I've been following the thread on problematic BF in women with 'excessive'
weight gains, with some interest.

I don't buy the notion that 'obese' women per se will be unable to BF,
though I share Jean Cotterman's observations about the establishment of BF,
and to some degree, about the interventions in labor.  The latter seems to
be much more a feature of local custom (ritual!) and thus more subject to
geographic variation.

I wonder if women differ according to what their usual non-pregnant,
non-lactating weight is.  Some women are slim by great effort, but pregnancy
puts them back at their normal fat storage level.

I was normal weight for height before my first pregnancy, during which I
experienced a linear weight gain of a pound a week, from LMP to term.  I am
five feet short, so 40+ pounds showed pretty much everywhere on me, as it
was at least a 40% increase over my pre-pregnant weight.  BF was established
successfully within one hour of a birth which was by no means free of
intervention.  (I was on the labor ward for 19 hours, having obstetric
things done to me the entire time, and I managed to avoid a CS.)  I had the
benefit of my own theoretical knowledge, informed helpers, and no separation
from my child, who seemed to have read all the same books I had.  We never
had a major problem, ever, through our three years and then some of BF.

What this teaches me is that weight gain alone, or intervention alone, or
long labor alone, or even various combinations thereof, are not sufficient
to undermine BF if the necessary support is there, or if you just get lucky.
The corollary is equally true: a completely spontaneous, normal, undisturbed
labor and birth, and strong motivation are no guarantee for problem-free BF.
I don't know why I was so fortunate, I'm just infinitely thankful that I
was, and I try to repay that debt of gratitude through my work with mothers
and babies.

My personal experience is always with me, but it is my systematically
acquired knowledge and clinical experience which enable me to be of help.
Otherwise, all I would be able to do is say 'That's the breaks. Win some,
lose some.'

Rachel Myr
no longer 100 lb non-pregnant but still five ft. short

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html