The study that showed higher fat content in milk after a year was
interesting.  The conclusions are a great example of what happens when
breastfeeding and breastmilk are put in the position of being the experiment
rather than the control.  If those conducting such studies really saw
breastmilk as the norm, wouldn't they say, "There must be a reason.  Let's
look at why fat content rises as baby gets older.  What is the benefit to
baby of this occurring?  Perhaps we should be increasing the fat content for
those babies not receiving breast milk."!!  Instead, the assumption is
immediately that the change must indicate something "not right" about the
breastmilk!

We know that breastmilk content changes to meet the baby's needs.  Premie
milk differs from term milk. I have heard that it also changes by season and
climate so that babies in a hotter season/climate receive higher water
content and those where it is colder receive higher fat content.  (Sorry,
can't cite a reference-maybe someone else can verify or dispel this
thought.)  I wonder if the fact that baby is getting other foods and being
exposed to lots of other germs etc, leads to higher fat content to assure
that baby is getting the immune factors and "brain food"  from mother to
make up for the fact that less of the total intake is from breast milk.



Winnie


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