Dear LactNetters,
     We've talked in recent months about the anti-breastfeeding slant to
several Reader's Digest articles.  The new issue (just out) has a very
touching story about a 6 year old boy who gets meningococcemia infection in
his blood and almost dies.  He ends up having to have both legs amputated
below the knee, but he recovers and now rides his bike, roller skates, etc.
with his prosthetic legs.  Very touching and uplifting -- typical Reader's
Digest "pull your heartstrings" kind of article.  Then on the last page, it
shows a lovely family photo of the parents, the boy, his sister who is two
years older, and the new baby in the family.  Wouldn't you know it, the baby
is being BOTTLE-FED by the father!  I was absolutely appalled.  Here's a
family who almost lost a child to a bacterial infection, and he ended up
losing both his legs.  Chances are good he wouldn't have gotten the blood
infection if he'd been breastfed for several years, or would have had a much
stronger immune system to fight it off and might not have lost his legs.
Now they have a new baby and they are risking the baby's life by
bottle-feeding it with formula?????  What are the parents thinking?  What is
Reader's Digest thinking?

Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Nutrition
Texas A&M University
(302) 831-8691

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