Breastfeeding Alert - Daily Express Sat 17th Nov

[Guest guest]

Not that old chesnut again!! I remember exactly the same story, with the

same alarmist headlines about 6 years ago..........as Joyce said - if it's

in our breastmilk then it's in cows too....

Totally irresponsible journalism. (again)

Hannah, 28

Mum to Bethany 7 1/2, Lawrence nearly 6, Verity 3 1/2, Alfie 9 months

Visit me on the web at :-

http://hannahshome.20m.com

[Guest guest]

EEEK!! Has anyone else read the report on page 2 of today's

(Saturday 17th November 2001) Daily Express??

It says, and I quote:

" Thousands of babies are being fed high levels of deadly poisons in

breast milk, a Government report revealed yesterday. it found that

it is particulrly high in dioxins which can cause cancer, hormone and

skin problems and heart disease.

The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food also warned that

current " accepted levels " of dioxins in food - which lead to the

higher amounts in mothers' milk - were five times too high and called

for the levels to be urgently lowered.

But Dr bell, Director of Food Safety at the Food Standards

Agency said: We would still advise mothers to breastfeed their

children. The benefits outweigh the risks...........

It goes on to say, however, that no one can avoid these toxins as

they " are released into the environment as a by-product of combustion

in factories and other industrial plants and find their way into

foods such as meat, dairy products and fish " , and that " The

Government needs a dioxin reduction strategy and needs it quickly. "

It is a confusing article, which has a huge headline:

BABIES AT RISK FROM POISONS IN BREASTMILK

but does say that mothers' should carry on BF anyway! I am stunned -

can the NCT reply to this at all does anyone think?

Ruth

[Guest guest]

If these toxins find their way into dairy products, they are also in

formula.

Finding chemicals in breastmilk is a standard method of finding out how far

certain chemicals have made it into the food chain. It's not saying that

breastmilk is dangerous - it's just one marker of the state of the

environment. It doesn't make breastfeeding any less advisable than before

having this knowledge.

Certainly, it's an irresponsible way to report the story - it shows that

the Daily Express doesn't really know what it is talking about.

Joyce

-----Original Message-----

From: ruthselbyuk@... [sMTP:ruthselbyuk@...]

It is a confusing article, which has a huge headline:

BABIES AT RISK FROM POISONS IN BREASTMILK

but does say that mothers' should carry on BF anyway! I am stunned -

can the NCT reply to this at all does anyone think?

[Guest guest]

That is awful Ruth, because it immediately makes breastfeeding look bad

whereas the main problem is how this stuff gets into *everyone's* food in

the first place. Obviously we don't want to feed our babies poison, but we

shouldn't have to eat it in the first place. The way journalists report

these things often is sensationalism and can completely skew what the actual

report means.

Hannah

Mum to (4), Nicky (2) and Euan (7 months)

-----Original Message-----

From: ruthselbyuk@...

EEEK!! Has anyone else read the report on page 2 of today's

(Saturday 17th November 2001) Daily Express??

[Guest guest]

> can the NCT reply to this at all does anyone think?

NCT can and will reply to this - we always do - whether the daily express

choose to print it is another matter of course :-(

Sue