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Resource Pointer #351 (The Health of Mother’s Milk)
January 14, 2004

For copies of the following resources, please contact the appropriate publishers or organizations directly.

*Mothering Magazine, #122, January/February 2004* 3 articles discuss benefits of breastfeeding despite the risks posed by pollution. “Don’t Trash Our Bodies!: Researching Breastmilk Toxins” discusses the presence and source of environmental toxins accumulating in breastmilk, compares the health benefits of breastfeeding with the potential threats to infant health, and outlines steps mothers can take to reduce the risk to their breastfed babies. “Breastfeeding, Biomonitoring, and the Media” addresses the controversy surrounding breastfeeding and biomonitoring and the role of the media to build solidarity among breastfeeding movements. “To Breastfeed or Not to Breastfeed Is Not the Questions” asserts breastfeeding as a basic human right, violated by the high toxin exposure levels in our environment. Single issue available for us $5.95, 12-issue subscription available for $34. Contact Mothering Magazine, P.O. Box 1690, Santa Fe, NM 87504; phone (800) 984-8116; fax (505) 986-8335; email info@mothering.com; Web site http://www.mothering.com/.

*The Breastfeeding Movement: A Sourcebook, 2003* Lakshmi Menon (editor), World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). Introduces the Breastfeeding Movement, which promotes breastfeeding in developing countries where new mothers are encouraged to feed formulas or are unable to breastfeed due work obligations or other obstacles. Discusses the numerous health and nutritional benefits of breastfeeding, and the continued struggle against formula companies, their aggressive marketing strategies, and their false nutritional claims. 294 pages. US $30. Contact WABA, P.O. Box 1200, 10850 Penang, Malaysia; phone (604) 658-4816; fax (604) 657-2655; email secr@waba.po.my; Web site http://www.waba.org.my.

*Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PDBEs) in U.S. Mothers’ Milk, Environmental Health Perspectives, November 2003* Schecter et al. Presents results of a scientific study finding extremely elevated levels of the carcinogenic toxin PDBE in breast milk and the subsequent health threats to nursing infants. Also discusses the bioaccumulative properties of PDBEs, or the accumulation of toxins in living organisms through exposure from food intake and the environment. Compares the results of the study with those from similar studies in other countries. 5 pages. Available for free download at: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/docs/2003/111-14/toc.html. 17-issue print subscription available for US $263 for individual, professional subscriber. Contact Environmental Health Perspectives, c/o Brogan and Partners, 1001 Winstead Drive, Suite 355, Cary, NC 27513-2117; phone (866) 541-3841; fax (919) 678-8696; email ehponline@niehs.nih.gov; Web site http://ehponline.org.

*Mother’s Milk: Record Levels of Toxic Fire Retardants Found in American Mothers’ Breast Milk, 2003* Environmental Working Group (EWG). Presents results of an EWG study testing for chemical fire retardants in breast milk. Discusses the toxins in fire retardants, the associated health risks, and policy suggestions to reduce and eliminate health threats. Also argues in favor of breastfeeding despite these potential hazards. 65 pages. Available for free download or on-line viewing at: http://www.ewg.org/reports/mothersmilk/index.php. Contact EWG 1436 U St. N.W., Suite 100, Washington, DC 20009; phone (202) 667-6982; fax (202) 232-2592; email info@ewg.org; Web site http://www.ewg.org/.

*Having Faith: An Ecologist’s Journey to Motherhood, 2001* Sandra Steingraber. The author recounts her concerns and emotions surrounding the pregnancy and birth of her daughter into a world of environmental pollution along and presents a wide-ranging overview of new developments in genetics, embryology, and infant development. Compares the health threats posed by chemicals that have accumulated in breast milk with the inherent medical benefits of breastfeeding. 342 pages. US $14. Contact Berkeley Publishing Group, c/o Penguin Group Inc., 405 Murray Hill Parkway, East Rutherford, NJ 07073; phone (800) 6262; fax (212) 366-2679; email online@penguinputnam.com; Web site http://www.penguinputnam.com/.

We encourage those interested in having resources listed in the PANUPS Resource Pointer to send review copies of publications, videos or other resources to our office.

PANUPS is a weekly email news service providing resource guides and reporting on pesticide issues that don’t always get coverage by the mainstream media. It’s produced by Pesticide Action Network North America, a non-profit and non-governmental organization working to advance sustainable alternatives to pesticides worldwide.

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