Is lactation unusually susceptible to such?  I am not sure, although I think
that we are somewhat more likely to be discounted in our objections to "bad
science" or "no science" regarding lactation because we are perceived as
considering it an emotional issue rather than a health issue.  (e.g. the
recent idiocy from CPSC about co-sleeping)  In other words, I think the deck
is stacked against us when we object dispassionately and scientifically -
there's still an enraging male mindset that seems to pat us on our
collective heads and say, "Oh, dear, don't worry your pretty little head
about that!"

However, there are LOTS of examples from other areas of health and medicine
to illustrate that magical thinking is alive and well:

Although it's now well-documented that a bacterium, H. pylori, causes
ulcers, lots of people are still given a variety of dietary and lifestyle
recommendations and no treatment for the infection.

How many people are still told to go to bed and stay there after pulling a
muscle in their lower back, despite numerous good studies in recent years
showing that inactivity was *worse* than getting up and moving around?

I believe I heard on the news just a few weeks ago about a study that showed
that people recovering from heart attacks did just fine if their activity
wasn't restricted - but I bet that lots of people will continue to be kept
on bedrest, with very carefully monitored activity.

And despite the many precautions about overuse of antibiotics, I and my son
have both been prescribed antibiotics this year "just in case."

I think it was Denise Punger who mentioned a few weeks ago that one thing
stressed in her medical education was "this could all change in the future."
I am afraid that far too many practitioners miss out on that important
message, and continue to do things "because that's the way we've always done
it."

Mary Renard, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Vienna Virginia  USA

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