Heather said, <<This constant questioning of the research into the 'benefits' of breastfeeding is tiresome.>>



Tiresome, and patently ridiculous. This never fails to tick me off. NO ONE questions whether or not there are health benefits for baby horses receiving horse milk instead of, say, whale milk. No one questions the health benefits or advantages of baby goats receiving goat milk instead of, oh, gorilla milk or kangaroo milk or for that matter human milk. 



NO ONE!



This is not a question we should even be asking - "are there" benefits to human babies receiving human milk.  Well...hello? WE'RE MAMMALS! THIS IS THE MILK OF OUR SPECIES. Once you start crossing species and giving the milk of one species to the young of another, adverse consequences can be EXPECTED.  It's as if we were to suddenly start feeding all baby cows strictly human milk, only to discover that :::shock, gasp, horror!::: maybe, just maybe, they would have been better off being raised on the milk of a fellow cow.



I mean, come on! Do we really think we're so special that the rules of evolution or nature or whatever are different for us than for every other mammalian species on the planet?



That this question is even asked is proof positive of how backwards things are. There are, it seems to me at this cynical & angry moment, two basic reasons these days why this question is asked about breastfeeding:



A) to figure out which ingredient of breastmilk they should next try to genetically engineer so as to put into formula and



B) to try and "prove" breastfeeding is really not all that great after all.



Option A is a lost cause. There are so many components in breastmilk they'll be chasing that fantasy forever. Good luck.



Option B is just as stupid.



::::sigh::::





Regina Maria Roig-Romero, BS, IBCLC, RLC

Sr. Lactation Consultant

Miami-Dade County Health Dept WIC/Nutrition

Breastfeeding Program



● 7785 NW 48 Street Suite 300 ● Miami, Florida  33166 ● Phone:  (786) 336-1333 x16219 ● Breastfeeding Helpline: (786) 336-1336 ●  Fax (786) 336-1302

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