>>Are the beneficial effects of this enteromammary circulation increased
when breastfeeding occurs at the breast, and decreased when mommies pump
and bottle feed EBM to their babies?<<
No evidence but decreased physical contact could have an effect. Mothers
should be very physical (licking, nuzzling, kissing, all that sort of
stuff) with their babies so as to sample all the pathogens the baby has
been exposed to, so as to start the process. If a child is any daycare or
hospital, those disease-ridden environments we take for granted, this is
crucial. In fact, Prof Roger Short uses a carved statue I gave him, picked
up in Indonesia, to illustrate the concept: it is of a water buffalo mother
whose calf is feeding while she is licking its rear end. Now we may have
problems with going that far, but it does make scientific sense!!!
Separating a sick baby from its mother is criminal.

While a baby is exclusively breastfed, there is little risk of major
disease from environmental pathogens. That doesn't mean no risk, of course:
immunity is complex. But when I hear of adverse outcomes for infants whose
mothers got live attenuated vaccine, I'd like to know are we talking about
exclusively-from-birth breastfed babies? Odds are no. MM

Maureen Minchin, IBCLC
5 St, George's Rd., Armadale Vic 3143 Australia
tel/fax after March 1: 61.3.95094929 or 95000648