It has now been a few days since the initial posting about the John
Radcliffe statistics.  I may be wrong, but I remember the story being:
of 600 babies who did not take the breast, only one did not eventually
latch on and that was in spite of these babies being fed in the meantime
by bottle.  I would not be surprised if only 1 in 600 babies did not
latch on.  But of 600 babies who did not latch on all but 1 finally did?
I am skeptical, but can be convinced.  I do alright with babies who
refuse to latch on, but not that well by a long shot.  It is true that I
frequently do not see them for weeks after they were born.  If I took
only those I see who are two or three days old, I would say that the
vast majority latch on after a few visits, but 599 out of 600?  No way.

Jack Newman, MD, FRCPC