Dear Jeanette and other Lactnetters,

I have often thought too that mortality rates are related to increased
artificial feeding of infants.  I'm sorry I don't have statistics handy.  I
suspect they are out there somewhere.  In fact, I think I remember seeing
them in one of my major Breastfeeding resource textbooks that are now
recommended for study for the IBLCE exam.

Yes, Japan has one of the lowest mortality rates worldwide.  The last I read
several years ago, they also had a 99% breastfeeding initiation rate!  At
that point, exclusive breastfeeding and duration of breastfeeding was
declining, but still higher than the USA.

Now seems a good time to introduce myself as I comment on my experience in
Japan and why I would bother to remember such information.  I lived in Japan
from 1983-1989 (one month short of 5 years).  My husband had grown up in
Japan as a Missionary Kid and we returned to work with the same churches.
 Both of my children were born in Japan during this time.  Fortunately I did
not encounter difficulties that kept me from breastfeeding and I think I
memorized the _Womanly Art of Breastfeeding_(WAB).  However, I met many
mothers who breast and bottle-fed for many months because they wanted to be
sure their babies were getting enough milk, or were too embarrassed to
breastfeed in public.  I encountered formula company published information in
hospitals that was blatently wrong.

 Culturally there is no question there as to the superiority of breastmilk
for babies, which was wonderful.  I was also frequently asked questions like,
"Why do American mothers use pacifiers(dummys)?"  "How can American mothers
put their babies and young children in a seperate room to sleep?--Aren't they
unhappy?"  "How do American mothers get their babies to nap on a
schedule?"...In their wonder at how foreigners raised their babies, I
understood how they were still very much of a breastfeeding and attachment
parenting kind of culture.  I hope they keep it.  They trust and respond to
their children's needs and motherhood is respected.  Whenever I said I had
children, the response was always, "How busy you must be..."  I was never
asked--"...and what else are you doing..."  When I said I was breastfeeding,
they would always say "..that's why his skin is such a good
color...or....that is why he is so strong and mobile."   As I nursed my
toddler, many of my Japanese friends related stories of themselves or others
nursing into toddlerhood and as comfort when they got home from kindergarten.
How comforting and encouraging that was.   Nursing to age 2  in Japan is
still common.

This positive experience for myself and seeing some difficulties I did not
know how to help, is probably a big part of why I have become an IBCLC.  I
started a BF support group  with another mom the last year I was in
Japan--the year WAB came out in Japanese.  It was part of a larger group much
like LLL and used their information as well as some of their own research.
 Upon my return to the USA I worked as a WIC nutritionist in Indiana where I
learned about LCs.  I have now been in Ohio since 1991 and am a private
practice LC.  My children are now almost 8 and 10.

I look forward to learning more from all of you.  If anyone is currently in
Japan and on Lactnet or otherwise has a special relationship to Japan, I
would very much like to hear from you.

Natalie J. Shenk, BS IBCLC
private practice LC in Findlay, OH, USA where we have many Japanese families
with Japan based car companies.