Susan writes:

"As far as I'm concerned, "normal" infant feeding has been highly disrupted for 
generations and we have lost the learned part of "normal" infant feeding on so 
many levels any way you look at it. "


I could not agree more, Susan.  What I find often happens when people, in 
ANY facet of life, compare what is the NOW vs. what they believe to be the 
IDEAL is that the reality of the NOW is overlooked.

Whether or not breastfeeding is natural, normal, medical, or anything else is 
not the point.  The point is, most of us on this list live in societies in which 
many mothers do NOT breastfeed, and those that do often run into challenges 
that NEED outside sources of help.  There may hundreds of reasons that those 
women run into challenges, and yes, some of them can be avoided with a 
more 'natural/normal' mindset.  However!  We are faced with a complicated 
life, in a complicated world, full of more, more, better, better, faster, faster,  
right now!

Allow me to surmise here...I think it is possible that the breastfeeding 
movement of the late 50's brought with it a hope that one day our socieities 
would 'GET BACK TO' what once was.  That, one day, they'd advocate and 
support, and educate women and culture to the point that they were no 
longer needed.

While this hope is admirable, it is essentially impossible.   We cannot compare 
what once was with what we are faced with now.  And we cannot continue to 
aim for a lofty goal of past experience.  Formula manufacturing and marketing 
is here to stay; technological advances are increasing every day; sex sells, 
and breasts are a huge part of that, etc., etc.  We must work with what we 
have, and take it from there.

Blessings!

Karyn-grace Clarke, IBCLC, LLLL
Gulf Islands, BC, Canada

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