Diane asks: “am I right in thinking that the biggest problem behind the whole debacle is quite simply that they chose formula-feeding as our biological norm?” As always, Diane is right about this… The thinking would change completely, from the beginning of any pursued question, if exclusive breastfeeding from birth were considered the norm. Then, if something “unexpected” was discovered, the questions would be different. For example: What is altering the woman’s (baby’s) environment? Is this unexpected finding protective in ways we don’t yet understand? (but should jolly well be pursuing…) Instead we have study after bumbling study sending chicken littles running about crying “Stop breastfeeding!” when the only sky that is falling is a sky erected of artificial feeding. I like to think that more and more people are looking up to see that the sky is fine but something else is falling down. Diane wonders what would have been found in the “little bitty” category of “never formula-fed.” Is anyone looking for this group? It is small. Mothers memories are what they are. Mysteries occur behind hospital doors, and other doors. It is extremely difficult to find with the sampling methods most preferred. Kathy Dettwyler’s survey of longterm nursing mothers is an interesting group, though it is not random. Interesting to me based on my assumption (based on years working with such mothers) that mothers who nurse 3+ years are likely to have nursed quite differently in the first year. [Kathy D’s survey group is a potentially rich resource to study into old age.] As much as I would like to see studies of children “never formula-fed” I would also like to know if the nursing was “by request,” if it included co-sleeping (night nursing), if babies were worn, the nature of separation, when / how solids were introduced, and of course if pacifiers or other artificial nipples were used. Once you find yourself asking such questions, studies about babies who were breastfed a bit vs deliberately AIM fed become nebulous studies of varying mixed feeds. One thing I haven’t heard mentioned is that some of those AIM babies may have lucked into a little colostrum before weaning first week postpartum. How close is the questioning? How accurate the answers? Diane suggests that in this study “the vast, vast majority of their subjects would have fallen in the [ever formula-fed] category.” Yes. In fact I suspect almost all. I meant only a short note, you can only imagine how my friends & family must suffer… Still, I hope those of you aware of researchers / published studies addressing the “never formula-fed” issue will post about such work. Susan Johnson MFA, IBCLC Salt Lake City, USA __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? New DSL Internet Access from SBC & Yahoo! http://sbc.yahoo.com *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [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