vrijdag 29 juli 2011

Contagious

Photo: Miranda Kerr breastfeeding baby Flynn during a break at Victoria’s Secret photo-shoot.
Behaviour is contagious. Good behaviour and bad behaviour alike. Most people probably feel better when imitating behaviour of people they like to identify with or of people in groups they would want to belong to. That is a reason why breastfeeding promoters (also known as lactivists) like to show celebreties breastfeeding their offspring. Which woman would not like to be as beautifull as Miranda Kerr or as heroic as Lucy Lawless or have such a cuty as husband as Mrs Depp<>. Less desirable behavior is contagious as well and marketers happily use that fact. Junkfood, fastfood, sweets, infant formula, and the like are all savored by cheerful, healthy and happy looking people from the producers of the products. But most contagious of course are diseases caused by all kinds of bugs. Depending on the route of infection the risk to get it is more or less high. One of the most difficult routes of infection is breastfeeding. Because, although some bugs may enter mom’s milk, the protection comes right with it. In the majority of cases that protection suffices. A recent studie by Zhongjie Shi et al (2011) on the internet information about LYme’s disease and breastfeeding showed a stunning high rate of wrong advise to quit breastfeeding. In fact a well-treated mother with diagnosed Lyme’s disease can happily continue breastfeeding. According to a somewhat less recent study by Cooper c.s. (2004) the same is true for hepatitis B.
To finish with a lighter tone: Victoria’s Secret, where the beautiful Miranda Kerr nursed her son in between photo shooting, and where the female body is cherished,  has gotten some bad press as well, when employees directed breastfeeding moms to the staff toilets. Apparently, the home-brand nursing bras can be fitted, but not tested in the fitting rooms.
Zhongjie Shi; Yuebo Yang; Hao Wang; Lin Ma; Ann Schreiber; Xiaomao Li; Wenjing Sun; Xuan Zhao; Xu Yang; Liran Zhang; Wenli Lu; Jin Teng; Yufang An: Breastfeeding of Newborns by Mothers Carrying Hepatitis B Virus: A Meta-analysis and Systematic Review
Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2011;0(2011):archpediatrics.2011.72.
Cooper JD, MD, Henry M. Feder HM Jr.: Inaccurate Information About Lyme Disease on the Internet. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2004;23: 1105–1108)
Nicole Weaver: Breastfeeding Moms Blast Victoria's Secret in Nationwide Protests.  Daily News Central 03 July, 2006  http://health.dailynewscentral.com/content/view/0002331/52/

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