It NEVER fails. Whenever World Breastfeeding Month (August) rolls around, I constantly see the same “breastfeeding” study circulating on social media and news channels. I actually heard Journalists reporting about this same study on the news as I was getting ready for work recently. I was thinking, why can’t you just go away, you misleading study, you!

So what study am I referring to, you may ask? The study about PFASs (PFASs stands for : per-flourinated alkylate substances) which can travel through breast milk, and the potential harm it can have on infants who breastfeed.

Why do I have a problem with this study? First, just listen to the title of the study: “Study highlights toxic chemicals traveling through breast milk“. Most people (and I am guilty of this to sometimes) read headlines…and that’s about it. How often do you scroll through the comments, and read people posting “why don’t you read the article first!” Well, the same goes for this study; nothing is inherently dangerous in breast milk- yet the title of this study implies dangerous stuff is “traveling” (“traveling” is an interesting way to phrase it) through breast milk. Sound the alarm!!!! & here’s the part that bothers me, not everyone scrolling through FaceBook is an IBCLC, and can call bullshit as fast as I can.

So let’s break down this study shall we? What the study really says is, PFASs are found in products designed to repel water and oil (think: food packaging, clothing, cosmetics, paints, and stain-proof fabrics) and they wind up in our water supply, and THAT is how they are transferred in our bodies. Betcha didn’t see that coming? Were you thinking PFASs are naturally occurring in the body– heck no! So once they are in our bodies, PFASs are known to have an impact on the reproductive system, immune function, and certain types of cancers. So herein lies my first point; I know plenty of women who read the title of that article whilst casually scrolling through FaceBook, and immediately think, wow, my breast milk is dangerous for my baby, so that gives me more reason not to breastfeed. How do I know plenty of women might jump to these conclusions? Because I constantly have to counsel women who think THEY are the problem when it comes to breastfeeding. “My milk isn’t enough. My milk wasn’t enough. I didn’t produce enough. No milk came out. I failed” I say this time and time again, our bodies are truly remarkable. We produce life and we sustain it for 9 long months- NEVER once, do we start doubting ourselves- until the baby finally arrives and then we rationalize breastfeeding failure is a result of the body not working right. But the body is working “right” 99.9% of the time. Only 1%, 1% of women cannot physically breastfeed- and it’s because of a very rare diagnosis. I doubt most women who had breastfeeding failures were apart of that 1%…it’s usually misconceptions and external forces that cause breastfeeding to fail.

So that is why the constant circulation of this study infuriates me so, because I already have enough of an uphill battle to fight, trying to empower women that they are enough, that their milk is enough, that colostrum is breast milk, and that their baby can thrive off of breast milk all on it’s own. But breastfeeding is a house of cards, and a study like this easily breaks down all the efforts and education IBCLC’s like myself can provide to mothers to help them believe and succeed. Why? Because women are very fragile during this time.

Okay, back to the PFASs. This article does have scientific value, it has a nice commentary about how PFASs can build up in the blood stream, and its affect on the human body. I don’t doubt these results. But the real MEAT of this study isn’t addressed- why is it okay for manufacturers to use PFASs in our everyday products, that leach into our water supply, and wreak havoc on our bodies. Why and how is this okay? This study’s results should get tossed back to the manufacturers to answer to. But instead, we scapegoat breast milk. Always! I just counseled a mother with a rare autoimmune disease. Her rationale for not breastfeeding? That she could transfer her autoimmune-faulty antibodies through her breast milk to her baby. After I researched her condition, do you know what I found? The only risk for antibody transfer was in-utero (while she was pregnant). I had to confer with doctors, who already gave her the green light to formula feed, and once I showed them the facts, they reevaluated this mother’s desire not to breastfeed and convinced her otherwise. But do you see how quickly we blame breastfeeding?

Why doesn’t this study delve into the known reproductive, immune and cancer causing disorders PFASs cause? Why does it go straight to breast milk?

My other big problem with this study;it doesn’t address the risks associated with NOT breastfeeding, which is more detrimental to babies than minute amounts of PFASs transferring through breastmilk. What about the notion that PFASs in breast milk is still healthier for a baby to ingest than using straight cow’s milk formula. Let me get this out in one breathe; For-the-one-study-that-found-manufactured-chemicals-leach-into-the-water-supply-and-are-unavoidably-ingested-and-can-be-transferred-through-breastmilk, (which is what the title of the study should have been) there are 500 other studies that demonstrate the resounding health benefits of breastfeeding. How about the risks associated with formula feeding? Where’s the commentary about pesticides and chemicals found in infant formula? How about the recalls of infant formula which have killed infants due to bacteria living (enterobacter sakazakii)  in the powder? This study is very one sided, which is why I question the validity of it.

Lastly, who is routinely pushing this study during World Breastfeeding Month year after year? Could it be the infant formula manufacturers? Nah, it couldn’t be.