Greetings!

I too have been lurking here for a while, waiting for something that I
felt I had something special to add to.  Well, this is it!

First, a brief introduction.  I do not put any letters behind my name,
but that does not mean that I am not knowledgable about this subject.  I
have studied extensively, taken the UCLA extension LE course (which my
family obligations have prevented me from finishing all the requirements
of), been active with LLL and done ALOT of counseling, for free.

My area of expertise is breastfeeding adopted babies.  I have nursed six
adopted children for a total of nine years, including one who was an
EXTREME challenge and who I was told by several breastfeeding experts
that I would not be able to nurse.  I have written several articles on
the subject, and regularly council women from all over the country.

Time and space do not permit me to give all of the reasons that I believe
the idea that any ABM negates the benefits of breastmilk is 100% false,
so here are a few:

I have never had a large milk supply, only about a third of what my
babies needed, yet their health has been more comparable to totally
breastfed babies than to total ABM babies.  Two of them, who were older
by the time they started recieving breastmilk, had chronic health
problems that went away and did not come back, once they started getting
some breastmilk.  I have also seen similar results in other
adopted children.

There are studies which have compared total breastmilk babies, breastmilk
& AMB babies, and total ABM babies.  They have found that the babies who
recieved both had more illness than the total breastmilk babies, but less
illness than the total ABM babies.

I believe that anyone who claims that the benefits of breastmilk are
negated by the addition of ABM lacks appreciation for the value of
breastmilk.  Such claims, in effect, drive many women to total
bottlefeeding, especially adoptive mothers, the majority of whom do not
have the option of total breastmilk feeding, no matter how knowledgable
or dedicated they are.

Obviously, the goal is for as many babies as possible to be fed totally
on breastmilk.  It would certainly be my choice, if I had the option.
But we also need to realize that some mothers, for various reasons will
either not be able, or not be willing, to do this.  In such situations,
keeping the baby at the breast at least part of the time and recieving
some amount of breastmilk, is definitely preferable to sentencing him to
nothing but ABM from a bottle.

Aloha!

Darillyn Starr