Kathleen, I do hope you know that I was stating something simplistically for lactnet and not in the way that I would say to a parent. The times I have used this analogy have been in response to a grandparent or parent stating that BF seems more complicated than expected (for all the reasons you say). They may also be picturing poking a bottle in a babies mouth and sitting in front of the TV for all I know! We have at least another generation to educate before there are moms in the west who grew up with the exposure to normal baby care and babies who were not messed with. tracy -----Original Message----- From: Kathleen G. Auerbach, PhD, IBCLC [SMTP:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2000 8:38 AM Subject: bikes and trikes I rarely have an opportunity to participate in LACTNET discussions these days, but the analogy to learning to ride a bike or trike punched several o fmy buttons. So sorry is this is lengthier than people would prefer. Suggesting that bottle-feeding is easier for a baby ignores how babies were meant to be fed (by Nature) and probably derives from an incomplete understanding of what babies have practiced in utero as it relates to suckling. My understanding suggests that babies NOT INTERFERED WITH will, in most cases, take to breastfeeding as if they were born to it. Becuase they were! Now, in developed countries it seems to me that the LACK of good breastfeeding assistance (and in fact discouragement from a variety of sectors) for many years may have created a situation where it is the WOMEN who have trouble learning what to do: here that analogy to bikes and trikes might be more relevant. That I can live with. However, if one looks at women who have always been surrounded by other women who have breastfed and the younger ones have learned about breastfeeding fromthe time they were young children and had eyes to see and a desire to imitate (as all children are wont to do), then, the need to learn on a trike first in order to go tothe bike also does not apply. In such cultures/societies, like most babies, I would bet that most women have little difficulty learning what to do. (This does not mean that some women might not do well--as in physiological incapacity to make sufficient milk--but that is a different matter entirely.) Enough already... What do you all think? Kathleen G. Auerbach, PhD, IBCLC [log in to unmask] *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html