We've been discussing the "Front Page NY Times" article this week.  A few
months ago we speculated on what sensational anti-breastfeeding news flash
would come out to coincide with any strong statement by the AAP finding abm
a distant second to human milk.

One week we have the article about the anti-infective properties of
breastmilk and the next week we have a front-page article saying breastmilk
carries HIV. Surprise! (Was the AAP study on the front page? Was it even in
the NY Times or just on the internet news?)

I remember well the year that the Wall Street Journal had their front-page
article on the unhealthy breastfeeding of "yuppy moms." My practice had
really picked up until the article and following TV shows.  Suddenly my
practice took a nose-dive.  Mothers were no longer confident that they could
feed their babies well at their breasts and they were no longer proud that
they were doing so.  Their actions were judged questionable, at best.

And with the increase in breastfeeding initiation today, where are the abm
companies going to dump all of their abm?  Perhaps in countries in which
many mothers are infected with HIV.  Convince their doctors that a baby
injesting abm will be safer than if she feeds from her mother's breast.
What an in-road! It's criminal!

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee


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