Karen's musings seem to me to be on the track, i.e. the mindset about needing anaestheology for even the most routine birth, and teh effects of this on a) getting breastfeeding started and b) mogtehrs' confidence in their bodies' ability to lactate, since their body couldn't birth.
   While interventions have their place is certain circumstances, I notice an increasing trend to regard the intervention as the norm.  Some interventions (e.g. IVF and GIFT), useful in certain circumstances, still haven't replaced the natural way - but come up in discussions on the ethics of offering "designer babies" for social reasons to those who can afford it, e.g. no female babies, and so on.  Meantime, the mindset of expecting it grows in regard to such matters as: anaesthetized, painless (?) childbirth; bottle-feeding (whether with EBM or AF); pumping from birth; Dads as an "essential" part of the feeding team (more market for pumps, bottles and teats); and more.
    I've just gone NOMAIL.  So any replies to me privately, please.
        Virginia
         in Brisbane

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