Hi. Unfortunately I cannot help on the reference aspect of
your post.

I would like to make a point about the tone of the message,
however, which may have caused some hostility on the part
of other readers (who may be considered as more "mainstream"
than most here on parent-l).

The words that stood out at me were "...10 IQ points dumber than..."
It was really the word dumber that got me. I guess it just invokes
a defensive (even in me, a mom who has breastfed her children).
It reminds me of a story I heard one parent of twins tell.
Apparently, a stranger walked up to the family and asked which
of the twins "was the dumber one". Imagine how appalled they
were at such a question!

Anyway, I just wanted you to know how I felt about this. Of course,
I wholeheartedly support your efforts to educate women about the pros of
breastfeeding and I think your message shows your conviction on
this issue. We just all have to remember that not everyone
is full of such emotion and fire as us lactating lunatics. At times we
can perhaps be viewed as self-righteous, which may be counter-productive
to what good we are trying to do.

I hope this has come across in a non-judgemental manner. I have
read and modified my language in hopes of not being offensive
or scolding. I think that there is something to be learned by
the response to your posting. Please feel free to comment.

Karin (mamamama to Elan and Karel, 10/10/94)
[log in to unmask]




:-D  From [log in to unmask]  Sun Aug 13 10:43:28 1995
:-D  Comments: Authenticated sender is <[log in to unmask]>
:-D  To: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]
:-D  Subject:       supporting references
:-D  X-Info: To unsubscribe, send 'unsubscribe' in the body of the message to [log in to unmask]
:-D
:-D  I wrote the following to misc.kids & misc.kids.pregnancey, and received
:-D  a (quite hostile)  response demanding references.  I don't have them all in
:-D   one place, but scattered throughout many notes and articles. Does anyone
:-D  have supporting medical journal references for the points that I have made?
:-D
:-D  Here is my post:
:-D
:-D  What concerns me about this thread is a lack of discussion and understanding of
:-D  the implications for a child, and for society, of treating breastfeeding as
:-D  though it were merely a lifestyle choice.  Formula has very substantial health
:-D  risks that most parents are simply unaware of because of massive advertising
:-D  and public relations efforts by the formula companies.  Formula fed babies are,
:-D  on average, 10 IQ points dumber than breastfed babies from the same
:-D  socio-economic background (which is equivalent to the neurological damage from
:-D  exposure to lead), have greatly multiplied risks of respiratory and
:-D  gastrointestinal infections, childhood leukemias, juvenile diabetes, adult
:-D  diseases such as Crohn's and colitis, as well as allergies.  Clearly, formula
:-D  impairs the development of the immune and neurological systems in infants.
:-D  Giving you this information is not designed to induce GUILT, if you have chosen
:-D  to formula-feed, but to induce ANGER at the formula companies, doctors,
:-D  parenting magazines, etc., if you made that choice without having this
:-D  information.
:-D
:-D  There is a lot of talk about being "incapable" of breastfeeding, but 99% or
:-D  more of mothers are physiologically capable of breastfeeding.  Almost all
:-D  failure at breastfeeding comes from cultural factors, most especially from
:-D  ignorance on the part of the medical establishment about how to address
:-D  breastfeeding difficulties.  I would just urge every woman who is pregnant to
:-D  get as much information as possible about breastfeeding in advance of birth,
:-D  including the telephone number of her local La Leche League leader [call (800)
:-D  LA LECHE for that info, if it's not in your white pages], and the telephone
:-D  number of a certified lactation consultant.
:-D
:-D  Here is an excerpt from the response I got:
:-D
:-D  Without references to support your numerous allegations, your post reeks of
:-D  inflammatory hand waving.  I invite you to post references for the statments
:-D  you made.
:-D
:-D  As to your allegation that formula fed babies are "10 IQ points dumber"
:-D  than breast fed babies, any scale intended to measure "IQ" is almost
:-D  entirely subjective, surely you know that.  You make reference to an
:-D  equivalency of exposure to lead.  How much exposure to lead?  Exposure
:-D  by ingestion, or by aspiration?  For what time period?
:-D
:-D  Please post some facts along with your dogma next time.  It might lend you
:-D  some credence.
:-D