Hi All, I find the most distressing issue on 'insufficient milk syndrome' and the 5% figure, is exactly what has happened. While Dr. Neifert's original intent - to establish that indeed there are women who are unable to produce sufficient milk for their infant - was good and does help dispel the myth that all women can breastfeed. (Anyone with any sense should shy away from any statement with all, none, everything, etc. in it as it is bound to be false). The danger, however, is that now too many women are fearing that they are among that limited number of women and by virture of their fears are proving themselves true. Not enough milk, has been used time and again, since the advent of formula as a reason to either supplement or wean to formula. Personally, I think - that it is the advent of formula that has forced this issue into the public eye and will continue to keep it there. You cannot tell me that such a vast number of infants dehydrated, starved or just died without formula. I believe those mothers turned to other choices and solutions. But of course, prior to that time, there was much more general knowledge concerning breastfeeding and less intervention into the birth and breastfeeding process. When you study the whole issue and weed out those who for whatever personal/social reasons do not really want to breastfeed, those who are true management issues (not enough time at breast or frequently enough nursings, or using too much supplementation which reduces milk production, etc.), is the real number of women who cannot produce milk or enough milk for the infant, really close to 5%? This issue also shows, what Lawrence states in her book, the real problem with breastfeeding, trying to narrow down and weed out all the variables to get a relible answer/conclusion. There are just so many facets that need to be addressed - the actual breastfeeding situation, pregnancy and past issues that may or may not impact on breastfeeding that it is indeed hard to get to the real answer. Or is it. My belief is that human history itself, shows that many, if not most of the problems with breastfeeding are not as common as we are now led to believe, just common sense would say that evolution would weed out those traits for the sheer survival of the species. Simply put we have delivered babies without epidurals (or other drugs of choice) and then breastfed those infants at a pretty great statistical rate. I am constantly confounded by the need to 'fix what isn't broken' in our society. But more so, I want to cry at the number of young women who believe that they cannot deliver without drugs or breastfeeding without problems. And to me that is the real danger and damage done by that pesky 5% figure. Getting down from the soap box now. . . I've wanted to vent those thoughts for a while now, thanks for listening. Leslie Ward Vine Grove, KY