DON’T tell a conventionally minded doctor it is made with raw milk else your baby might end up in foster care!
This is the nightmare Alorah Gellerson of Brooklin, Maine is experiencing right now because she made the mistake of telling her doctor about the homemade goat milk formula she proudly and carefully makes for her healthy, happy, three-month old son Carson.
The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) quickly responded when the doctor reported Alorah and that’s when things got messy.
The state came in and threatened to take Carson away and put him in foster care unless Alorah followed DHHS orders to go and have the baby examined by a doctor. Unbelievably, DHHS also mandated an overnight hospital stay and a switch back to store bought GMO commercial formula.
Despite complying with every single DHHS demand, Gellerson, who receives state benefits, is still being harassed with threats of foster care for her son. “I hope this all goes away. It’s been so terrible and hard on us. We’re just trying to live our lives and they keep bothering us. I just want it to be all over”, she said.
Tania Allen, Gellerson’s mother added,
“It’s so frustrating. She’s a great mom. The baby has a great dad too and they love this baby very much and they would never do anything to hurt him and if we thought the formula was harming him, we would not do that.”
DHHS refused to comment and instead directed inquiries to its website for the procedures they follow, one of which is from the USDA which states that goat milk is not recommended for infants because of inadequate quantities of certain vitamins.
Jack Forbush, DO, of The Osteopathic Center for Family Medicine in Hampden, Maine disagrees with the state saying,
“I don’t know what’s really driving it other than perhaps some different cultural belief system. I’ve got plenty of kids in my practice that have been given goat’s milk, for example, and they’re growing and developing fine.“
The Weston A. Price Foundation concurs with Dr. Forbush’s assessment. Homemade formula from goat or cow milk is much better for baby than commercial formula as this chart listing the nutrients contained in goat milk formula illustrates.
State Violation of Parental Rights Becoming More Common
This is not the first time a parental judgment call regarding the health of a child has landed a parent in hot water with the State. This type of violation of basic parental rights is becoming more and more common.
Recall the the story of Alex and Anna Nikolayev just a few months ago who had their baby forcibly removed from their home (with the entire assault captured on home video) simply because they took their baby to another hospital for a second opinion regarding their child’s heart condition. In both cases, the children were eventually returned to the parents, but not before much grief and stress were endured by the family.
References and More Information
Brooklin Mother Says State Not Happy With Her Formula Choice
Baby’s mother in trouble with state over homemade goat’s milk formula
Sarah Pope has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. Her work is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.
Her work has been covered by major media including USA Today, ABC, NBC, and many others.
Thyroid Disease as a Psychiatric Pretender
I too had my run-ins with big brother while trying to provide the best for my children. I was awarded custody of my daughters from the State of Washington. I then made the mistake of moving to the State of Nevada. My eldest daughter was having trouble with staying interested in school because of her IQ. I had her tested for the Gifted and Talented Program as soon as the test became available. The results were as expected- she qualified for the program. The problem: she came from a broken home so it was determined by the school board that my daughter would not emotionally be able to handle the program. They had no personal relation with my daughter, so how could they make this decision? Anyway.. I knew trouble was in her future if I did not get her into a classroom that stimulated her intellectually. I did some research and found out that the State of Nevada allows for homeschooling. I knew this was the answer I had been looking for. I filled out all the necessary forms, bought all the necessary supplies, and within two weeks I had my daughter in homeschool. My daughter blossomed! She was taking violin lessons, going to museums to find facts, she even used her telescope to chart the movement of the stars across the night sky. All at eight years old. Somehow, though, when my ex brought our custody case to my new home state, my daughters education would be a major factor in whether I would be considered a fit mother or not. To jump ahead in time… I was forced by court order, to put my daughter back into public school AND to have her meet with the school counselor weekly. The counselor was privy to my thoughts on public education thanks to my ex’s conversations with her. This put an immediate red flag against me at my daughters school. I could do nothing right. If I pulled my daughter out early for any reason, I would find myself in court the next week. If I put my daughter on restriction to her bedroom as a punishment for hitting her brother and she told the school counselor about it, I was in court the next week. Eventually the judge decided without notice to me, only to my ex and school officials, to give full custody to my ex . I had sent both my daughters to school via the school bus that fateful day not knowing that when they got off the bus they would be escorted to the airport. I did not know where my daughters were for 27 months! I did everything right and yet big brother stepped in and broke rules to fit what they wanted to see happen.
*A side note to the story.. The judge in this tragedy years later was disbarred for being intoxicated while on duty. All parents in his court had been saying that for years.
Although I do think it is ridiculous how the government is acting… I also don’t understand why she is not breastfeeding? I’m all about being crunchy and natural… but if we are going to go natural, let’s go natural. Let’s do what God intended our bodies to do and breastfeed. The best nutrients are found in Mother’s milk. If the mama is eating healthy balanced meals and taking her real food vitamins, then the baby should get all that and more via breast milk. I do believe that factory made formula is not an option (synthetic vitamins is never a solution). However, home-made can never compare to natures provision.
My husband was laid off a few years ago and it took him a while to find work again. During that time we took advantage of the free insurance for children provided by the state. We had to change from our loved and trusted family doctor we had had for years to be eligible, and my children very rarely have to see a doctor, but be wanted them covered, just in case. I did take my daughter one time when she got a bee sting and was reacting badly to it and found the doctor immediately suspicious of us. Apparently needing state government funded programs immediately puts you on the list of people they watch closely for signs of abuse. His manner was very suspicious and although I did not share any of our personal practices (thank goodness!) he basically accused me of several things, including under-nourishing my daughter and possible sexual abuse (he asked if she had any pain on her chest or private parts – not really relevant to the bee sting on her ear!) and my daughter, who is in her early teen years, told him that her chest was a little sore about once a month, but she figured it was because it was growing and she might be starting her period soon. He said this NEVER happens and was “suspicious”. He suggested we come back in for a battery of test and some “other” tests. I said sure Doctor, what ever you say Doctor, and made the appointment. Then RAN back to my normal doctor, who was outraged and said he would provide free medical care during our work absence and would support us in any way he could. I called the office and said we were back at work and would be changing our appointments over to our new doctor again and to call him if they liked, which they did to make sure. Luckily that is where the experience ended, but I can easily see how things could have gone differently. You have to be soooo careful if you use any public assistance! Now I work in a charity where we put people in touch with necessary assistance, and counsel them how to protect themselves when they use the services. Never ever ever ever share what you don’t have to share! These people have too much power, and what ever their motives they can and do use it to hurt your family.