<<the US has the 2nd highest infant mortality rate in the developed world >>

Wow! It's improving! I thought we had the WORST infant mortality rate in the
developed world.

According to the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) 2007 estimates, the US
ranks 180 (6.37 deaths per 1000 live births) with 221 (Singapore) being the
best with 2.3 infant deaths per 1000 live births). 

The US census bureau lists the US at 42 at 6.4/1000 behind Singapore at
2.3/1000. 

According to CNN (news agency): American babies are three times more likely
to die in their first month as children born in Japan, and newborn mortality
is 2.5 times higher in the United States than in Finland, Iceland or Norway,
Save the Children researchers found.

Who is it who does the continuum of acceptance? First there is ridicule (I
can't believe ANYONE would be so stupid to do something so dangerous!!
Hahaha!!) Then there is fear (Oh, my GOSH! You are at risk! You are going to
DIE! You are going to KILL YOUR BABY!!) Then, there is finally acceptance
(You're right. What you are doing is safe.)

We, in the US, are experiencing the fear stage. The claim is fear for our
safety, but the real fear is for someone to expose that the Emperor is
wearing no clothes. Someday, it will become acceptance, but not until there
is a huge fight, uprising, or whatever it takes.

Locally, the obstetric head of the local hospital admitted on tv that many
of the midwifery practices dating back thousands of years are proving to be
safe and effective. Hmmm, what will that do for his practice? Probably not a
whole lot of good, until he hires a Certified Nurse Midwife, like his
competitor has!

If there is such an upswelling of disgruntled mothers, dying babies, working
to turn the obstetric Titanic, do we not expect the breastfeeding Titanic to
being to turn? I see fear in ACOG as being a HUGE feather in the mother cap.
If mothers were not pressuring obstetrics with $$$, nobody would be
listening.

Best wishes,
Sam
Waiting to be called into work with the ice storm...

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome