SIR: Having breast-fed both my children, I was interested to read (BEN, April 24) that women who breast-feed are less likely to die of rheumatoid arthritis.

However, I was disappointed by the reference to "those mothers lucky enough to be able to do it".

It is a fallacy (albeit a much quoted one) that only 'lucky' women are able to breast-feed. A very small minority of women are physically unable to breast-feed, a much larger group say they are unable to when perseverance to overcome problems and the acceptance that a breast-fed baby may need feeding as regularly as once an hour in the early days, would allow them to succeed. If luck enters into the matter, it is the luck of having a supportive partner, family, friends, midwife, health visitor etc who encourage a woman and reassure her that she can breast-feed. Comments like those I read condone giving up breast-feeding and undermine the achievements of those who have successfully breast-fed. No wonder Britain has one of the lowest rates of breast-feeding in the world.

Mrs Helen Bott

St Leonard's Avenue, Lostock, Bolton

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