Carol asks about these topics. As to the first one about limited nutrition
in the early months and brain development,  we just have to remind mothers
that a child's brain continues to grow, both in size and in "connections" (
which are as important as mass) until age 7.  So if there is a slow
beginning, we can encourage her to breastfeed for a VERY long time to make
up for the possible limited feedings in the beginning.

The severe malnutrition "even if corrected later" would have a varying
effect depending on what the later corrections are composed of.  We heard
in Arizona about sailic acid, one of the milk sugars that has as its
purpose growing and developing human brains.  This sugar is very high in
colostrum and then slowly decreases until at 3 months there is a moderate
amount. (This gives the breastfed baby 3 months to get a big dose of the
"brain food.") In premies, the levels stay high for 6 months. There
continues to be respectable levels in the breastmilk.  I would suspect that
the sailic acid is there until age 7 when it is no longer needed, if a
child feeds that long.

The levels are much lower in cow's milk abm, and virtually nonexistent in
soy abm.

The infant's vital organs get "first dibs" on the nutrients and so long as
there is head circumference growth, there is brain growth. The severe
malnutrition that is referred to here is, in my opinion, not the
slow-gaining baby whose length and head circomference are increasing and
whose mother has an adequate diet.

Then for the damage to breasts with severe engorgement, I am working with a
mother now who did not breastfeed her first two babies and she had terrible
engorgement. She begged for the drug that would dry up her supply, but the
question of safety prevented her doctor from giving it to her.

Her present baby is breastfeeding and she has a bountiful supply.  There
was very little engorgement this time because baby is feeding often and well.

So the damage is not as sure as I had believed it to be.  Now, we know that
one case doesn't make a study, but perhaps others will have something to
say about it.

Pat Gima




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