Mary A. Banaszewski wrote:

> Ecoli is naturally present in the colon, incorrect cleaning of the
> female
> genitalia is the usual method by which it is introduced into the
> urinary
> tract, parents need to be taught the proper method of cleaning stool
> from
> the baby's bottom (wash front to back). This baby would have been far
> sicker were she not breastfeeding. It is unrealistic (and unfair) to
> expect
> breastfeeding to protect our young from the ignorance of the parents.

While breastfeeding will not prevent UTI's and may lessen the severity
of their symptoms, it is not necessarily ignorance on the part of the
parents that "caused" the UTI.  My middle child (now 5, breastfed 27
months) had recurrent and frequent (monthly) UTI's that began around 8
months of age.  Some bouts were quite severe--fever of 105 and severe
pain, others with no fever but other symptoms.

She was ALWAYS carefully cleaned after diaper changes and I still assist
her at her "advanced" age.  She hasn't had a UTI since July and was
taken off the antibiotics (by the pediatric urologist) yesterday for the
first time in about 2 years.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Some children, even those who have normal anatomy like my daughter (no
reflux, etc) are particularly prone to infections and their parents
could scrub them raw and it could still occur.  It is unfair to
automatically blame this on the parents.

Kathy, mother to Abigail who could say "no catheter" at 18 months
--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kathy Koch, BSEd, IBCLC
Mom to Andrew, Abigail and Molly
LLL Leader, AAPL/OL for VA and MD/DE/DC
[log in to unmask]          Great Mills, MD, USA

"Within the child lies the fate of the future."   Maria Montessori
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~