>A mother told me recently that her sister in Australia was just told (so
>this is 3rd hand) new research has come out regarding a link between =
>mothers
>who use cabbage leaves on their breasts and their baby=92s becoming =
>colicky
>due to absorption of cabbage chemicals into the breastmilk.
>Having never heard of this I assured her I would do some research of my =
>own.
>Has anyone heard of this?=20
>Meg Kingsley IBCLC Dubai UAE

As an Aussie, I have never heard this one, Meg. Thinking about the
physiology, I would have expected chemicals getting into the milk to
be much more likely the case if mother *ate* the cabbage, rather than
applied it to her breast. How would they get into the milk from
outside the skin? Only very small amounts of anything are absorbed
this way, and then only certain types of chemicals, like steroids.
The skin is a relatively impervious layer, designed to protect the
body.

I am also not convinced that cabbage necessarily causes colic anyway,
even when consumed by the mother.

I would also be interested if anyone else has heard this, seen the
'new research' or has an explanation of how this would happen.
******************************************************************
Joy Anderson B.Sc. Dip.Ed. Grad.Dip.Med.Tech. IBCLC
Australian Breastfeeding Association counsellor
Perth, Western Australia.   mailto:[log in to unmask]
******************************************************************

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