Katherine D.,

In a message dated 97-12-01 09:10:33 EST, you write:
I said:
 >ABM is a food product, not poison

Then you said:
 ABM is a food product, but anything that also results in a higher risk of
 death and illness for the child surely qualifies as a poison as well.

Now:
Babies have been fed a huge variety of foods, tea, paps, gruels, all kinds of
animal milks, juices, none of them being as successful at keeping babies
alive that are not breastfed as the current brands of "artificial milks" that
are on the market today.  I hate that they are promoted and so grossly
overused, BUT they are better than substitutes used in the past.  I think
that just makes them inappropriate and improperly used, not poison.
What would you call it?

You said:
 Breast milk is not just FOOD.  It is medicine -- natural medicine that
 protects the child from many of the diseases it will face.  Breast milk
 provides normal immune development, normal brain development, normal growth,
 normal bonding. >>

I agree 100%.  There is NO way formula can substitue adequately for
breastmilk.  But, babies do live, grow (fairly well too), and get just enough
of what they need on it that they grow up into reasonably functional,
moderately healthy, people. (at least I think I am reasonably functional)
  I'm just dealing with reality here, and the acronym "sin" just interferes
with my goals to reach more people and make them feel comfortable coming to
me, listening to me, starting to doubt the marketing ploys they have been
forced to swallow and act like good consumers. I want to reach these
people!!!!!!!!!!   When they start acting like consumers, and see how they
are being marketed to, and realize how much money these companies are making
from them, and their true motives, (money, not the health of their babies),
their attitute begins to change.  I have also been at this long enough to see
lots of moms come back and do a better job of breastfeeding the next baby
than the first.
Jane Bradshaw RN, BSN, IBCLC
Lynchburg, VA
P.S.  How is Miranda?  Tell her I said "Hi".