It seems to me that the current research that supports breast emptying
having a greater, more important role than we thought in the past has been
very well done and compelling.  I am all for revising our breastfeeding
tactics to incorporate new, well-constructed, factual research.  I have
added more attention and suggestions to facilitate breast emptying to the
mothers i work with from this important information.   But I am not ready
to throw away the idea that nipple stimulation plays a part as well.

Perhaps this is naive and short sighted of me, but I cannot help having a
feeling of similarity to the nature vs nurture debate.  We have certainly
learned that nature and nurture play a role in everything related to the
human condition; sometimes it is more the nature side, sometimes more the
nurture side.  I will be interested to see that if in the future we
revisit this idea of nipple stimulation as important to milk supply.  After
all, for all of the silimarities in physiology, every dyad is different.
What is the solution for one breastfeeding pair, is not the solution for
all mother's and babies.  This is one one of the realities that makes this
field so challenging and satisfying.

Only time will tell:-)


Charity M. Pitcher-Cooper BSN, RN aspiring IBCLC
...in a philisophical mood, having just finished "Our Babies, Ourselves" by
Meredith Small this week.

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