(Amelia Bentrup, LLLL said: "I believe it is more important to teach moms how to protect their baby (ie.keep the baby snuggled up in a sling when out. discourages strangers from touching or breathing on him/her), good hand-washing,...and of course guarding the breastfeeding relationship is the most important protective mechanism of all...")

That was one of my 100 favorite things about breastfeeding: keeping curious strangers from touching and breathing on my babies ☺. it seemed everyone wanted to touch them and I felt so "germaphobic," but my children were always up against my chest in a sling or ergo carrier or under my shirt, so hopefully they built up their immunity from MY germs, not everyone else's!

On a different topic, I had a discussion with a new friend today: she had breast cancer before she had any children (treated with surgical removal, chemo, radiation, and a year of tamoxifen), and is now breastfeeding her 3-week-old daughter, as she did with her first two children also! She told me that with the first baby, she did try really hard for about a month on what was left of the affected breast, but it was so "shredded" from radiation etc that she gave up on that side, and has happily been a unilateral breastfeeder (or as she called herself, a "uni-boober.")since then. yeaaaaaa!!! ☺

Vicki Hayes RN IBCLC in chipiona spain

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