Regarding "trampling on cultural beliefs when they stray from healthy practices" ... we must remember that we belong to a sub-culture breastfeeding specialists and we hold DEAR certain beliefs that we believe are substantiated by "medical research" yet another cultural system. It would be of great import to gain a deeper understanding of ther origin of the avoidance of cloostrum... in the past did a relative nurse the newborn to "bond with it" in case of maternal death? did feeding from a well established milk supply allow for a better infant outcome ie, less jaundice, better weight stability, training of the newborn to breasts full of milk so that baby take to the mother easilt when her milk"comes in"? Per haps not nursing in the first 2-3 days is npot to avoiud colustrum...but to gain something else. Unfortunately, the ols way of doing it has been relplaced with a bottle of formula. All of this discussion gets back to my personal belief that ALL behavior has meaning, that most behaviors are meant to enhance the well being of the sprcies and that as practioners, we must tread with great caution and respect in the culture of those we attempt to help. Please forgive my AWFUL ..................................... Anne Andrianos, MSN, IBCLC 4340 Young Road, Syracuse, NY 13215 (315) 492-6437 [log in to unmask] spelling!