Mimi, you are doing heroic work.  The very idea that a perinatal chemical
dependency clinic is needed is chilling, but since it is thank god it exists
and that you are working in it!

That said, however, it sounds as if the real problem for your chemical
dependend mother is not whether some alcohol is in their milk, but whether
they are in fact able to care appropriately and safely for children at all.

If they were, then the level of drug in their milk would be as low as the
level of drug in the rest of them.

If they are not, then probably yes, there is too much junk in their milk --
but in that case, when they are addicted to five different things and the
court is chucking them in jail -- then their milk is the least of their
baby's problems.

So I wouldn't say to addicted moms "go ahead and drink" -- but not because of
their milk.   But for mothers for whom milk levels are the whole story or
nearly the whole story -- who are in very different situation from the
mothers you are talking about, one that at worst is more analoguous to the
smokers you describe -- I might well switch over the same kind of
harm-reduction approach you use with the smokers.

Elisheva
admiring and sad and contemplative

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