'Breastmilk Pollution; Your milk is what you eat' - Study day with Michael Odent 10 July

[Bumperlicious]

Just passing on details that I got sent today. I'm too far to make this but should be interesting:

Dear All,

I am writing with details of a an all day study day with Michel Odent to be held in Hythe, Kent on thursday 10 July. I realise this is very short notice but i would appreciate it if you would pass this around and perhaps actively encourage mothers/Hps to come along. Cost is £20 with refreshments/biscuits but no lunch. If you would like to register please email me. See details below:

Breastmilk Pollution;

Your milk is what you eat

Understanding how the foods we eat transfer into breastmilk and affect our babies

Michel Odent, author and breastfeeding advocate reveals how to cater for your baby with a morning lecture on milk pollutants and the role of long chain fatty acids. The afternoon will be open for discussion.

Date: 10 July 2008

Venue: Stade Court Hotel , Hythe Kent
Time: 10am ? 4 pm (9:30 am registration)
Cost: £20 ( tea/coffee and biscuits throughout the day but lunch not included)

Places limited. To register please email Joelle Temurcin at [email protected]

whoa I don't like the sound of this
I respect Michel Odent but this topic sounds like it is going to perpetuate myths that breastfeeding mothers need to be uber careful about their lifestyles or put their babies at risk

breastfeeding is so protective that the benefits far outweigh normal pollutants found in it

even smokers are better off breastfeeding - breastmilk from a smoker is more protective than formula

I must admit I thought that, but just thought I'd share it anyway. Says there will be discussion.

Another reason to heap guilt on mothers !!

sounds v interesting. would be interested in discussion especially - is it better to ignore any info that diet can affect bm in case it puts women off bf in the first place etc.

I keep reading articles about cows and how their diet affects the milk. there's quite a bit of research into this as it has a financial impact. but as we are mammals just like cows (well, not quite ) it seems logical that our milk would also be different according to our diet. just read an article about iron levels in human milk that found that iron levels vary by country. uk iron levels being quite low. I wondered if that reflected diet or genetics. article didn't say.

what we eat must surely affect our milk imo but even a bad diet and breastfeeding is better than bottle feeding. I don't think you're going to find Michel Odent arguing any differently.

(well I hope not anyway, not unless he's found some super cows that live on purely organic grass and have been genetically modified to produce human milk) shudder that is probably not too far off in the future, is it?

I think it is one of those things where just because we don't like the results should we not have the discussion or do the research?

I don't know enough to know whether it is right or wrong. "breastfeeding is so protective that the benefits far outweigh normal pollutants found in it" FWIW F&Z I think you are right.

oh yes, it isn't just my opinion, it's honestly the case

I don't know, I see what you are saying - but I do feel this is probably counter productive given that breastmilk is
a) almost ALWAYS at least good ENOUGH for the baby it is being fed to
and
b) a vastly underused resource

In fairness I have never worried what I have eaten or drunk while bfing, except for caffeine, but then I don't drink that anyway.