"..as opposed to the possibility that harmful chemicals derived from
attempts to humanize cow's milk or soy liquids, from cans could be
transmitted to their infants via bottled artificial milk....
Judy LeVan Fram, Brooklyn, NY, feeling feisty.."

Go Judy!! Thank you!

I get kind of sick of the holy attitude towards pregnant/nursing mothers &
smoking! Yes, I agree fully with all that is known about the hazards to
babies from smoking, etc. I've seen the problems very close-up - so very
many health problems caused in babies & children, so much unecessary loss of
health and money and even life. Yes, I teach women about the problems
associated w/smoking whenever I have the opportunity. And, no, I've never
been a smoker, so I'm not being defensive here.

But I don't feel empowered by this knowledge (or by the fact that this isn't
an issue I've ever had to cope with in my own life as a mother) to use
mothers who do smoke as an easy target. It's just too easy to point the
finger at them and say "oh, how *can* they!?". Plus I haven't seen it be
very effective at helping women to stop smoking, which I guess is more to
the point. There are plenty of things highly detrimental to the health of
children that are portrayed as perfectly "normal" in our society, and
therefore acceptable - the willingness to subject entire generations of
children to the "mass uncontrolled experiment" of artificial feeding (or
whatever the phrase is - Maureen Minchin? Sorry if I don't have it quite
right) being one. As Judy most astutely and gutsily points out!

Cathy Bargar, RN, IBCLC Ithaca NY

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html