Kirsten,
I would suggest that the mother contact the EWG (Environmental Working 
Group).  I am sure they know labs that test for fire retardants in human milk.  

 Why isn't she getting her own blood tested?  Most contamination of toxins 
occurrs in utero.  (just like most transmission of hiv occurrs in utero).  Thus 
it would seem that the only reason to test her milk is to determine whether or 
not to breastfeed.   I don't understand this kind of thinking.  Somehow, 
because of the media and the way this issue is presented to the general public, 
mothers seem to think that the only way to handle the risk of environmental 
contaminants is to not breastfeed?  I think logically, the answer is to not have 
babies.  Most of the damage by environmental toxins is done in the womb.  Does 
that stop women from having babies? 

I believe that mothers who are debating this issue should be given Marsha 
Walker's Summary of Hazards of Infant Formula.  There are known "real" risks to 
infant formulal feeding as opposed to the unknown risk of toxins in breastmilk. 
 Discussing just the benefits of breastfeeding, does not fully inform mothers 
of the real risks of "choice" regarding infant feeding.

In this world there is no escape from toxins in our environment.  We can 
lessen our risks.  We can eat lower on the food chain--become vegetarians.  We can 
hopefully find and drink the cleanest water.  We can move into the country 
and hopefully not live next to the farmer who sprays pesticides on his field.  
Ultimately, there is no escape. All biological systems are like 
rivers--eventually the pollutants are either blown our way, carried through our waterways, 
and passed from one life form to another.   Our bodies contain the molecules of 
our environment--the world environment not just our local environment.

Human milk is white blood, a biological fluid.  It is not just an alternate 
food for babies.   Mammalian behavior and survival depend on a baby in utero  
transitioning from the red blood brought through the umbilical cord to the 
white blood brought through the mammary gland.  Thus the issue of contaminates in 
human milk cannot be an issue of infant feeding "choice."  There is no choice 
in nature.  Only in a society dependent on multi-national corporate profits, 
do we view biology and biological systems as "things" we can manipulate and 
"things" we can make choices about.  
Valerie W. McClain 

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