7-16-98

Runner's World:

Your item about immunoglobulins in postexercise breastmilk [July 98]
offered some lousy advice, in my opinion.  You said "levels of these
immunoglobulins take a nose dive during the first half-hour after
exercise" and advised that mothers "either nurse before exercise or pump
and discard postexercise breast milk." Huh?

So what if the baby gets a feeding with reduced immunoglobulins at that
point? Does anyone know what happens to the milk hours later? Perhaps a
big increase in the immunoglobulins? Surely further studies will want to
clarify this. And what do you suggest mothers use instead of breastmilk?
Infant formula? There are no immunoglobulins in that! Neither are there
any of the numerous other health-enhancing substances found only in
breastmilk. I would certainly not pump and discard that liquid gold!

Why make breastfeeding hard when it can be so easy? I would advise
mothers to just breastfeed when the baby needs to, ad libitum, with nary
a thought about the exact levels of immunoglobulins at any particular
moment, content in the knowledge that this is one of the best things
they can do for their babies.

Laurie Wheeler, RN, MN, IBCLC
Louisiana Breastfeeding MediaWatch Coordinator
Violet Louisiana, USA
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