Hi Robin,

I think high initiation rates are due to the fact that most of the moms that
come to the FBC really want "natural" everything which includes bf.  The
committment of the women is really high.  I'm not sure what the continuation
rates are -- don't know that anyone has done a study.  I think it is all part
of what makes the FBC attractive to a certain clientele - but doing things
"naturally" isn't as important to as many women as it was in 1982 or
thereabouts....

I mean, why have pain & frustration when the Stadol, the epidural, and the
bottle are RIGHT THERE - and so convenient, I might add.  I don't think the
FBC high bf rate is because we did anything special, though we did tell moms
if they were bf, that we didn't routinely use IV's and/or Pitocin after the
birth, but would request that they put the baby to breast ASAP (big argument
among FBC nurses & OBs always ensued about BEFORE the placenta or AFTER??
 Would bf cause the cervix to close thus trapping said placenta?? or would it
cause some contractions causing easy delivery of said placenta.  I think the
latter won.... and to think today we have to worry about if the baby gets put
to the breast before he/she goes to the nursery! ) to prevent pp hemorrhage.
 That might have helped.

Jan B.