Hi - In tonight's local newspaper was an article by the "Family Doctor".  I
believe it is sold to a wide number of newspapers - I certainly have read it
in various parts of the country - and is about nursing.  Please skip if you
wish (this is rather long)

NURSING MOM NEEDS TO USE COMMON SENSE
by Allan Bruckhelm

Q.- What can I do to make my daughter understand some simple knowledge that
has served our family for generations?  She is nursing her firstborn, my
fifth grandchild.  From time to time, the baby has a loose stool and
diarrhea.  My experience tells me this is most likely because of some dietary
indiscretion on her part.  While she is nursing the child, she must be more
cautious about eating spicy food that can lead to this problem.
She just sits there and "pooh-poohs" me, dismisses my advice as just a bit of
ancient folklore.  Could you please set her straight and help my precious
grandchild?

A.-This is a most delicate situation, for the medical evidence (or lack of
it) sides with the position of your daughter.  There is little to suggest
there are any foods that must be avoided by a nursing mother, with the
exception of too much caffeine or alcohol.  Excessive alcohol might lead to
low blood sugar, fatigue and lethergy in the infant, and caffeine provokes
irritability.
However, there is some anecdotal evidence, reported by nursing mothers, that
changes in their baby's feeding pattern seeem to follow shifts in their own
diets.  If there seems to be a pattern change after eating a certain food,
that food should be omitted from the diet, at least for several days, if not
permanently.
A mother's diet should include a variety of food, without overeating one
specific food, to avoid provoking digestive problems in the nursing infant.
 A healthy diet in a healthy woman - with the least stressful situation
possible - all lead to a happy, well-noursihed baby.  Alertnes to the baby's
action and a common-sense diet seem to be the answer to this problem.
(Write to Dr. Bruckheim in care of Tribune Media Services, 435 N. Michigan
Ave, Suite 1400, Chicago IL. 60611)

Comments, please?  I wrote a letter to the good doctor (not included here -
this is already too long!) praising his willingness to discuss breastfeeding,
mentioning foremilk overload as a missed solution to the problem, along with
a discussion of the symptoms of a true dietary allergy.  I ended by offering
to obtain references for him, and suggesting that an informative column on
breastfeeding, perhaps incorporating references to the Healthy People 2000
Initiative, would be a wonderful thing.

Did anyone else see this, and would you like to join your voice to mine?
 Please let the "Family Doctor" hear from you!

Donna L. Coe RN IBCLC
Syracuse, NY