

Yes, up to a point Wendy. But from the point of view of health
professionals and what is generally known in the greater population, I
think numbers are important.

Why?

Because if  not being able to breastfeed  due to  'insufficient milk' is
thought to be common or even as high as 5 per cent, women who have problems
(or who are told they have problems, or who think they have problems) can
be told 'oh, you're just one those women who can't do it'  and instead of
being helped to overcome those difficulties.

The mothers I meet span the spectrum of totally normal happy bf to really
difficult situations;  we don't just see those with big problems or 'train
wreck' situations which have been messed up by bad practice.

I have probably come across 2000 bf mothers, and I can honestly say I have
never come across one single case of  true 'insufficient milk'  that was
not explainable by poor management, bad birth experiences and consequent
slow start to bf, sick baby, poor latch,  and all the other reasons we know
for it. Insufficient milk, totally out of the blue, with no explanation -
just about never (so far) . Mind you, I always look very hard for
explanations, and so  I always find *something*...; )

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc UK