Just a quick observation about some of the studies that suggest the
inadequacy of preterm milk.  A paper that I have seen cited a number of times
is called, "Adequacy of expressed breast milk for early growth of preterm
infants," by DP Davies in Archives of Disease in Childhood, Vol 52, 296-301l
1977.  The comparison is between expressed breast milk and cow's milk
formula.

One of the things that interested me in the patents on human milk fortifiers
is that one of the problems with human milk is that the fat adheres to
feeding tube surfaces.  Formula's have the same problem which is somewhat
resolved by adding emulsifiers..like lecithin (soy-based product and most
likely gmo'd nowadays).  So the question I have to pose:  is the inadequacy
of growth for preterms on expressed breastmilk alone a reflection of the
inadequacy of breastmilk or in the "delivery" system--the feeding tubes?  If
preterm infants could be fed at the breast, would growth be better?  The
human breast and nipple are quite the amazing delivery system--the fat
doesn't usually adhere to the tubes and is ejected directly to the infant. If
a preterm infant can open his or her mouth,  why can't we stick a human
nipple in it?  Why is plastic better, safer? Yes I know these babies are on
alot of monitors and have more tubes running in and out of them.  Pamela
Morrison's post on preterm infants and their success at having adequate
growth on human milk alone seems worth looking at closely.  Maybe the problem
is in the delivery system--plastic tubing.
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html