Does anyone know how many mothers are missing from the data collection on breastfeeding in the US?  Nina points out the pitfalls of asking mothers about feeding practices at 6 months (this is a turning point for many, so asking them at 5.5 months or at 6.5 months would yield more useful data). 

But in the UK, does not virtually every mother have contact with a health visitor, and do they not all contribute data from their respective patches, to the national data collection on breastfeeding and other matters of child health?  The US data might be skewed because there is not a single national system for well child care in the US, and there is nothing random about who responds to surveys about infant feeding. 

We (Norway), on the other hand, have nearly 100% uptake of the public health services for well child care, and we still can't manage to collect data on breastfeeding in a sensible, useful-for-comparison way.  I don't know why it should be so difficult, but it is.

Rachel Myr,
Kristiansand, Norway

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome