> if I were a diabetic mother, I would not want my baby getting
> formula. I would want him to avoid the risk of diabetes that even one drop
> of formula could trigger in the early days (at least in theory). But I
> wouldn't care about the fact that it was only theory. I wouldn't want him
> to. I would express my colostrum for two or three weeks before the baby was
> due to be born and present it to the staff as I registered and say: "If my
> baby needs anything but my breast, I want him to have this, and don't you
> dare give him formula".  And if there were no colostrum, I would insist on
> an IV to prevent hypoglycemia, until effective breastfeeding could be
> established.

WHAT FABULOUS ADVICE!!! This is SO important!

The most recent research seems to suggest that the introduction of any
non-human protein (such as in cow's milk or soy formula) within the
first three months in a high risk child can trigger the production of
antibodies which begin the process of destroying the insulin-producing
cells in the pancreas. Ninety percent of people who are genetically
susceptible to Type 1 diabetes never develop it, probably because they
avoided the environmental triggers. So it is very important for a mother
with diabetes (whose children are, by definition, high-risk) to avoid
whatever known triggers she can for her baby.

I am not a mother with diabetes, but the mother of a child with
diabetes. Next time I give birth, that is EXACTLY what I am going to do.
And I am going to suggest it for all my friends who have children with
diabetes and to any pregnant women with diabetes I encounter. Hopefully
this will allow them to avoid the situation I encountered where my
second child was given formula against my very vocal wishes (shouts,
really: "Please, please, bring her to me-- let me nurse her!") because
she was hypoglycemic (from an ridiculous five hour separation). (long
story)

My child with diabetes never had formula-- now I have to worry about my
(high-risk) two-year-old who did. How I wish I had done what Dr. Newman
suggested. Oh, to go back in time...

Arlene in NJ
(with my hands full trying to convince the pediatric endocrinologist
that my four-year old should be on an insulin pump)

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