Jennifer-- I have worked with quite a number of women who experienced PPD and I have come to a similar conclusion (that it's a western world phenom). It seems to me that much of this comes from completely unrealistic expectations of just what the impact of a baby on one's life is going to be--the mother's expectations, those of her partner, friends, family, employers, etc. Here is who I consider high-risk for PPD: high-achieving, older first-time mothers (if you've run your life by Day-Timer for 10-20 years, the unremitting, unscheduable(?) requirements of an infant can be totally overwhelming, confusing, and frustrating; this lack of control over one's time is a HUGE factor, I think, and lack of community support just makes it all the worse); mothers who spend a great deal of time on clothes and make-up; and mothers who need to have an absolutely immaculate house to feel "right." This isn't terribly scientific, although my hunch about older, well-educated women turns out to be on the mark, according to some recent info I've read on PPD. There was a session at a La Leche League conference somewhere, sometime, that was called something like "Mothering a stone age baby in a high tech world." I think that's a brilliant title and says in one phrase why immersion mothering makes so much sense. It's a tough sell for new mothers (and fathers), however, who give birth thinking their lives are going to remain pretty much unchanged. I frequently talk to new mothers about their "new-normal" when they ask about "when are things going to settle down and get back to normal?" It helps them focus on the fact that life has changed irrevocably, that they need to grieve the old life and then start getting used to the "new normal." Such a fascinating topic. As I immersed myself in mothering I was so grateful to having a relaxed, laid-back mother who made me realize there wasn't much worth getting really upset over, and for the wisdom of LLL I was introduced to early on. Our LLL Group provided me with books I would never have found on my own in the late 70s--The Family Bed, The Continuum Concept, MotherLove, Without Spanking or Spoiling, etc., etc. It's encouraging to me to see so many "mainstream" books promoting what used to be thought of as an "LLL lifestyle or philosophy." And then I see the books on programming your babies to sleep through the night...(sigh!). Leslie Ayre-Jaschke, BEd, IBCLC Peace River Breastfeeding Clinic Peace River Alberta, Canada