Breast Pumps, Breast Milk and the IRS

We pediatricians have been labeling breast milk incorrectly. All these years we've been calling it "the perfect food". The end result has been that the IRS has agreed with us: It is just food. They have refused to realize that it is SO much more and that breast pumps are medical devices that should be deductible. Had we doctors labeled it for what it really is, a biologically active molecular solution, we could have gotten our patients' mothers what they needed decades ago. I would like to provide you with information on some of the "chemicals" your breast milk contains in case you have trouble with the IRS when you file your taxes and deduct your pump. Because besides all the nutrients that you normally think of like fats, vitamins, minerals, proteins, etc, there is some pretty amazing stuff in breast milk.

When born, babies have little immunity from disease. Their ability to survive those first few weeks relies primarily with the active substances found in breast milk. Immunoglobulins (antibodies) are highest in colostrum and will bind to pathogens that get into the babies' digestive system and will minimize intestinal diseases. They may also help reduce allergies. Certain proteins in the milk not only have nutritional value but act in ways to fight infection. And some of the non digestible sugars in breast milk bind bacteria and keep them from causing disease. There is new research on CD14, a lipopolysaccharide (in English - a fat/sugar molecule) that seems to be responsible for decreasing diseases like celiac disease and atopic dermatitis.

Breast milk also has stuff like growth factors and cytokines. These do all sorts of things that are just being sorted out. But some of those biologically active processes include getting the intestinal system of the newborn to mature, improving the intestine barrier to dangerous foreign substances at the same time maintaining a tolerance towards food. Pretty cool balance if you ask me.

Breast milk also contains antioxidant properties that work much better than the anti-oxidants that are added to formula. This means that breast milk stabilizes and suppresses DNA damage better because of the natural substances found in it.

There are many more chemical advantages, but I will stop here, because I am afraid that if I continue then the FDA may want to regulate it!