We need to be careful not to assume that the "scissor" positioning shown in many sculptures and pictures from many generations is POOR positioning. It may be when the fingers are barely separated (hence the name, scissoring or "cigarette" hold). But many many cultures TODAY use this positioning assistance without difficulty. Why? Because the fingers are WIDELY separated and thus do not create problems for their babies in most cases. I doubt it would have continued throughout time, beginning long before people wrote down what to do or not to do, if it hadn't been found helpful. mailto:[log in to unmask] "We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations." Kathleen G. Auerbach,PhD, IBCLC (Ferndale, WA USA) [log in to unmask] WEB PAGE: http://www.telcomplus.net/kga/lactation.htm LACTNET archives http://library.ummed.edu/lsv/archives/lactnet.html