>Yes, yes, I understand the context of the quote.  But the article says that
>"smoking and breastfeeding is better than smoking and not breastfeeding" --
>in other words, you shouldn't let the fact that you smoke keep you from
>breastfeeding.  That's all well and good, but it would be much better for
>everyone concerned if the mother was told "You must stop smoking."
>

I understand what you're trying to say, but "quit" programs in pregnancy
have notoriously low success rates. Obviously, it would be ideal if women
gave up smoking prior to conception (or never started!), but heavy smokers
are addicted and there are many social reasons as well that makes it hard
for them to stop.
The reason that the myth was written this way, is that people are still
saying ...
 "The message that should be conveyed from this study is that women who
intend to breast-feed should refrain from smoking." Klonoff-Cohen H,
Edelstein SL. JAMA 1995; 274: 215. This is a reply to a letter from Alicia
Dermer about SIDS and smoking.
Of course, looking at this myths article now I can see it could have been
better. But, thinking of Winnicott's "good enough mother", I think it is a
"good enough" article!
Lisa Amir
MBBS, MMed, IBCLC in Melbourne, Australia

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