anyone else doing the Texas Tech (Andrea Kirk) B-milk study??

[bunny's mama]

i think i heard about this study on these boards, so i'm just wondering how many of us are doing it.

it is a study looking at the presence of something (an environmental contaminant, i think) called pecholinate (sp??) in breastmilk.

anyone else involved??

[Viola]

No, how would I get involved?

[Meiri]

I tried, but I'm past the point of being able to pump. So I gave the stuff to my sister who's nursing our newest neice and she participated.

I don't know if they're seeking any more samples. I think they're past that point now.

[Angie676]

I just emailed Andrea 2 weeks ago to ask if she could still use my sample(I'm such a procrastinator!) and she said to send it on over.

Her email address is: [e-mail]


It wouldn't hurt to ask if she is still accepting new samples, if you are interested. You only need to collect 3 oz of milk.

[taz925]

I participated

Hi,

She actually asked for some water samples and more milk recently. Didn't get the package yet but I was happy to participate.

Doreen

[Kundalini-Mama]

I participated too. I haven't received the other package yet either for the water or more BM yet.

I should e-mail her again.

Amy

[Quirky]

I'm in.

I just got the FedEx package yesterday with the tubes for the water samples and another milk sample.

She's testing for the presence of perchlorate, which is a groundwater contaminant that comes mainly from rocket fuel. Perchlorate (aka "perc") disrupts thyroid function.

I was happy to find out that my levels were 3 parts per billion, about half of the 6 ppb "safe" standard established by California.

If you're interested in participating, email Andrea and find out whether she needs more samples! She's really nice.

[bunny's mama]

i got the fedex package yesterday (the 2nd part with the water tubes). my last sample of milk also tested very low for perchlorate. the letter said too low to be given an accurate number.

i am also in california, BTW. interesting. i'm interested in hearing other's results and knowing where you live. i can't wait to read all the results. this is so interesting (and scary!) to me.

call me paranoid, though...i do have the fear that i'm taking part in something that could be used to say that b-milk is unhealthy because it contains contaminants. ya know? even tho we all know that artificial baby milk has WAY more contaminants.

[Delta]

I contacted her back when I was pregnant last fall and she said to contact her again when I had my baby. So I will! Thanks for the reminder!

[Marlena]

I also just got my second kit yesterday, asking for another sample of breastmilk and a sample of our drinking water. My results, fortunately, were also too low to be gauged. It looks like the EPA is considering setting the draft reference dose at 1 ppb, from the site that Q referenced.

[kama'aina mama]

I tried but couldn't get enough milk. Glad to hear so many of you are in!

[Meiri]

I'm glad you all will be able to participate.

BAck when I contacted her to try to be in this study, I expressed concern about how this information may be used. What they're looking for is how widespread perc is in the environment, because they've been finding it in places they did not expect to. She's sensitive to that issue.

Perchlorates are also widely used in dry cleaning, which is why I suspect it's more widespread than they thought it'd be, and why we don't buy the item if it says, and really means, dry clean only.

Considering that there are now dry-clean at home products at the grocery stores, I'm even less surprised it's so widespread.

[bunny's mama]

meiri, that's interesting about the dry cleaning. i never ever dry clean anything (even if it says dry clean only). i always just wash those things by hand or on the delicate cycle and air dry. i wonder of thats another reason mine was so low. altho i have heard that you can be exposed to the dangers inherent in dry coleaning just by walking by a dry cleaning place.

[zerby]

My level was 4.5, but we have dry cleaning at work, so I was worried. I just got mt second packet yeaterday, so I need to wait for a pumping surplus to sent more in!

[Delta]

Yay! I just got an email back from her and I'm in.

Now I am nervous...I wear dry cleaned clothes all the time and so does DH.

[abigailvr]

I tried too, but the pump just doesn't do it for my anymore. I wish I had another mama I could give my packet to.