The mother of a baby under three months is unlikely to be exclusively breastfeeding; even if she were, that baby would probably require supplementation because of the reversion to colostrum and the reduction in milk production. However, the likelihood (at population level) of pregnancy in the first six months is <2%. In the second six months, it still is less than 50%; so pregnancy during lactation is mjuch more likely in the second year of the first child's life when nutrition is only part of the reason the baby-child is still at breast. Under such circumstances, the protein reationale seems unrelated to reality. Furthermore, the amount of protein in human milk is very low. Therefore, the fetus would be denied very little if there is any reasonable explanation for the denial of sufficient protein to the growing fetus. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% %% "We are all faced with a series of great %% %% opportunities brilliantly disguised as %% %% impossible situations" - definition of a %% %% lactation consulting service. %% %% Kathleen G. Auerbach, PhD, IBCLC %% %% [log in to unmask] Homewood, Illinois USA %% %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%