Anyone watching Trevor McDonald Tonight?

[MadameButterfly]

Apparently some breast milk contains harmful toxins

These are environmental toxins from things like flame retardents. They build up in your body fat. So presumably cows are also exposed to them. So formula must contain them too, surely?

Watched first two minutes. Load of bollocks IMO. Can't stand the presentation style, like watching the Daily Mail on TV, scaremongering.

Isn't it toxins from heavy-duty cleaning products, dry-cleaning etc that are the culprits? Don't think cows would be exposed to such delights. Though maybe there are toxins present in what they're fed.

have a look here

yes! who is ditsy completely crap presenter (recognise her) and yet another thing for us to feel guilty about and pmsl when she turned to mother with much make up on and said, maybe you could use organic makeup really earnestly!!! what is happening to telly! serious issue totally twunted by itv...

I watched it but was disgusted. They did say that breastfeeding continues to be the best way to feed your baby, but how many women are going to be put off by this scaremongering and one-sided programme?

Amanda Ursell I think. The problem with all these things is often the take home message is something like "so breastmilk can be dangerous after all"

Tons will be put off IMO. I bf both of mine but was in the absolute minority in our town. One of my closest mates is bf her newborn and I don't know what to say when she brings this up?

but everything is 'considered' dangerous these days and will 'increase the risk of cancer'. sorry, but breast is still the best way to feed a baby, closely followed by formula. am i the only one who thinks this is an underhand marketing ploy by formula milk compnaies as more people are returning to breast feeding? i just dont pay attention to these health scares, if i did, then my air would be filtered, i owuld never step outside into harmful sun rays, i wouldnt drink anything apart from water (but that would have to be steralised somehow, wouldnt eat fish, beef, pork checkien, all veg would be grow in sterile conditions to reduce the risks of pesticides being present, and i wouldnt be on to internet right now talking to u lot. i also wouldnt have any furniture or do any cleaning. any one want to sit on a dirt floor with me under the canopy of the stars?

you're right misdee, we'd all live in a bubble commune if we believed it all. And it changes from week to week ffs.
I feel sorry for the poor midwives who'll be getting the backlash when they try to encourage bf.

Not news - how did we all think we were lowering our own risk of cancer by breastfeeding? Of course we are passing out toxins through breastmilk, which is a good reason to cut down on these toxins in our environment rather than give women something else to worry about.

I think it will put people off bfing, especially in this sensationalist way of presentation. There is a much better description in "fresh milk - the secret life of breasts" which makes losing toxins sound positive.

Totally unbalanced report. I'm not impressed either. They could have at least done a more constructive presentation on how to lower toxins (we all know they're about ) rather than slating breastmilk, as they did. As already mentioned, there was absolutely no mention of the toxins cows or goats are exposed to. (Apart from them pointing out that one of the four toxins they tested for are present in animal meat - assume this means it's in their milk too?!?!) No mention whatsoever of the blood and puss extracted from cows along with their milk (worked on farms and in a vets, and seen this happen ). If it had been presented in a more responsible and factual (both sides of the coin) light, I'd consider taking it more seriously. Oooh, this should liven up the breastfeeding group . No doubt more hate mail will ensue .

Because we live longer and have more fat in our bodies, we prob do have more of the toxins that hang around in fat than cows do. But formula (based on cows milk) has other non-desirables in, and there has been serious concern about the plastics and the silicone than bottles and teats are made out of, not to mention the stuff that's in water.

The biggest transfer of toxins happens in utero.

It would have been useful to compare formula plus bottles plus teats and breastmilk for various poisons.

But it's a terrible thing if breastmilk is contaminated - but that does not mean we should switch to the alternative.

KS I had the same thoughts as you - Nestle must be sponsoring all this....

Agree that it was very one sided and sensationalist. And what about 'pre-conceptual care in the future will include a 3 day detox every month'?? That's it - more pressure on mums....

from the minute our babies are born we swab them chemicals, inject them with diseases, wash them in lovely smelling things, launder their clothes with all teh nice things you can buy and swaddle them in synthetic rugs and then encse their bottoms and gentials with chemical formulas in nappies.
Not only that but unless you use a filter, making up bottles can pass on quite a few undesirables of its own
A recent study said that after testing a woman that smoked was still more healthy to breastfeed than bottle feed, even though she was passing on some small amounts of lethal toxins...
I think this will only serve to arm those who feel the need to defend bottle feeding!
xx

I missed some of the report, but what I did see I thought was very misleading and very onesided. I also wondered if Nestle had something to do with the programme.

Agree with your comments Kiwisbird.

Very biased piece of journalism for ITV. Disappointing.....and it won't stop me from breastfeeding.

So have I got this right then...Bottlefeeding isn't too good (message reinforced no end at those dreadful birth 'classes' - cue the guilt trip etc for those like me who tried damn hard and felt a total failure by week two of new baby's life.

Now those who breastfeed may also get that nagging uneasy feeling that they're not really doing right by their babies either. Research like this is NOT helpful - how to avoid the problem? - Oh yeah, something about no dry cleaning in the house and organic cosmetics. Everyday we are bombarded with the 'latest' research on how to have children, bring them up, what we should/shouldn't all be eating, how to avoid cancer (abstain from any kind of life whatsoever on that one apparantly), how much exercise, sex and number of partners, career aspirations, tv our childen watch etc etc. To be honest it's information overload. None of this offers much in the way of workable solutions to avoid the inevitable outcome of all this - ie that sadly, our time on this earth is limited. To that end, I wish they'd all bog off with their * research and leave us in peace to enjoy it.

Sorry, that was all a bit rambly and off topic, but I used to try and listen to what the 'experts' advised and act on it. My hands are up in the air in exasperation these days! I can't keep up with it.

Irresponsible tv in my opinion. Didn't watch it because I knew it would be crap pseudo-science research.....

What does Trevor McDonald get paid for? 5mins at the start and 2 mins at the end. Nice work if you can get it.

Agree with post further down, like televised Daily Mail, one sided crap

Much of the ITV 'news' stuff is becoming Daily Mail though - completely unwatchable.

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Didn't see the programme but surely the responsible thing to do is go after the chemicals industry and put pressure on the EU (which passes the leglislation that controls the chemicals used by industry)? It is frightening if toxic chemicals are building up in our bodies and our environment but the answer isn't to put people off breastfeeding. It's to campaign for a better environment, IMO.

Its obvious that you didn't see the programme eddm, your suggestions are far too sensible. As I caught the last 10 minutes, I am now far more educated on the issue and know that the answer is to drink nothing but lemon juice for a few days
Agree with everything here, this was just about the crappiest thing I've ever seen on telly. Dp's reaction did make it almost worthwhile for me though. His ranting about the lack of scientific evidence was absolutely hilarious. Not even I can wind him up that much