I have incorporated the asymmetric latch and breast compression into my
practice with great success.   I teach about cluster feeding routinely,
believing anticipatory guidance is important.   I could be accused of
being a "Dr. Jack groupie".   I work within my American culture and I
use what works..

But, I wonder, do these practices simply help breastfeeding mothers to
compensate for our "abnormal" culturally based behavior?

How do we reconcile our  need for  optimal latches and breast
compression techniques  with Kathy Dettwyler's reports of casual, many
times an  hour, short (dare I say NIBBLING)  feedings she observed in
Mali?  What about the co-sleeping baby who self latches and/or  the mom
who doesn't  really wake up while nursing, she certainly isn't
optimizing the latch or squeezing her breast.  What is the human
physiologic norm?   Are our interventions just a way to compensate for
cultural practices that place so much distance (physically and
emotionally) between mothers and babies?

Your thoughts?