Does someone in the US want to follow up with the author of the original 
piece. It seems that safe levels in water are way, way lower than what the 
mothers in this study were given. 
http://www.epa.gov/safewater/contaminants/index.html
I hate to think that some mums might stop breastfeeding because they can buy 
safe water to make up formula for their babies.
Karleen Gribble
Australia



> Does increased nitrate ingestion elevate nitrate levels in human milk? 
> *Arch
> Pediatr Adolesc Med*, 150(3):311-314.
>
> OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the nitrate content of human milk is
> influenced by maternal ingestion of water containing elevated nitrate
> levels. DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized, volunteer study. SETTING:
> Clinical Research Center at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics,
> Iowa City. PATIENTS: Twenty healthy lactating women with infants older 
> than
> 6 months. INTERVENTIONS: The mothers were asked to consume a minimum of 
> 1500
> mL of water containing 0 mg of nitrate per liter on day 1, 45 mg on day 2,
> and 100 mg on day 3 in addition to consuming and recording their dietary
> intake. Breast-feeding was permitted during days 1 and 2, but milk was
> expressed on day 3 and the infants were given alternate food sources. 
> After
> each 24-hour study day, maternal urine and milk samples were collected and
> frozen. A modified cadmium column reduction method was used to determine
> spot urinary and milk nitrate content. RESULTS: The meant total nitrate
> intake from diet and water on days 1,2, and 3, respectively, was 46.6, 
> 168.1,
> and 272.0 mg. Spot urine nitrate content on days 1, 2, and 3, 
> respectively,
> was 36.0, 66.0, and 84.0 mg. Nitrate concentration of human milk on days
> 1,2, and 3, respectively, was 4.4, 5.1 and 5.2 mg/L. CONCLUSION: Women who
> consume water with a nitrate concentration of 100 mg/L or less do not
> produce milk with elevated nitrate levels.
>
>
>
> Karleen mentions
>>
>> High  levels of nitrates can impair the body's ability to absorb oxygen =
>> in  blood, leading to serious health effects. Infants fed formula or =
>> breast  milk high in nitrates can develop "blue baby syndrome," a =
>> condition that  can lead to coma or death.>>
>> *********************************************************************
>> I have a very hard time believing there would be nitrates in  breastmilk
>> high
>> enough to cause a problem for the baby without there being a  problem for
>> the
>> mom.  It can occur in formula fed infants whose formula is  mixed with
>> well
>> water that comes from a well in which lots of nitrates seep into  the
>> ground
>> from fertilizers.   Another one of the reasons we recommend  that IF
>> someone HAS
>> to use formula, they either use ready to feed or mix with  distilled 
>> water
>> which also will not upset the *careful* calibration (TIC) of  minerals 
>> the
>> formula companies put in the formula.
>>
>> Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC
>>
>>
>
>
> -- 
> Karen G (the Gromada one)
> 513-325-2550(C)
> www.karengromada.com/
>
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