I was really hoping someone else would jump in and add this, especially someone from Illinois! (dee, that's you!) Betty Crase has done a conference session on this issue for several years and I think she may have done it at the 97 LLLI and 99 LLLI conferences. It is an "elusive" figure based on assumptions and not truly supported by research. As much as I respect and admire Dr Neifert, when I read this in her 1985 book, I found the research or supporting information to be challenging and thought provoking to say the least. The 1999 article is really just a re-hash of this, as is the contemporary pediatrics article that she wrote several years ago. The issue is intertwined with Failure to thrive and many different issues can affect that. I"m not trying to start an argument here, just a thoughtful discussion and challenge that we NOT make blanket statements. And I will look for the information that I know is somewhere in my large stack of boxes from moving....maybe I'll even email Betty.
Mary Kay Smith, RN, IBCLC
Canton MI (my heart is still in Illinois)