Sandra Steingraber wrote:
>

> So--and this is
> me speaking here not the Dutch researchers--although we can breathe
> easy that most of us who have average levels of breast milk
> contaminants are not permanently damaging our children, breast milk
> may well be putting our grandchildren at risk.

I think it is the environmental pollution that is going on unchecked that is
putting our grandchildren at risk and not breastmilk per se.  No matter what the
contaminants in breastmilk I still have not read any evidence that any other
artificial milks will in any way offer any of the benefits of natural mothers
milk, nor offer the anti-cancer substances found in breastmilk which are also
needed to help combat the results of environmental damage eg increased cancer
rates.  I have no regrets about having breastfed my daughter because in doing
so, I have helped to reduce her breastcancer risk.

> This phenomenon--transgenerational exposure--has NOT been studied
> directly in humans, to my knowledge, but it is something for us to
> consider, I think.  No risk:benefit analyses of breastfeeding taking
> this possibility into account, but mothers, who tend to take a longer
> view of child health and safety than scientific researchers with
> grant proposal deadlines and publications needs, might well do so.  I
> know that I look at my own 2.5 year-old nursling and wonder and worry
> about her reproductive future.

As someone once said before if breastmilk is too dangerous for our infants then
it won't be long before the human body is too polluted to sustain a healthy
pregnancy.  Bye bye human race.  There is a lot at stake here.

It is not soley a breastmilk issue, it is more an environmental one and I don't
feel comfortable with the idea that breastfeeding is harmful when the
alternatives are proven to be so.  With environmental pollution so high, it is
only a short matter of time before all food stuffs have some contaminants in
them too, if they haven't already.

The emphasis shouldn't be "Oh no, there are pollutants in breastmilk, for the
sake of our children and grandchildren, is it safe to breastfeed?!"  it really
should be "Oh no, the environmental pollutants are getting into breastmilk, for
the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must reduce pollution and clean
the environment!".

Gitte

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