NRDC on dangers of formula ....

[SleeplessMommy]

http://www.nrdc.org/breastmilk/chem13.asp

I think the NRDC is doing a fairly godd job here of pointing out the dangers of (and sources of) chemical contamination in breast milk, and at the same time pointing out the benefits of BF. THey have lots of bad things to say about formula ...

Finally, baby formula is the product of a large, and for most mothers, unnecessary industrial process, all of which adds to pollution in a variety of ways large and small. The list includes production plants that pollute, trucks that burn polluting diesel fuel, the use of harmful pesticides and genetically modified organisms to grow soy and cattle fodder, packaging that contributes to deforestation and pollution and more -- all in service of a product that is both nutritionally and developmentally inferior for infants.

[rmzbm]

[hipcoolmama]

Sandra Steingraber, PhD, a biologist has written several books about this topic. While breastmilk (and all other body fluids and tissue by the way) have some level of environmental contamination, breast milk has many good ingredients that outweigh the risk.

The point of the NRDC is to bring awareness to the problem and try to fix it with less environmental pollutants getting into human bodies!

[boobs4milk]

thank you for posting that...i'm always looking for info. to back up my claim that breastmilk is NOT as contaminated as formula.

oh, and that smoking while bf is BAD NEWS!!!:

[forshure]

Thanks! That's a great link to send to people who think that organic formula is as good as breastfeeding.

Those "pure and wholesome" organic formula ads make me:

[bobandjess99]

just jumping in to put the obligatory disclaimer that if you are one of the mothers who simply could not breastfeed, either at all or exclusively due to health problems or other issues, and infant formula is what kept your child ALIVE, of course formula can be a very limited "good thing".....certainly even a nutritionally inferior and highly contmaninted product is better than death......

[Sharondio]

It gets lost that formula is a manufacturered food. Yes, it will provide most of the nutritional requirements of an infant, but by and large, it's been a big, on-going experiment in infant nutrition. They're guessing. Example: they're adding in the DHA now, made by algae in big processing tanks. Do we *know* if this DHA is absorbed? Or if it doesn't cause other long-term problems? Nope. Let's just add it and see what happens. How did they learn to add in the other vitamins? When babies got sick. On-going experiment.

And if formula is "just like breastmilk", how come they keep improving it? How come nobody will admit that the old stuff wasn't all that good?

Yes, it's obvious if it's a choice between starvation and giving formula, just like I'd gladly eat McNuggets if I had no access to real foods. But because McNuggets will keep me alive, it doesn't make it a real food.

[angington]

Originally Posted by boobs4milk

oh, and that smoking while bf is BAD NEWS!!!:

I wish no one smoked. But for mother's who do smoke, I'd rather them smoke and BF, than smoke and FF.

http://www.kellymom.com/health/lifestyle/smoking.html

"Should a mother who smokes cigarettes breastfeed?

First of all, a mom who can't stop smoking should breastfeed. Breastfeeding provides many immunities that help your baby fight illness and can even help counteract some of the effects of cigarette smoke on your baby: for example, breastfeeding has been shown to decrease the negative effects of cigarette smoke on a baby's lungs. It's definitely better if breastfeeding moms not smoke, but if you can't stop or cut down, then it is better to smoke and breastfeed than to smoke and formula feed. "

Of course no one should smoke and BF at the same time.

[Ruthla]

Originally Posted by bobandjess99

just jumping in to put the obligatory disclaimer that if you are one of the mothers who simply could not breastfeed, either at all or exclusively due to health problems or other issues, and infant formula is what kept your child ALIVE, of course formula can be a very limited "good thing".....certainly even a nutritionally inferior and highly contmaninted product is better than death......

I think the original article addresses this:

"Finally, baby formula is the product of a large, and for most mothers, unnecessary industrial process"

The very wording implies that it IS necessary in some cases.

[jessjgh1]

Originally Posted by bobandjess99
just jumping in to put the obligatory disclaimer

FWIW, I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

Jessica

[jenny-g]

Originally Posted by jessjgh1

FWIW, I don't know whether to laugh or cry...

Jessica

?? I'm one of the mamas who has to formula suppliment. I'm very glad that there is an organic formula available to use (walmart parents choice). There is even similac organic now, but it's made with corn and cane sugar (EVIL) and not the 100% lactose that the walmart formula is (better). Of course they are vastly inferior to breastmilk, but way superior to the corn sugar water crap they used to suppliment with before formula.

I hate having to suppliment my baby with formula because I don't make enough milk, and I wish there were orders of magnitude more milk banks available, and etc. I do my part trying to encourage and support my friends to breastfeed, and I personally feel that formula advertising should be banned. Just my .02 -j

[SleeplessMommy]

Originally Posted by Ruthla

I think the original article addresses this:

"Finally, baby formula is the product of a large, and for most mothers, unnecessary industrial process"

The very wording implies that it IS necessary in some cases.

I believe HIV positive mothers are supposed to avoid BF with their own milk, to prevend infection of the baby.

[jessjgh1]

I had to formula supplement too, it just is the fact that we have to put the obligatory disclaimer in here on the lactivism forum that seems ridiculous sometimes-- I just think that sometimes we should make the assumption that even when we are talking about forumula here, we DO know there ARE cases where formula is needed/indicated/etc, without having to be so darn careful about specifically saying that.

So the obligatory disclaimer.... laugh, because it is easier to find it slightly amusing or cry because it is sad that this space has to be so awkward that now after any mention of forumula we feel obligated to put in a disclaimer.

Jessica