To Valerie,

While I strongly agree that we should not be backing away from pointing out the many deficiencies in formula, I believe that trying to make the point that formula has more environmental contaminants than breastmilk is a lost cause and decreases our credibility with the scientific types whose help we should be trying to enlist.  The studies have been done, formula  and cow's milk have been tested and their levels of contaminants are many times lower than those found in breastmilk.  If the levels found in formula were as high or higher than those found in breastmilk, then you would expect that studies which measure levels in the babies and children themselves would be at least as high or higher than those found in babies who were breastfed, even if they were only breastfed for a few weeks or months.  However, that is not the case.  The breastfed babies consistantly show much higher body toxin loads.  This is not what we want to see, but nevertheless, it is what the research shows, in different countries and in different studies.  And it makes perfect biological sense.  In areas where chemicals are banned, the breastmilk and body toxin loads decline, just as one would expect they would.  This is scientific fact.

Yes, I would like to see them find some other way of measuring environmental pollution in humans.  Yes, I would like to see the media report these findings in a way which does not alarm the mothers of breastfed babies.  That is where our energy belongs, not in trying to make people believe that something is true which really is not.  We need to continually emphasize that the damage that is done by these toxins happens in the womb, and all babies are at risk.  Studies have not shown any untoward effects (yet) due to the ingestion of toxins in breastmilk and the researchers themselves continue to allow their babies to breastfeed.  We do need to work with the scientific community to make sure that the studies that are done are well designed and that the purpose and conclusions are clearly explained to the media when they are released.

Even so, media loves controversy.  So my question is, where are the formula company exposees?  We know that they will be strongly opposed by big business and big government, but that hasn't stopped good reporting in the past.  It may take awhile, but most scandals get exposed eventually.  How can we focus media attention on the entire spectrum of formula company abuses?  When I talk about it in my classes, most of the parents are at least vaguely aware that something bad is going on and they are appalled when they hear some of the details.  With the new Ad Council campaign about to begin, this would be the time for a full court press on these issues.

That is all for now.   Valerie, I know that you have very strong beliefs on this and will not be swayed by my thoughts on this subject.  You are doing wonderful work keeping tabs on what is going on behind the scenes and the machinations of the various companies who are looking to use human milk to make a buck.  But I respectfully disagree with your approach on this particular issue.  We will all have to make our own decisions about how to deal with this issue.  I think that it needs to be a multi-pronged effort that uses the very science that others may be trying to use against us, either deliberately or inadvertantly.  That is my opinion.  For what it's worth.


Warmly,
Sharon Knorr, BSMT, ASCP, IBCLC
Newark, NY (near Rochester on Lake Ontario)
mailto:[log in to unmask]

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

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