Well, as if the Prevention Guide article was not enough,Maureen Nelson sent me a copy of this article that appeared in the NY Daily News about two weeks ago... If you want to write a letter, an address is at the end of the post. "FORMULA FOR SUCCESS" BY LENORE SKENAZY Ah, breast-feeding. What could be more natural? Well, how about hanging upside down by your toenails, whistling Dixie? <snip> While doctors recommend breast-feeding over bottle-feeding because mom's milk contains valuable antibodies and nutrients, a plethora of problems can greet even the most eager nursers. It is the pain, first of all, that shocks new mothers. "Like razor blades in your breasts," says school psychologist Pam Reininger. "Hot needles," says Harlem Hospital administrator Deborah Williams. "I cried!" says Jeffre Gravely, a Staten Island mother of two. "I cried! I cried!" Most women do. "If the baby isn't latched on properly, yes, it can be uncomfortable," confirms Karen Goodman, Beth Israels's coordinator of parent and family education. But "uncomfortable" is to nipples what "damp" is to the Titanic. Lactation experts insist that proper positioning of the baby on the breast eliminates most pain. "Bring the baby to the breast, not the breast to the baby," is their mantra. They add that it's important to make sure the baby's mouth is as wide open as possible when sucking. And they recommend letting one's breasts dry in the open air for quickest healing. However, once a nipple is cracked and sore, waiting for it to toughen up can be excruciating. "I literally have scars today," says Kaplan, whose youngest child is four. <snip> But women whose babies never learn to latch on, or whose milk never comes in, miss out on that experience. Worse, they often blame themselves. Lactation experts warn against giving bottles to a breast-feeding baby becasue infants can get so used to the artificial nipples that they reject the breast entirely. But sometimes the bottle becomes necessary. "My baby latched on beautifully," recalls Reininger, whose girl just turned one. "She sucked vigorously for 23 of 24 hours a day, and I was losing sleep. Then, after a week, I was dressing her to go the doctor and she looked like a plucked chicken." The pediatrician examined the infant, smelled her breath and announced: "Your baby hasn't eaten in a week." Some women's milk simply does not come in. Some women get their milk but not enough. While these conditions are not that common, any women who suspects her child isn't getting enough to eat should be aware of the warning signs of dehydration. <snip> Breast-feeding can be a wonderful thing for mother and baby- when it works. But when it doesn't, there is no shame in bottle-feeding. It could even save a baby's life. END OF ARTICLE. If you'd like to let the folks at the NY Daily News know what you think about this article, their address is: NY DAILY NEWS 450 W. 33d St. New York, N.Y. 10001 Happy letter writing!