Callie Hornbuckle
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
As a new fan of yours, I thank you for your wonderful novels! As a new mother, I greatly appreciated your treatment of childbirth in Barrayar - it was refreshingly realistic for the genre, even down to the infant breastfeeding shortly after delivery. This detail lead to some curiosity about uterine replicators, however. Do those who make use of the replicators ever breastfeed? Lactation-inducing drugs, perhaps?
Lois McMaster Bujold
I expect lactation in the Vorkosiverse is a matter of choice; the hormones etc. could certainly be made to sit up and behave if personal lactation was wanted (by any gender, actually), with the tech shown. As yet another alternative, vat-created human breast milk would also be feasible. Different places and times would pursue different fads. In all, more choices, more conscious decisions for the poor beleaguered parent.
(I have had occasion to reflect that the female mammalian body is actually a device for filtering nutrition from the environment through to the next generation, both pre- and postpartum. Evolution, so strange...)
Ta, L.
I expect lactation in the Vorkosiverse is a matter of choice; the hormones etc. could certainly be made to sit up and behave if personal lactation was wanted (by any gender, actually), with the tech shown. As yet another alternative, vat-created human breast milk would also be feasible. Different places and times would pursue different fads. In all, more choices, more conscious decisions for the poor beleaguered parent.
(I have had occasion to reflect that the female mammalian body is actually a device for filtering nutrition from the environment through to the next generation, both pre- and postpartum. Evolution, so strange...)
Ta, L.
More Answered Questions
Kate Davenport
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
Just gobbled up the Physicians of Vilnoc. Thank you. But I wondered, when divesting himself of chaos, couldn't Penric rot a condemned building from the top down or kill and rot a tree? (a wistful thought for me since I have several volunteer maples I will need to hire an arborist to remove) It would seem less efficient, but also less fraught.
Jonathan Palfrey
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
It's occurred to me that, when Penric stays anywhere for a while, there may be a significant decrease in the local population of bugs and vermin. I'm no ecologist, but I've heard about the dramatic and unexpected consequences of reintroducing wolves into the Yellowstone National Park; perhaps wiping out pests could have other unexpected ecological consequences. Is this an interesting thought?
Lyn
asked
Lois McMaster Bujold:
No question. Just want to say "Thank you" for all the novels you've written for your readers . I came across "The Gate To Women's Country" many years ago and I've been a fan ever since. I eagerly await every release. I had a copy of all your books at one time but downsizing made me donate them to the library. But I've kept my original copy of "Women's Country". I reread it once a year. Again thank you. Biggest fan?
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Apr 16, 2016 08:58AM · flag
Apr 16, 2016 09:40AM · flag