Kathy D. wrote:
>I guess I'll go out on a limb here and argue for the position that it should
>be the mother's (or parents') decision to make whether she takes the risk of
>the baby getting HIV from breastfeeding or she takes the risk of the baby
>getting some other disease from NOT breastfeeding

If there is research to support her yes... but when I'm seeing some
claiming 30% transmission rates that's way too high for *my* personal taste.

>-- like, gee, asthma,
>diabetes

Ok, I am not sure about the other diseases but I can say that to the best
of my knowledge, these two diseases are very easily manageable and the vast
majority of people with them do not suffer a lot of complications.  I am
certainly not calling them 'no big deal'... but between having diabetes or
asthma my whole life and having AIDS I sure as heck would choose diabetes
or asthma any day of the week.  And furthermore, I can't imagine anyone
wouldn't!

>I would say that both of these possibilities are
>HIGH -- both that there will be a cure/effective treatment for HIV

I'm not trying to place doubt so to speak but I personally do not believe
this, as it's been said since at least 1983 that there was a cure coming
soon.  I'll believe it when it's here thanks.

>that there will be new diseases for which no medicines exist at the outset,
>so the ONLY defense will be having been breastfed.

but they don't exist now.  HIV does.  and from what I've seen it's no fun
way to die or live honestly.

I think it also goes back to people aren't seeing this sick and frail
bottlefed kid.  Their high school quarterback was bottlefed.  track stars
are bottlefed.  the school's national merit scholar was bottlefed.  that of
course does not negate the research... I'm just saying people are finding
exceptions where they want to, as some accuse breastfeeding promoters of
finding exceptions in the breastfeeding gives HIV theories.

-Wendey (studying LC in Montreal Breastfeeding Peer Support Counsellor)

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