Ellen asks for a ref. that 98 per cent of mothers can bf.

There is a reference in the RCM's Successful Breastfeeding quoting '97 per
cent or more' and attributing it to the WHO 33rd world assembly, document
A33/A SR/8, Geneva, May 17 1980, page 11.

This is clearly a worldwide figure, based on women in all sorts of
circumstances, but I would like to know, too, if it is an educated guess or
based on thorough studies.

I have always imagined (which is not very scientific, I grant you!)  the
'missing' two or three per cent to incorporate women who encounter life
events which may  undermine them physiologically  eg truly severe
starvation; extreme and life-threatening  illness; extreme breast/nipple
congenital malformation or trauma;  serious malformation or trauma to the
baby's mouth; serious illness or birth defect in the baby.

I find it very hard to believe that the oft-repeated dictum 'some women
just can't make enough milk'  is true for more than a vanishingly-small
number, if the women and babies are not in those above categories.

Of course we see women who find it more difficult to make sufficient milk
than others, and who find it harder to overcome adverse circumstances (like
a very drugged birth or a baby who's difficult to latch), and some women
who need a lot of informed help and support in order to get the whole thing
going.

But am I wrong in thinking that if *everything* in the social and physical
environment  was right for a healthy mother and baby, the success of bf
would be close on 100 per cent?  Now that would be Utopia  : )

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc Newcastle upon Tyne UK