Anti-bacterial stuff

[Guest guest]

> but i got a germ/disease fixation

> so it may have something to do with that( i carry antibacterial wipes

> EVERYWHERE). Which is why I pump milk all the time....wanna make sure my baby

> is adequately prepared in case something happens As far as the milk

> bank..that would be fine if someone wanted to use it...i probably never

> would..

We talked about the overuse of antibiotic/antibacterial products

recently on this list, and I personally think that it has alot to do

with the huge increases of thrush in breastfed babies... not to mention

the super-bacteria who are so resistant to antibiotics. Bacteria live

everywhere... you can't get away from them no matter how diligently you

scrub. You need them on and in your body in order to survive. If you

didn't have E. coli in your intestinal tract, you wouldn't be able to

digest and eliminate foods properly and your blood would thin. If you

didn't have bacteria living on your skin, the dead cells we shed would

accumulate and cause problems!

Having done many experiements in microbiology (the best class IMO on the

nursing curriculum!), I am always aware of the potential of

cross-contamination, contamination from outside sources, and the need

for beneficial bacteria. I was always amazed at how yeast and fungi

would overgrow when our cultures had too few bacteria as well.

Just like every other aspect of life, we have to learn to pick which

battles are worth fighting... and I figure that anti-bacterial handsoap

is overkill... as are anti-microbial toys, bed linens, etc. Let the

bacteria survive to do its job, and to let our bodies be able to do

theirs!

A well-respected pediatrician once said that one of the best things a

nursing mother can do for her newborn is to not wash her hands after

changing the baby's diaper (serious paraphrase!)... as gross as that

sounds, it makes some sense. Your body cannot fight bacteria it hasn't

met. And if your body has never been exposed to certain bacteria, and

has few good bacteria to thwart overgrowth, you can be in real

trouble... quickly.

Now that I've written a book... Let me add that the bacteria *you*

come in contact with have caused your body to produce antigens towards

them, to keep them from getting out of control. Those antigens are

passed in your breastmilk to your baby. If you avoid contact with

bacteria, your baby gets very little benefit of the proctective

qualities of breastmilk.