Thanks for your kind words, Cathy.  Bf sure is more than just feeding.  Just
for fun, I've been making a list of what else breastfeeding is besides
feeding.  Like, what ARE mother and baby doing when they bf?

They are taking care of each other: mother soothing baby by providing
something to suck on, baby relieving pressure in mom's breasts.

They are communicating, even a message as simple as "I'm OK, you're OK."  Or
"I'm glad you're here."  Or "Here I am."

Sometimes they are playing and grooming each other.  Mom strokes and pats
baby.  Baby sticks fingers up mom's nose, plays with nearby objects.

They are testing and setting limits:  Mom says, "Don't do that! [stick your
fingers up my nose]"

They are teaching and learning: vocal and verbal communication, as in
lullabies, babies' nursing groans and moans, language, baby listening in on
mom's conversations with other people and on the telephone.

They are doing work: mom is producing a foodstuff, baby is assisting (if he
didn't nurse the milk out, she'd have to express it).

They are doing something pleasurable--at least for most dyads much of the
time.

They are sharing pathogens and friendly germs and antibodies: baby sends a
message to mom's lymphoid tissue, "I met this bug today in day care." and mom
sends back the equipment to deal with the bug he met yesterday.  Meanwhile,
mom also sends a defense kit for the bug she met today at work, "Watch out
for this suspicious character, sweetie..."

They are doing family planning: the baby is sending a message to mom's
ovaries, "We don't need another baby yet!  I'm still the baby!"  Mom is
conserving iron and rebuilding her body stores of nutrients for the next
pregnancy.

They are exchanging body heat---mom's chest and breasts rise in skin
temperature, and so baby can conserve calories for growth instead of spending
them keeping warm.

They are resting---baby can tune out stimuli from the environment, and so can
mom under oxytocin's influence.  Also, they are usually sitting or lying
down, and that is conducive to resting.

They are getting mellow and sleepy and satiated together under the influence
of CCK, which both of them produce while suckling....

Can we go on?  What ideas can LactNetters add to this list?

.

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