I understand that breast milk contains white and possibly red blood cells(if I remember rightly from Crisis of Concsience)(I hadn't got my copy on me).
Should JWs therefore breastfeed, violating the coventant with Noah or whoever it was.
Should Jws breastfeed
by badboy 9 Replies latest jw friends
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Leander
Excellent question, I'd love to see the official answer on this one.
Speaking of breast feeding when I was much younger (12 or 13) there were a lot of babies at our congregation and it seemed like at least one sister during every meeting would have a breast exposed while feeding her child. For some reason the elders never saw the need to tell the sisters to feed the kids in the mothers room. I guess thats why they used to get up and walk to the back of the hall so frequently
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Scully
Actually, the WTS does promote breastfeeding, for several reasons.
Human milk is the best food for human babies. Babies are born without much of the immune properties that they receive in colostrum and breastmilk. Breastfeeding also promotes proper jaw development and the swallowing mechanism that babies use while breastfeeding is completely different from the mechanism used when bottle feeding. The tongue position and motion is different in each one. The benefit from the way a baby swallows during breastfeeding allows the eustachian tubes (which connect the ear to the throat) to drain of accumulated fluid, preventing middle ear infections. Otitis media (middle ear infections) are the most common reason for visits to the pediatrician during the first three years of life in bottle feeding infants and toddlers. Breastfed children rarely develop ear infections.
In developing countries, the best reason for breastfeeding, apart from its nutritional and immunological benefits, is the fact that clean water supplies for mixing infant formula and sterilizing bottles are limited. In these countries where breastfeeding has been promoted over bottle feeding - what was once touted as the "modern" way to feed babies - infant mortality due to gastrointestinal infections has been reduced in huge numbers.
The most obvious reason for the WTS to promote breastfeeding is that it is economical. Infant formula, compared to regular milk, is quite expensive, and naturally this would take disposable income away from a family who might otherwise put the money in the contribution box to support the "worldwide preaching work".
Having said that, you're right about breast milk - and in fact ANY milk - containing leukocytes. This is especially true of the first milk, or colostrum. It is because of the presence of leukocytes (white blood cells) that breastmilk and colostrum have the immunological properties that they have.
If you check certain health food stores of late, there's also a movement (or maybe it should be called a MOO-vement ) for people to take bovine colostrum as an immune booster and nutritional supplement. I wonder if the people at Hemopure are aware of this?? If JWs can accept bovine derived hemoglobin, why not bovine colostrum?? They already ingest enough bovine leukocytes whenever they pour milk on their Cornflakes® or put cream in their coffee for it to be considered an infraction of their "no white blood cells" rule.
By the way, this has already been covered in a couple of threads:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=20579&site=3
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=20621&site=3
Here are some Google search results from "bovine colostrum":
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22bovine+colostrum%22Love, Scully
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blondie
I think JWs should let themselves by weaned by the age of 30.
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LDH
Scully
Dead on. My daughter (breast fed) NEVER got ear infections. 1st antibiotic at age 7!!!!!
Nursing son now. 5 months, 20 pounds, picture of health.
Right after I had the baby, a friend gave me some colostrum caplets. It so bothered me (I think the dairy industry is disgusting enough) that I had bad dreams!Now they have resorted to draining the new mom cow of colostrum??? What happens to the calf for whom it's meant?
Colostrum's purpose is to clean the intestinal tract of meconium, no?
Lisa
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Scully
Lisa:
Colostrum's purpose is to clean the intestinal tract of meconium, no?
That is one part of colostrum's function. It has natural laxative properties that help clear meconium from the baby's intestines. This, in turn, helps prevent jaundice. The pigment in meconium - bilirubin - can be reabsorbed into the baby's bloodstream and this is what causes jaundice. It is not unusual for babies to develop a bit of jaundice in the first week or so of life, and it's refered to as physiological jaundice of the newborn. However, when it causes babies to become extremely lethargic, feed poorly, become dehydrated and very jaundiced - their skin looks almost orangey, and the whites of the eyes are yellow - then phototherapy is often used in addition to frequent (every 1½ to 2½ hours in some cases) breastfeeding and/or formula supplementation (if mother's milk isn't "in" yet) to help eliminate bilirubin from the baby's system. When phototherapy is not effective, there is usually another reason for it - like an ABO or Rh blood incompatibility between baby and mother - and total exchange transfusions become necessary.
Colostrum is very high in certain antibodies that can only be found in colostrum. One in particular coats the intestinal tract and prepares it for future feedings of milk.
I'm glad to hear your children are doing so well. I breastfed my 3 children too, and they were always healthy, no ear infections, seldom had colds, even though I would get a cold. However all three of them had the chicken pox, one after the other after the 3-week incubation period, and I was stuck inside with them for almost 2 months. What a freaking nightmare that was!! (Well except for having to miss all those MEETINGS and SERVICE! )
The whole bovine colostrum thing makes me gag, to be honest with you. It's being hailed as a cure for everything from chronic fatigue syndrome to fibromyalgia to non-insulin dependent diabetes.
Ironic how so many JW ladies seem to be stricken with either chronic fatigue and/or fibromyalgia, yet the "cure" is probably forbidden to them.
Now they have resorted to draining the new mom cow of colostrum??? What happens to the calf for whom it's meant?
Calves are usually allowed to nurse for the first 24 hours after birth, and then they get pooled milk from the rest of the herd. Can you say "veal chops"??Love, Scully
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amccullough
Then I'm not sure what happened to my son. He was breastfed but has had repeated ear infections. He is about to have tubes put in his ears for the SECOND time at age 5. I feel so bad for him as I think he inherited it from me as I had a lot of ear infections and they are MISERABLE!
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LyinEyes
I think it is great , but please put a time limit on it. I mean it just looks strange if the child is still breastfeeding and shaving.
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LDH
Calves are usually allowed to nurse for the first 24 hours after birth, and then they get pooled milk from the rest of the herd. Can you say "veal chops"??
Yes, that was my perception. This truly disgusts me. The calf and cow are already living an unnatural lifestyle, all for the sake of cow's milk (which quite frankly ain't all that healthy for humans)--and it doesn't even get to nurse from it's mom for more than 24 hours?
Here's a link I found from UC Berkely. * http://wellnessletter.com/html/wl/2001/wlAskExperts0401.html
Q: Are there benefits in taking bovine colostrum supplements? B.N., via the Internet
and one from Dr. Weil (Eight weeks to Optimal Health)A: Colostrum is secreted by all lactating mammals shortly after giving birth, before milk is produced. It contains many substances that are vital for the growth, immune system, and overall health of newborns. Its chemistry is specific to each species—thus bovine (cow) colostrum is different from human. So what's good for newborn calves is not good for newborn humans, let alone adults.
Many companies are aggressively marketing supplements of bovine colostrum, claiming that the capsules, powders, and liquids can treat cancer, diabetes, arthritis, and other diseases, as well as build muscle, burn fat, boost athletic performance, improve mood, and slow aging. Some brands contain vitamins, herbs, and other compounds. There are even bovine colostrum supplements for pets.
There has been little or no research into bovine colostrum supplements for adults. Some preliminary animal studies have found that it may help treat intestinal damage caused by colitis or infection. But that doesn't mean it will help humans in any way.
There's no way to know what's really in these supplements. They may contain little or no colostrum. But they may have lots of fat and lactose (milk sugar), or be contaminated by bacteria or pesticides. Adverse effects, including bloating, have been reported.
Nobody needs colostrum supplements. Steer clear of anything that's promoted as a cure-all.
http://www.drweil.com/drw/app/cda/drw_cda.php?command=TodayQA&pt=Question&questionId=3358
All lactating mammals (including humans) produce colostrum. It is the first secretion from the mother's breasts after a baby's birth and is a rich source of proteins and antibodies that confer temporary resistance to disease until the infant's immune system begins to function.
AMC So sorry to hear your little guy is going through another surgery. Perhaps in your family there is a genetic defect in the inner ear canal, or a narrowing that prevents the fluid from draining accordingly? That sucks.
Bovine colostrum is, of course, colostrum collected from cows in the first milking after their calves are born. Ayurvedic physicians in India have been recommending bovine colostrum to their patients for thousands of years and, reportedly, Scandinavian farmers use it to make desserts to celebrate good health and the birth of calves.However, I'm somewhat dubious about today's extravagant health claims for bovine colostrum -- that it can prevent or treat everything from depression to gingivitis, plus cure the flu and promote healing of aged or injured musculoskeletal and nerve tissues. Enthusiasts even maintain that it can facilitate both weight loss and weight gain!
The theory underlying all these purportedly amazing effects is that after puberty the human body produces less of the immune and growth factors needed to combat disease and heal damaged tissue, and that by taking colostrum you can restore youthful levels.
There is little research on the effects of bovine colostrum in humans and no data to support most of these claims. What there is has focused on using colostrum from vaccinated cows and colostrum derivatives to treat digestive disorders such as severe colitis and rotaviral gastroenteritis, especially in children with weakened immune systems. A study done this past April found that bovine colostrum concentrate can block H. pylori bacteria (the bacteria associated with peptic ulcers) from binding to stomach tissues. I cannot find information on optimal dosages of colostrum.
My sense is that bovine colostrum is yet another hyped supplement, with more information on it available from vested commercial interests than from bona fide research. I usually recommend topical vitamin E to reduce scar formation.
Lisa
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Francois
WELL I NEVER!. No way, no how, no witness should be breastfeeding no chile. Mite feel good. Can't have that.
So there.
FT