Hi Karleen

Just to clarify one point before you read the rest.  I do completely support
the notion of promoting the risks of processed baby milks!  I used to get so
frustrated as a NMAA Counsellor many years ago having to only promote the
benefits of breastmilk/feeding :-)

A problem I find difficult to deal with is the fact we know there are
inadequate supplies of safe donor milk so some mothers will need to use a
processed milk for their babies in certain situations.  I do believe I have
a responsibility to state strongly what breastmilk does for mother and baby
and the risks of formula.  Yet when there is a medical reason for the use of
a second rate product I have to find the words to explain why in this
situation it is the best for this baby.

I am thinking of the young mother I saw this week who had been desperately
attempting not to give her baby formula, however she had cracked and
bleeding nipples and was expressing only 20-30mls so giving her baby water
in desperation with the consequences of baby's weight dropping and a baby
who screamed all day.  I don't have to suggest the use of processed milk
often so I didn't have a 'routine' way of explaining why this substandard
product was necessary for her baby and dithered around the weight loss of
baby and the need for baby to have more calories than possible from the
breast at present.....  If donor milk was readily available in Perth for
term babies perhaps I could have been more comfortable with confirming her
views of the risks of processed milk.  I really felt as though I needed to
focus on the benefits to her baby of being fed but deep down I wanted to say
that's OK let's find some human milk because I don't think it is OK to give
an alternative however until we have more human milk banks it is better than
the baby starving.

I think what I am trying to say is that on one hand I feel a need to advise
parents of the risks but then what do I say when it is medically required? I
would love to know what others say to parents in these situations.  What is
'right' to say and what isn't?

Shaughn Leach RM IBCLC DipT
Perth, Western Australia


-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Karleen Gribble
Sent: Saturday, 9 August 2008 11:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: how do people not know?

Hi Pat,
I think that this is a pretty common answer, but really it describes one of
the reasons why breastfeeding is important rather than why formula fed
infants become ill more often. I would suggest that the reasons why using
infant formula contribute to illness is a bit different. Yes, it's to do
with depriving babies of breastmilk (which contains a hell of a lot more
than antibodies to fight infection like glycan decoys and lactoferrin and
white cells and growth factors etc). But then there are the active ways that

infant formula makes babies more vulnerable like damaging the intestinal
lining so that bacteria and viruses can get in easier and destroying some of

the babies natural defenses (like killing off beneficial bacteria), actively

making an environment that fosters the growth of pathogenic bacteria and
retarding the development of the infant's own immune system.
Do you think less parents would use formula if they knew this?
Karleen Gribble
Australia

----- Original Message -----
From: "Pat Young" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, August 09, 2008 1:17 PM
Subject: Re: how do people not know?


>> What would you say if someone asked you why using infant formula
>> increased the risk of infection?
>>
> I tell moms that breastmilk is full of antibodies that protect the baby
> against any germs/viruses in the household that mom and baby are exposed
> to. Mom starts making the antibodies immediately and that's why even  if
> BF babies get the same cold all her sibs have, it won't be as bad.  I
> explain antibodies like little pac men that gobble up germs/viruses.  Not
> very sophisticated, but parents understand what I'm tellingthem.  Pat in
> SNJ
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