Merfts of Mother's Milk

I vividly recall my grandmother telling me, when I was a teenager, about the phenomenal amount of milk my mother produced when I was born-so much that she donated her excess milk to the baby of a less fortunate mother. This, of course, is not at all unusual, since lactation varies considerably in humans as in other mammals. However, human beings are unique among mammals in many ways, and one difference is our ability to devise tools for doing almost any task, including feeding our young. Evidence of alternative feeding methods dates back to prehistory: spouted feeding cups have been found at grave sites that date to 2GO0 BC.1 (p. 2) Today, in the worlds industrialized nations, we have an abundance of scientifically derived breast-milk substitutes, disposable bottles, and other conveniences that make breast-feeding unnecessary. Why, then, has the practice of breast-feeding increased in the last 15 years among women in virtually alf Western industrial nations? In the first part of this twepart review of breast-feeding, we wilf examine some of the reasons women choose to nurse their children and some of the obstacles they encounter. Later, we will review some of the demographic data on breastfeeding in the modern world, analyze current trends, and consider medical contraindications for breast-feeding.