About this discussion over breastfeeding being the norm: Have you read the article in J Hum Lact 12 (1) 1996, called 'Watch Your Language!', by Diane Wiessinger, MS, IBCLC ? In talking about 'breastfeeding', we often list the 'advantages'. This gives the impression that these are 'better than normal'. In fact, they *should* be the norm. It has occurred to me that even the very word 'breastfeeding' is a way of *artificially* bottlefeeding !!!! Probably, people didn't use the word breastfeeding until 'bottlefeeding' became *normal*... Wasn't it nursing, or suckling... I 'breastfed' my first baby, for a while.. that kind of breastfeeding didn't work for me. I read the WAB while waiting for my second, and I discovered nursing...I had to let go of the world and civilisation and tap into a different part of my brain. THAT worked...! IMO, the incidence of 'breastfeeding' is closely bound up with the culture of a country. Imagine you are at a concert and people around you stand up. Do you stay seated ? Or do you suddenly feel embarrassed at the possibility of being the'odd one out' ? I bet most of us would stand. It takes courage to be different. It takes courage to find oneself and be oneself. In a group, we can feel supported. Civilisation for many people means denying our individuality, personal needs and sometimes even our feelings. It means fitting in with other people's expectations. It shouldn't. IMO, it should mean learning communication skills and working towards a society in which everyone can feel they belong. Even children and babies...sensitive to their feelings and accepting of their capabilities..Is this Eutopia..? Imagine someone taking aside a newly married man and asking him how was he planning to satisfy his wife's needs... Artificially ? There are donors who can assist? Thank goodness some things do not yet have substitutes..... Helena Boutal 'Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.' Kahlil Gibran