Dear Jennifer, Although breastfeeding does provide a certain degree of protection from many disease organisms, both through passive immunity from the mother and active stimulation of the baby's own system, this would not be comparable to that stimulated by the administration of an immunization. Although there are some on this list who would argue otherwise, I think that the overwhelming bulk of evidence proves that the immunizations that we routinely give our babies/children provide protection from several very nasty and potentially fatal diseases, which have in past times, routinely killed many children, most of whom were being breastfed. Children who are totally breastfed can get these diseases, although there seems to be some evidence that the cases may be a little less severe in breastfed children and they will recover more quickly. I think that a breastfed child is always better of than one who is not, in any disease situation. Also, there is some evidence that breastfed children show a stronger immune response when they are immunized than do children who are formula fed. Whether we need all of the immunizations that are now being pushed and whether we will pay a price down the road somewhere for mass immunization is still open to a lot of conjecture and not a lot of solid proof, IMHO. I think that we probably are doing things to our immune systems that we don't fully understand at this point. However, we are also, in the immediate time, saving a lot of lives. This is all fodder for discussion on another forum or in private. It has been my impression, please correct me if I am wrong, that most or all of our very pro-breastfeeding physicians on this list still support routine immunization for breastfed babies. Perhaps they could give you another perspective on this. Sharon Knorr, BSMT, LLLL, IBCLC Lactation Consultant Services Rochester, New York mailto:[log in to unmask] _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]