|
Formula Feeding: Think about it. |
|
A serving of formula contains more calories, more additives and preservatives, and less nutrition than an equivalent sized serving of breast milk. Starting to sound a bit like a Big Mac and Coke?
Even without the fast food analogy, would you want to eat a diet that consisted entirely of dissolved powder?
But babies who drink formula sleep better so they must be ‘better fed’, right? Wrong. Babies who ‘sleep better’ are at higher risk of dying from SIDS. Babies who go longer periods between feedings are being given too much food and food that is too difficult for their bodies to digest.
There is very, very little evidence that infant formula has any advantages over whole cow’s milk. Yet if you told your doctor that you were feeding your newborn whole milk, what would he say?
Formula is made in a factory. It is therefore at risk of contamination. This is not a theoretical risk. All of the major formula companies have issued more than one recall over time. In fact, in 1999, Isomil, Enfamil and Carnation all because of contaminated formula. In the case of Enfamil, cans labeled ‘infant formula’ actually contained an adult nutritional supplement. Oops.
Why is breastfeeding so outshone by formula feeding in public opinion? Marketing. Formula companies spend big money to market their product because their product brings in big money when it sells. No one gains financially from exclusive breastfeeding . . . no one except parents.
When farmers take a baby calf away from its mother so that they can collect the cow’s milk for sale, what do you think they give the calf? Goat’s milk? Formula? Don’t be ridiculous.
Except in cases of severe malnutrition, the breast milk of a woman in an African village is just as good as that of a stay-at-home mom in a Manhattan apartment. Yet babies in third world countries die, regularly, because of the use of formula. Mothers in these countries don’t know how to read the preparation instructions. They use contaminated water. Often they deliberately over-dilute the formula in order to save money. Meanwhile their abundant supplies of perfect breast milk dry up. How does one ethically support the companies responsible for convincing those mothers that formula was better for their children than breast milk?
In 1981, the major formula companies agreed to a code of ethics outlined by the World Health Organization, UNICEF and other NGOs, banning all direct and indirect advertising to mothers including free samples, media ads, and information from company reps. So, how many free samples of formula, bottles or artificial nipples have you received so far?
For more straight talk about infant formula, we recommend you read Dr. Jack Newman’s Guide to Breastfeeding. |
|
Warning: This page contains unrestrained sarcasm. |
