Fascinating news out of Perth, Australia, as researchers report that human breast milk contains stem cells that potentially could be harvested to treat all manner of injuries and diseases. ScienceAlert quotes molecular biologist Dr. Mark Cregan:
We already know how breast milk provides for the baby’s nutritional needs, but we are only just beginning to understand that it probably performs many other functions.
Journalist Catherine Madden sums up Dr. Cregan’s theory on the “developmental guidance” that he believes breast milk provides:
He says that, in essence, a new mother’s mammary glands take over from the placenta to provide the development guidance to ensure …read more

Jennifer and Tanya report that the Mothers’ Milk Bank of New England received enough votes in the IdeaBlob semi-finals to make it to the final round! The Milk Bank is one of eight finalists competing for the $10,000 prize, so your vote is needed in this final round. Vote now!

Is intelligence determined by nature or nurture? The latest breastfeeding study reveals that nature (genetic makeup) and nurture (breastfeeding) work together to develop a child’s IQ. In children with a particular variant of the FADS2 gene (as 90% of children have), breastfeeding increases intelligence. Breastfed children with the gene variant score an average of seven points higher on intelligence tests than their formula-fed counterparts. For a geneticist’s take on this news, read the clear explanation offered by Dr. Hsien-Hsien Lei at Eye on DNA.

It is a time of transition for my family, and this is one of those times I am glad I am “still” breastfeeding. When life is full of changes, breastfeeding remains a constant element and a reliable comfort to a nursing child.
In anticipation of this crazy week, I have lined up some fantastic guest bloggers. First up is Kendra, a nurse who shares her knowledge about diabetes and the breastfeeding mother. And in addition to the guest posts, stay tuned later in the week for my entry in the “This I Believe” essay collection for this month’s Carnival of Breastfeeding!

Hi there. Kendra here from Diabetes Notes, a fellow blogger at the science and health channel. Being a nurse, I can’t tell you how many times I have heard the words, “I know I can’t breastfeed after I have the baby, I’m a diabetic.” And I can’t count how many times I have said, “the heck you can’t.” There are proven benefits to both the baby and the diabetic mommy who breastfeed.
What are they you ask? Let me give you a few…
1. Babies that are breastfed have a reduced risk for developing diabetes later on in life.
2. Prolonging the introduction …read more

Public health leaders say the weight of the scientific evidence for breast-feeding has grown so overwhelming that it is appropriate to recast their message to make clear that it is risky not to breast-feed.
Breast-Feed or Else By Roni Rabin
The New York Times, June 13, 2006

We’re talking about going green today at the Science and Health Theme Day, hosted this round by Kendra at Diabetes Notes. Breastfeeding is clearly the right environmental choice–the only things breastfeeding requires are mom and baby. While there are lots of breastfeeding accessories available should you decide you want them, a breastfeeding family does not need all the bottles, nipples, bottle brushes and f*rmula cans that end up in the landfills some day (not to mention the environmental costs of f*rmula manufacturing and transportation)! Lucky for us, the green choice in this case is also the frugal choice–an example of …read more

It’s breastfeeding carnival time again and in honor of Father’s Day we’ve got some fathers added into the mix of contributors (see the complete list at the bottom of this post). My own husband shares how he became such a passionate advocate for breastfeeding:
“With Father’s Day approaching, I pondered how breastfeeding has influenced my life, and I keep coming back to so many instances where the general perceptions diverge from reality. Here are a few of my favorites.
#1 F*rmula (word changed to protect innocent blogs from ads by the evil empire ): I was breastfed …read more

As long as you can – breastfeed! And get that protection into your child.
Dr. David Rose, Deputy Director, Maternal and Primary Care Administration, DC Department of Health. “Asthma and Allergies in Children” The Kojo Nnamdi Show, WAMU American University Radio, April 5, 2007.