(I am currently nomail on LactNet so please cc me if there are any
comments I should see.)

The October 2001 issue of Reader's Digest contains a "Drama in Real
Life" story on pg 97 about a diabetic new mom who passed out, lost
control of her car, and crashed into a waterway.  She and her
5-week-old baby were rescued.  The article essentially blames
breastfeeding and ends with the mother following her doctor's
recommendation to wean her daughter immediately.

Quoting the relevant portions:
"She later learned that her insulin injection before supper had
kicked in, lowering her sugar, as was its job.  But then hormones
that were needed to produce breast milk for Chloe's next feeding
pulled more sugar from her bloodstream - more sugar than she could
stand.  Under the spell of hypoglycemia, Laura's central nervous
system would have been impaired.

(After the rescue)  "Doctors confirmed that normal post-pregnancy
hormone changes, exaggerated by breast-milk production, had led to a
sudden dip in Laura's blood sugar, causing her to black out from
hypoglycemia.

"The next day Laura's doctor urged her to begin weaning Chloe
immediately.  She did . . ."

I think everyone must be aware of how large Reader's Digest's
audience is.  I hate to think how many people are going to get the
impression that diabetic mothers cannot or should not breastfeed.
Perhaps some Lactnetters with the right initials after their names
:-) could write to RD and urge them to present more complete
information about diabetes and breastfeeding.

Letters can be sent to mailto:[log in to unmask] or to You Said It,
Reader's Digest, Box 200, Pleasantville NY 10572-0200.

Margaret
LLLL, Longmont, CO

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html