Bringing nature to the fore.

This article has two aims: first, to give an historic overview of the nature-nurture debate in relation to how mothers learn to breastfeed. The overview will relate how the 'nurture' perspective came to dominate our understanding of the ontogeny of breastfeeding. The second aim is to propose professional breastfeeding competencies in an attempt to integrate the 'nature' perspective within early breastfeeding support. These are under development and written with a view to stimulating peer review and discussion.