>Perhaps if she had breastfed her children, she wouldn't >have had five
>children in 7 years, and she would have had normal >post-partum horomones
>circulating in her bloodstream, and life wouldn't have >been so
overwhelming

The Infanticide Act is couched in somewhat out of date terms but I think it
is generally well accepted that the lines you quote refer to what we now
call post natal depression. I am sure every country has archaic laws [I
believe in the US there are states where it is illegal to kiss after eating
garlic!]. However, the state of medical and legal knowledge in the 30s was
pretty minimal [and if one were to delve into the history of 'hysteria' one
would see still more evidence of this!]
I can't access my folder but from memory of a case where a mum threw her
baby out of a 3rd floor window I believe she was unable to claim 'immunity'
as she was more than 12 WEEKS post partum.
From coverage in the UK press and from the link there is no mention of how
she fed her babies - I assume that in the US the coverage has delved into
all facets of the case.
Are you claiming that exclusive BF will prevent PND [which may progress to
psychosis]? I know women for whom
the 2 have coincided and who have pondered whether they would have fallen
prey to PND if they had NOT been BF....
Tony Knox
----- Original Message -----
From: "Katherine Dettwyler" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, June 25, 2001 8:32 PM
Subject: Lactation mentioned as cause of post-partum psychosis??


> From the brand new edition of Newsweek magazine, a story that accompanies
> the cover story about the woman in Houston who killed all five of her
> children:
>
> http://www.msnbc.com/news/591651.asp
>
> "In Britain, the Infanticide Act of 1938 allows women who kill their
> offspring within the first 12 months to plead the lesser charge of
> "infanticide" instead of murder. Such cases are extremely rare, but if a
> woman can prove that "the balance of her mind" was disturbed by pregnancy,
> childbirth or lactation, she may receive a much more lenient sentence,
> including community service or even conditional discharge."
>
> Sigh.  Perhaps if she had breastfed her children, she wouldn't have had fi
ve
> children in 7 years, and she would have had normal post-partum horomones
> circulating in her bloodstream, and life wouldn't have been so
overwhelming.
>
> Kathy Dettwyler
>
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