Carole:  A few weeks ago people were posting on risk-based language and 
someone posed the question:  "Why are all us formula-fed adults still here?"  
And Nancy Wight has so succinctly stated: "We are NOT fine!"  We may all still 
be here, but I strongly suspect many of us formula-fed adults are no where 
near as healthy now as we would be if we had been breastfed.  The Baby 
Boomer generation (those born between 1948-1964) is probably the first 
generation to be almost exclusively formula-fed.  Let's look at the health 
problems that have cropped up in the last 20 years or so, as we Boomers have 
all begun to age.  Never have the incidences of adult-onset diabetes, high 
cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, cancers, etc. been as high as they are at 
the present time.  Yes, some of this is due to environmental and modern 
lifestyles, as well as hereditary factors.  But most of us did not have the 
healthy start in life that breastfeeding provides.  I look at myself as an 
example of my theory.  Diabetes and heart disease are present on both sides 
of my family - I am genetically pre-disposed to developing these conditions.  I 
was formula-fed, as were my 6 siblings.  At the age of 47 I was diagnosed 
with diabetes, high cholesterol and atrial arrhythmias all at the same doctor's 
visit for a physical.  I have a pacemaker, which I got at the age of 48.  I 
believe that I would have probably developed at least some of these health 
concerns during my lifetime, but I believe the onset would have been delayed 
by several more years if I had been breastfed.  And maybe, if I had been really 
lucky, I would have escaped this fate completely.  A lot of recent research 
being done on human milk is focusing on health benefits later in life for both 
mom and baby.  Parents, when making their infant feeding decisions during the 
pregnancy, need to consider the impact of their choice on the health of mom 
and baby later in life.  What a powerful, and intimidating thought -  the 
feeding choice a parent makes today, will impact the health of their baby 50 
years down the road!

Pam Hirsch, BSN,RN,IBCLC
Clinical Lead, Lactation Services
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Barrington, IL   USA

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