A little extra breastfeeding goes a long way Further research showing babies fed other foods before six months are at risk for increased respiratory illness and recurrant ear infections. The Academy of American Pediatrics and the WHO both recommend exclusive breastfeeding for six months.

Feds Look for West Nile Virus in Breast Milk, Blood
CDC Media Relations: Press Release: Update on West Nile Investigation
ABC News - West Nile virus-breastfeeding link under investigation
Will breastfeeding be sacrificed because people hear this news and think their milk is going to make their babies sick? The CDC could have explained WHY it's unlikely to be a source of infection. What else is in breastmilk?A number of antiviral factors active against a whole host of diseases, West Nile included. And this is research that dates back to the 60s, so it's not like we're dealing with a new thing here. See this LTU microbiology site for more info. - J

dailyrecord - GROW UP AND GET SERIOUSThe Scottish business association suggests Scottish politicians need to get serious with ther legislative agenda, citing a ban on fox-hunting and support for public breastfeeding as examples of frivilous activity....CBI's Iain MacMillan says "These things are not important in the great scheme of things, like getting Scotland's economy moving, improving people's lives and all that kind of thing. That is all self- indulgent and I think the parliament needs to grow up.

[Hmmm, MacMillan doesn't think being able to breastfeed in public without fear of harassment or arrest is an improvement in peoples lives? - J]

Breastfed kids brighter September 25, 2002 -- Breastfed children tend to end up significantly more intelligent than those who are bottle-fed, a major Australian study has concluded...
The Courier Mail: Breastfed babies 'have higher IQs' [26sep02]
This is yet another of many research studies showing that formula-fed babies have lower IQs. It's common sense. When we are pregnant we are so careful to wtch what we eat - we're growing a baby, after all. Yet that newborn brain is not fully grown when it is born. In the first year of life a baby's brain will double in size. - JC