Hi Kathleen!

Great bunch of goodies in the digest this morning!  I too had a client that
insisted on feeding their baby goat's milk when the mother couldn't produce
enough breastmilk.  (One of those mystery cases we never could solve.
 Happened with her first baby too, but her sister pumped enough for her own
baby and that baby, so she got breast milk for the first three months).
 Anyway, here was this punkin on goat's milk, and I was getting VERY nervous,
not knowing a thing about goat's milk!  So, I contacted the Meyenberg Farms
in CA, producers of most of the goat's milk in the US (I may have spelled it
wrong), and what I learned about goat's milk as a substitute for breastmilk
did not make me exceedingly comfortable.  To wit:  Protein (per 100 grams)
3.6 (cow's milk 3.3, human 1.0) Carbs 4.5 Human 6.9; calories about the same.
 Phosphorus 111 (Human 14), Calcium 134 (Human 32) Magnesium 14 (Human 3)
Postassium -204, (human 51).  There is a formula that can be made out of the
powdered goat milk:  12 TBSP of goat milk to 36 oz of water to 4 1/2 TBLSP of
corn syrup.  However, it is still out of whack as far as the micronutrients
are concerned, and still has way too much protein.

My family was using RAW goats milk from somewhere around here.  I gave them
all the literature I had, suggested that goat's milk was made for baby goats,
and that their baby's kidneys might not be able to handle the overload of the
protein and micronutrients until she was older.  After much thought and
prayer, they decided to switch to Nutramigen.  (Praise the Lord!).  I felt
much better, but never could figure out why the mom didn't make enough milk.
 (And I don't think there was anything in her history/physical that I didn't
look at....)

It does have 0.05 mg of iron compared to human milk of 0.03 mg, but how well
that (or any of the rest of it is absorbed, I don't know)  The company that
supplies the milk suggests that vitamin supplements be taken.   Interestingly
enough, in looking at the values in cow's milk & goat's milk, cows' milk
actually does come closer to human milk in most of them than goat milk.  Hope
that helps!

*******

Debby,

We'll see you next Friday at the conference in Schaumburg - I trust you'll
get lots of good ideas on building your practice.  Kathy A. is right about
this being the midwest.  Not only is it slow (according to Ross, bf rates in
IL are only 53% running behind the nation which is 55.9%), but people would
rather switch to formula than pay someone to get breastfeeding working....

******

NEWS FLASH!  ROSS LABS SHAREHOLDERS ENCOURAGED TO VOTE TO INCREASE MORBIDITY
AND MORTALITY IN INFANTS IN ORDER TO INCREASE PROFITS!

Just received word that there is going to be an Abbott shareholders meeting
on 4/28/95 in which the shareholders are going to be asked to vote against
the US signing on to the International Code.  What that means in practical
terms, I don't know, as it is the government, not the people, who signed on.
 However, I suppose that the formula lobby is heavy enough, that if the gov't
got enough pressure it could rescind its vote.  Not sure -- more on this
later.  ACTION for Corporate Accountability is aware of what is going on and
is mobilizing quickly.  Thanks to one of our alert ILCA members in CA for
sharing this info.  If anyone knows anyone that has Abbott stock, they may
want to discuss this issue with them.  Pass the word.....

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Jan Barger
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