The lactating breast answers the infant's mouth, satisfying the void that the suckling fills. Indeed, the mother and breast-feeding child constitute a different mammal altogether, a unique unit of togetherness. First of all, few women get proper instruction in the art, either from their own mothers or from their doctors. Everyone is so busy and frantic preparing for the new baby, that no one is preparing for the actual feeding. Instruction is sparse at best, with most advice consisting of nothing more than let the baby latch on and then hope the whole deal takes.
Work is the other enemy of breast-feeding.
Employment has expectations, none of which include a twenty to thirty minute break every two to four hours for breast-feeding. Failure outright is the final disappointment sending new parents to the grocery to anguish over iron, soy, and concentrate. Although true breast-feeding failure can happen, it is rare. Most failure occurs because of pain and impatience with or worry over the amount of flow. There are many hormones and processes necessary for milk let-down, so a new mother and father should expect a grace period after the birth for the process to engage.