In response to my post asking whether anyone knows of research on the
effects of stimulating the skin of the breasts with a comb or soft hairbrush
before expressing milk, Diane Wiessinger speculated it is meant to mimic
what babies do with their hands before and during breastfeeding.  Karen
Gromada posted on research into different techniques used when establishing
lactation through expressing milk in which massage before expressing was one
variable.  Massage had an effect.  The massage was not described in any
useful detail in the abstract.  I hope it was described in the article
because what one person may call massage, another would call assault.  If
there has been similar research comparing the use of a baby hairbrush on the
skin of the breast before expressing I will be interested to hear about it.
If I had gone for a body massage and someone just lightly went over me with
a baby hairbrush I would not feel I had gotten my money's worth, but I
prefer more deep muscle massage to light skin stimulation, and I really
didn't enjoy the feeling of my children's hands, especially their nails,
lightly tickling my skin during breastfeeding.  To each her own.   
Thanks, Diane and Karen, for replying.  I'm still hoping to hear where this
piece of advice comes from.

Cheers
Rachel Myr
Still no mail but reading the archives regularly in Kristiansand, Norway 

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