Sharon writes...
<<Bifudus factor is not a bacteria. It is a carbohydrate found in breastmilk=
which supports the growth of lactobacillus bifidus in the baby's gut.=
This growth factor seems to be specific for human milk. See Lawrence's=
book for more info on this.>>
Dear All,
Well, this question has been *great*... really made me take a much
closer look at what I've been taking for granted. My clients and their
babies do respond to high doses of lactobacilli given to the mom, that much
I know for sure. But *why*.... While, as Sharon notes above, Laurences
book mentions bifidus factor -- that information is from a paper published
in 1953, and I haven't been able to track down any more recent research on
bifidus factor in human milk.
And then there is that other question: How does the first
lactobacilli manage to turn up in a breastfeeding baby's gut? Are they
harvested from the mother's body during gestation? How? If so, such a
transfer seems pretty non-standard routing for what is presently regarded
as an enterobacterium.
So, my current hypotheses are that either lactobacilli dosing
increases the bifidus factor in the mothers milk, permitting better
efflorescence in the baby's gut; or --more farfetchedly-- there are
pathways for the transmission of lactobacilli that don't fit into our
current clinical models. We have lymphatic, mucosal and vascular networks
in abundance throughout the six inches or so between intestines and
breasts. Seems reasonable (like the probability of life on other planets,
eh?) that there might be undetected pathways.
And yes Sharon, I do think that giving a baby a taste of powdered
lactobacilli as a way of reestablishing intestinal balances is *the* way to
go. I've just used the other route to avoid triggering criticism from the
WIC heirarchy. And since it a) works, and b) keeps me out of trouble, it
seemed a sensible recommendation.
Now as for Jean not using breastmilk for yeast infections...
hmmm... brought up yet another unexamined assumption. When my babies came
up with those rapid, yeasty diaper rashes (ah these Texas summers, now
starting in February) I just squirted breastmilk right on their little
bottoms. Voila, two hours later, no rash. I just assumed it was the
lactobacilli... but wait, it *couldn't* be bifidus factor working on the
surface of their skin, could it? Hmmm.
Shoot... I'm back at square one. Went and talked myself all the
way around the block on this one. Somebody want to lend me a microscope?
Well, Shalom, y'all!
Mysti Easterwood
Poke, peer & prod counselor
"The fox provides for himself, but God provides for the lion."
'Proverbs of Hell'
William Blake
***********************************************
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
|
