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January 18, 2006
Breast milk redux
Once upon a time I wrote a post after a nutrition class in which breast milk was discussed, including ways to decrease the amount of toxins that accumulate in it due to modern living.
That was met with a ranty rant from a ranty mother who couldn't deal with yet one more thing to worry about. Geez, who can?
But today I came across some people who are trying to help—MOMS - Making Our Milk Safe. They're sick of flame retardants in our babies' food, and are working on political action to make change.
Curiously, they don't seem to have any info on their site about choices women can make now.
We believe that breast milk is the most perfect food for our babies. We are working to ensure that the same can be said thirty years from now, when our daughters are nursing their own children.
That's very good, AND... today women are empowered to choose what kind of food they put in their bodies and thus what food industry chemicals end up in their breast milk, particularly those in meat and dairy, by choosing organic when possible.
Right now, if one can afford it, women are empowered to purchase natural beds and bedding, sans flame retardants.
And right now, everyone can vacuum more with an adequate (HEPA) cleaner to control chemical laden dust from our surroundings.
Posted by Josh A. at January 18, 2006 08:25 PM
Comments
Josh,
Thanks for sending me a link to your comments. They are thoughtful and deserving of an equally thoughtful response.
You are correct to say that mothers today who are concerned about toxic chemicals in their breast milk can make safer choices in their daily lives to minimize this impact.
You are absolutely correct to say that moms can choose organic, buy natural bedding, and use natural care products that help to limit their exposure to harmful chemicals. And these suggestions are mentioned on the MOMS website in our FAQ document available from the home page.
As you also correctly point out, these options are only available "if one can afford it". All too often, it's not the case. It's a familiar story that those in the poorest communities often bear the heaviest burden of toxic chemical exposures. What are these women to do?
It's not enough to point to choices that are really only for the well-off or the well-informed of society. MOMS wants better choices for all women, everywhere. Harried moms have enough to worry about already, without placing the responsibility for reducing toxic exposure soley on their shoulders. That's not to say that women shouldn't try to adopt safter alternatives, only that more is required. And that more must come from tighter government restrictions on chemicals and from corporations considering the precautionary principle "when in doubt, abstain" before putting products that contain potentially harmful chemicals on the market.
It won't be easy, that's for sure. But nothing worth doing ever is. It's going to require a movement to force this change. We're just getting started and I'm excited to see where this will go.
Best,
Mary
Posted by: Mary Brune at January 19, 2006 10:45 AM
Thanks for responding, Mary! I appreciate it. And I'm glad to know that you have information like I spoke of on the site.
Rather than seeing it as "one more thing to worry about", I hope that some feel empowered by it, as opposed to "having to sit and wait" for politics to take its course.
The intersection with economics is of course an important factor in many similar issues, and that's where the need for institutionalized change really shows. I don't believe people should have to worry about their furniture being bad for the health of them or their children.
Best of luck in your mission!
Posted by: Josh A. at January 19, 2006 10:51 AM