Yes, I am happy to admit it. I have squirted my breastmilk in my son's ear when he had an ear infection. I have also squirted it in his nostrils when he was stuffy. I have also squirted it in his eye when he had conjunctivitis. Are you still with me or have you closed out of the post!?
Did you know that breastmilk has incredible anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-infective, moisturizing and just general healing properties to it? "Human milk is similar to unstructured living tissue, such as blood, and is capable of transporting nutrients, affecting biochemical systems, enhancing immunity, and destroying pathogens" (Riordan & Wambach 2011, p.117). If this is what it does for our kids from the inside, imagine what it can do topically!
SOME of the incredible components of milk include:
Phagocytes - engulf and absorb pathogens
Lymphocytes- have antiviral activity
Lipase- bacteriocidal activity
Oligosaccharides- microbial and viral ligands
Glycoconjugates- microbial and viral ligands
Lactoferrin- antibacterial
Lysozyme- bacteriocidal and ant-inflammatory
Vitamins A, C, E- anti-inflammatory action
And many many more...
(Riordan & Wambach 2011, p. 132)
When one of my children has an ailment, whether it is a cut, bug bite, ear ache, sunburn or some general complaint (which happens about fifty times per day) I will always yell out, "I'll just put some of my breastmilk in it!" They will then either; a. run screaming, "noooo!!!" or b. they will seriously be injured or hurting and go with it :)
Remember the fembots from Austin Powers?
This is what a typical scenario looks like:
I stand like a fembot and threaten a squirt of milk at them.
My youngest (who is blissfully unaware of what is happening) responds like this:
my oldest two respond like this:
and off they go running from my milk guns!!!
OK, OK, yes this was just a re-enactment and I assure you I do not squirt it out at them like a fembot! It is often how I feel though in these situations....I just squirt some in a cup and go from there.
Here is a list of some of the things breastmilk can help with:
Ear infections/ache
Conjunctivitis
Snotty noses (especially helpful for infants)
Eczema
Cracked nipples
Cuts and bug bites
Nappy rash
And many more!
Why are we so weird about it? Why is a pill or cream that has been made in a laboratory with chemicals better then what we have right on tap? Use it! It's free, natural and all you have to do is squirt it out :)
It's also fun to torture your children and husband with the, "I'll just squirt some of my milk on it" line...
*It is important to note here that you must do this numerous times throughout the day for it to work. You cannot squirt a drop in their eye and hope it clears it up. You must put a few drops in their ear/eye/nose every couple of hours (when you are awake) for it to help clear it up.*
Riordan, J & Wambach, K 2011, Breastfeeding and human lactation, Jones and Bartlett, Boston.
No comments:
Post a Comment