Green Options

I consider myself a lactivist. I mean, if there is truly a place in the world for a woman who thinks that babies should be fed what nature made for them, instead of the breastmilk from a distantly related species.

That means I know that breastmilk is simply better than formula.

But now an author and feminist says that we should question the breastmilk/formula debate. Is breastmilk really better, or are the differences so minute that it doesn’t matter what you put in baby’s mouth?

Joan Wolf was interviewed by the Times in the UK, where she said,

The evidence to date suggests it probably doesn’t make much difference if you breastfeed.

She says that many studies contradict one another, and others which show no discernible difference in health benefits. There are numerous claims about breastfeeding, she says, which can’t be proven:

Breastmilk has less protein than formula, which may explain why nursers tend to grow more slowly than their formula-fed counterparts.

And for the formula-fed babies, that’s not a good thing. What researchers found worried them, as they said it could help predict obesity in children.

The randomized study of 1,000 children followed them for 2 years, comparing those fed “regular” formula and low protein formula with breastfeeding babies.

Kids who had used the low protein formula were approximately the same height as those fed the higher protein formula, but the latter group weighed more. Kids with low-protein formula weighed closer to what the breastfed babies weighed.

Researchers say that a few things should probably change…

I recently read Seventh Generation’s new guide to keeping kids safe from everyday household chemicals. It is a great starting point, and guide that emcompasses many areas such as pesticides, BPA, vinyl, and flame retardants. If you are wondering how to make your home safer for your babies, this is a valuable resource.

I know I have written here and on Non-Toxic Kids about the radiation emitted from cell phones, and the increased risk to children. The Organic Consumer’s Association shared an article about a new study done in Sweden.

The gist? “Children and teenagers are five times more likely to get brain cancer if they use mobile phones, startling new research indicates.” Yes, I thought that would make you stop and read it again. I sure did. The article goes on to explain the risk is much greater for adults who started using cell phones in their teens, and encouraged parents to limit their children’s use of cell phones to emergencies and the usage of headsets and hands-free devices.

I’m certainly listening!