I have checked with colleagues in the UK and the consensus is that we 
simply don't see breastfed babies with blood in the stools.  The 
impresh I get from Lactnet is that this is not exactly common, but 
something every lactation worker would see at some time....would 
anyone estimate it?

The response to it in the US from what I read (from doctors, usually) 
is to take the babies off breastfeeding and put them onto specialist 
formula. So it is a real threat to bf.

So far, it looks like possible reasons for the *lack* of blood in 
stools here could be one or all of these

* we don't drink as much milk as you guys...it would be really 
unusual for an adult to drink milk in a glass beyond childhood, for 
instance, so maybe fewer babies are sensitised to cows milk


* babies here are supplemented less in the early days - our figures 
show about a third (still crazily high) whereas posts today indicate 
something between 90 and 75 per cent of US babies have formula in the 
early days


* we medicate for reflux and colic less and when we do, heavy-duty 
meds are not used  - highly unusual for a doc to prescribe anything 
for this except (at the most) Infant Gaviscon

Am I onto something here?

Heather Welford Neil
NCT bfc, tutor, UK

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