Dear Netters,

This is probably going to sound unusual, but nothing surprises me anymore!
I have a client with a 6 month old baby who will be undergoing a bone marrow
transplant in about two weeks.  Baby is totally breastfed and in spite of
the Leukemia is quite healthy.  Doctors at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
feel that mother needs to discontinue breastfeeding after transplant because
ONE, "they need to closely monitor his intake" and TWO, they're afraid that
if the mother gets an illness i.e. a virus, that she'll pass on her virus
(along with the antibodies she's producing) to the baby but that the baby
may not be strong enough to fight the virus!  They told her that they could
"guarantee" that the ABM would be sterile!  I'm totally blown away with
this!  The mother is well educated about the benefits and protective
properties of breastmilk, but the drs don't feel that it's all that
important - in fact one CA specialist said that "all that stuff on
breastfeeding is greatly exagerated"!
        What I need from you'all out there is possible references for bone
marrow recipients and breastfeeding, any docotor's comments would be much
appreciated too, and if you know of any mothers who have breastfed their
bone marrow recipient children and would be willing to talk to me and/or my
client, please feel free to e-mail me privately.

Thanks for your help,
Nancy Ferland, IBCLC