Re: Re: Digest Number 3929

[Guest guest]

Chris-

>I can't speak for , but I will say that quite clearly there are a

>variety of problems mothers face in breastfeeding a child, and there

>is an *enormous* difference between opting for formula because one

>simply cannot produce enough milk, or cannot produce the milk without

>other complications, etc, and opting for formula out of, say,

>convenience. The issue is clearly complex. On the other hand,

>formula is clearly overused, and the mothers (and fathers) DO in fact

>bear responsiblity for how they feed and treat their children!

I think it's important to distinguish between the likes of Enfamil and a

breast milk replacement of the sort WAPF recommends preparing at home if

needed. And regardless of the motivations, a mother feeding her baby

something like Enfamil will do that baby serious harm. The exact nature

and degree of the harm will depend on a lot of factors (including whether

the formula is soy-based or milk-based) but a significant measure of harm

is inevitable. Ignorance is certainly behind many decisions to use

formula, but that has no bearing on the amount of harm done.

-

[Guest guest]

Connie-

>I'm sorry not to know, but are you married with kids? A

>grandfather? Uncle? Remember being nursed? Remember NOT being

>nursed?

>I'm just trying to put your comments in context.

What does any of this have to do with what I said? Which, in the interest

of convenience, I'll reproduce here:

I think it's important to distinguish between the likes of Enfamil and

a breast milk replacement of the sort WAPF recommends preparing at home

if needed. And regardless of the motivations, a mother feeding her baby

something like Enfamil will do that baby serious harm. The exact nature

and degree of the harm will depend on a lot of factors (including

whether the formula is soy-based or milk-based) but a significant measure

of harm is inevitable. Ignorance is certainly behind many decisions to use

formula, but that has no bearing on the amount of harm done.

-

[Guest guest]

Connie-

>So many of your statements discomfort, discourage, dismay me. I am

>hoping to find a way to be able to accept what you say within a

>context of who you are and what your personal experiences have

>been.

I'm sorry you feel that way, but my statements stand (or fall) on their own

merits.

>as you are willing to use the word " evil " towards those mothers who

>for whatever reason (including ignorance?) use store bought

>formulas. This is such a huge gap that I'm trying

Actually, I think the only true evil is the lack of a sense of humor.

>I do know that you

>have not personally nursed a baby.

How do you know I'm not actually a mother using " " as a pseudonym?

> But what personal experience do

>you have? Is this all theory for you?

I object quite strongly to the notion that personal experience is required

for " real " knowledge, though as I said, for all you know I'm a nursing

mother of three, as I'm pretty sure we haven't met.

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[Guest guest]

Connie-

>Your choice to say that you

>might well be " a nursing mother of three " rather than to actually

>answer the question honestly gives me all the context I need. Too

>bad, sometimes you have said interesting things.

Oh well. I guess everything I've said is wrong, though, based on that

" context " .

(I could just as well say that your refusal to address the content of what

I said tells me everything I need to know.)

-

[Guest guest]

>What content??

I even reposted it for your convenience, Connie, so it's hard for me to

take this as a good-faith question.

-

[Guest guest]

Judy-

>But if you notice, if you don't have

>a degree, people don't listen to you!

Yeah, which is ironic, since MDs and nutritionists and dieticians and the

like sure have crappy educations in nutrition!

-

[Guest guest]

> >But if you notice, if you don't have

> >a degree, people don't listen to you!

>

> Yeah, which is ironic, since MDs and nutritionists and

> dieticians and the

> like sure have crappy educations in nutrition!

>

This is absolutely ridiculous but I find even my relatively knowledgeable

self succumbing in a big way. I am really able to listen to the experiences

of others as relayed here on the Internet. In fact, I tend to prefer that

kind of information at this point. But if you've written a book or hold

yourself up as some kind of professional I mentally, uncontrollably default

to the guys with degrees in spite of myself. Just nuts. Bad programming.

Ron