> > * Family influences - esp the grandmother of the baby, who may have
> > "successfully" reared 4 - 10 children in the 60's or 70's.

Jo-Anne asked me to elaborate.  I don't have any data on this.  As I said,
this was one of  postulated reasons for a new mother to abandon her goal to
breastfeed exclusively for 6 months.  The nurses at the clinic (mostly from
the same or similar communities) told me that the mothers are strongly
influenced by their own mothers.  While there might be a whole lot of good
(grand)mothering going on, I wonder if the folk lore passed down includes
information on exclusive breastfeeding.  And I guessed that the
grandmothers, having successfully raised children themselves, would be seen
as good resources - the more children, the more credibility.  (My own
grandmother raised 11 mostly bottle fed children - why would her family
thereafter consider breastfeeding?)

But interestingly, despite what the nurses say, I have never had a *mother*
tell me that she got the idea to use artificial milk from her own mother.
They've told me they didn't like breastfeeding, that they got sick, that
they lost their milk, that the doctor said to.....   So I have puzzled over
the nurses' perceptions, and wonder who is being misled (me or them).  It
would be enlightening to do a proper study on the influences on this
community.....but I can't see myself doing it this lifetime.

Jacquie Nutt
South Africa

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