In a message dated 3/20/2 12:21:11 PM, bwc writes:

<< Betsy Foxman has a wonderful new paper out (prospective, longitudinal,
sample size of close to 1,000) that looks at incidence of mastitis and risk
factors for mastitis over the first 3 months postpartum. >>

This will be interesting particularly after just recently attending the
Virginia AWHONN conference at "The Homestead" (sent by my director as the
presenter of a poster on a study we did of early postpartum emotional
support). Bee-u-tiful resort.

To AWHONN's credit, a physician, E. Stephen Buescher, spoke on "Everything We
Don't Know About Mastitis": including pathophysiology, biology, incidence,
diagnosis,  mechanisms, implications, risk factors, and how mom protects
baby, ie; communication with baby on the cellular level so that the mom
provides protection to the baby during the mastitis event to prevent an
inflammatory response in the baby. I think the audience should have been at
least very reassured about BF with mastitis, if not *very enthused* about it.

His other topic was "Human Milk, It's Not Just Food", including biochemical,
nutritional, non-nutritive effects (immunology), and "the concept of human
milk as a Human Infant Support System".

He was so pumped up and enthusiastic about this subject, (if you think human
milk is just food you are missing the boat), ie; after explaining the
concepts, capabilities, and effects of human milk and breastfeeding,
frequently he would exclaim loudly "show me any other food that can do
that!!!!".

The overall message was clear that no other food can do that, or even come
close.

I have never seen Jack Newman in person but I kept thinking these two should
meet.

I was also thinking that his presentation made a good case for speaking at
conferences that may have some formula company sponsorship, which I tend to
be on the fence about, sometimes thinking 'what the heck get the message out
where-ever/whenever', yet often feel generally against in theory and
principal, ......BUT: This speaker made such a good discussion of the vast,
non-contradictable, *exclusive to breast milk* benefits of human milk over
bovine based milk (with the formula reps just outside the door at their table
of goodies), and he was speaking to a group that included some who were
hearing this information for the first time, and some who may have heard it,
or some of it, but were not convinced. After hearing him speak, they should
have been convinced. These are women who are, or will be, caring for future,
expectant, and/or new parents.

The alternative could have been that the formula reps were there and this
human milk promoting speaker was not.

Debbie Tobin
RN BSN IBCLC LCCE
Springfield, Virginia USA
In the Fairfax County suburbs outside the Washington DC beltway
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