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Lactation Information and Discussion

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Subject:
From:
Katherine Dettwyler <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sat, 2 Mar 2002 08:03:35 -0500
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Someone writes:
As long as breastfeeding advocates continue to believe in the social
marketing myth of the "better" infant formula, we will continue to have
infant formula dominate over breastfeeding.

I don't think anyone on this list thinks that formula will ever be tinkered
with enough to make it anywhere close to breast milk, and that's without
even discussing the issues of the breastfeeding relationship.  At the same
time, clearly there ARE differences in formula.  Formula today is much
better than it was 30 years ago.  There have been a number of instances of
formula made with too little of one thing, or too much of another, that
ended up causing major cognitive damage to children who consumed it.

In the grand scheme of things, breast milk is clearly best, but formula is
better for babies than fat-free cows' milk, which is better than orange
juice or Tang or Coca-cola, which is better than bourbon, which is better
than turpentine, which is better than strychnine.

If you care about babies, and knowing that there will always be babies who
are not breastfed (for whatever reason) you have to hope that formula will
be made less-damaging than it currently is.  It's all very well to insist on
being a 'purist' -- and say that the only worthwhile goal is to have 100%
breastfeeding for a minimum of two years.  In the meantime, children
continue to be damaged by formula.

Kathy Dettwyler

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