Looking for Studies/Info

[wildflower18]

Not sure where is best to post this...relocate as needed.

I know all of the benefits of BFing vs FFing exclusively, but what info is out there regarding supplementation? I'm interested to know if supplementing with formula has the same "risks" as exclusively FF in the first few months of life. Also, is there an age in which supplementation is not detrimental to the long-term health of a child - for example is it no different than introducing solid foods into a child's diet?

Hope the question made sense. Thanks for any info.

[meldess]

Here are a couple articles about "virgin gut":

http://www.breastfeed.com/articles/i...rgin-gut-3451/

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...ay-solids.html

and an article by Dr. Jack Newman about supplementation:

http://drjacknewman.com/help/Breastf...er%20Foods.asp

Dr. Newman's philosophy is a bit different than many other professionals in that he considers formula to be a drug and not at all necessary for most infants.

There are some good articles on his website that talk about some of the questions you have:

http://drjacknewman.com/help/Healthc...supportive.asp

http://drjacknewman.com/help/Toxins%...%20Feeding.asp

The way I think of it is like this: The back of the formula can tells me that it's made from dehydrated, reconstituted cow's milk and vegetable oils. I didn't see why my child would need that. To me, "real" food seems more nutritionally sound than processed stuff.

Hope this helps!

[Sagesgirl]

I can't find a citation for it right now, but there was a study which came out last year, on nectrotizing enterocolitis, that showed that only the babies in the (admittedly small) trial group who had formula got NE. Which is to say: none of the exclusively breastfed babies got it, but many who were supplemented with formula did. (I read about it in a blog post, and of course can't find it to get the study link!) Of course, most of the articles out there merely state that a breastfed baby's chances of contracting NE are much less (3 or 4 times less) than a formula fed baby's, & don't directly address the supplementation issue. (Though there does seem to be some suggestion of adding those magical probiotics to the feedings in an effort to do artificially what breastmilk does naturally. )

And of course, there is this simple fact: even one bottle of formula exposes the child to the risks that come with possible contamination of formula. In trying to find the study I mentioned in my previous paragraph, I came across a few articles on enterobacteria contamination of powdered formula, and in trying to find those articles again (Google hates me; I can never find what I need when I'm looking for it!), I found several news articles on contamination of a certain Chinese infant formula (not sold here in the States, thank goodness) which are quite recent, and there have been a few cases here and there of metal shavings being found in powdered formula--these are certainly things the breastfed-only baby never encounters!

[junipermuse]

Originally Posted by meldess

Here are a couple articles about "virgin gut":

http://www.breastfeed.com/articles/i...rgin-gut-3451/

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/so...ay-solids.html

and an article by Dr. Jack Newman about supplementation:

http://drjacknewman.com/help/Breastf...er%20Foods.asp

Dr. Newman's philosophy is a bit different than many other professionals in that he considers formula to be a drug and not at all necessary for most infants.

There are some good articles on his website that talk about some of the questions you have:

http://drjacknewman.com/help/Healthc...supportive.asp

http://drjacknewman.com/help/Toxins%...%20Feeding.asp

The way I think of it is like this: The back of the formula can tells me that it's made from dehydrated, reconstituted cow's milk and vegetable oils. I didn't see why my child would need that. To me, "real" food seems more nutritionally sound than processed stuff.

Hope this helps!

Wow those dr. Newman articles are great. I had never seen them. One thing he said was that after 6 months a baby can be given small amounts of cow's milk as part of their overall diet if they're eating other solids and getting breastmilk. I always wondered about that. I guess the warnings not to give babies under one cow's milk has more to do with ffers. They don't want them to replace all the formula with cow's milk because it lacks some nutrients a baby needs. As my baby got older I struggled to pump milk so it would have been nice to feel I could leave her with dh and some cow's milk incase she really wanted it before I could get back. I know some people are anti-cows milk but I believe a real food has got to be better than formula.

[wildflower18]

Thanks for the links. Interesting info. It touched upon some of my questions, but I guess most of the studies are comparing exclusive BFing to exclusive FFing. I'm still interested to know the effects of adding formula around the same time as when solids are introduced. I don't think that you can use the gut flora argument anymore since the child isn't getting exclusive BM and their gut flora is begining to be altered anyway. Although I do agree that a whole food is better than processed, dehydrated formula.

I have run into a few women who have begun to supplement later - due to necessity (possible just perceived necessity) as well as situation (going away for a week and didn't have a stockpile of BM). I'm just trying to sort out in my own mind if there are increased risks of when adding formula after solids have been introduced. I think one of the articles stated that there is still an increased risk of disease (forgive me, I quickly read these while I was at work yesterday).

Wish there was a specific study that addressed this concern.

[CEVmommy]

Here's a few:

Am J Public Health. 1999 Jan;89(1):25-30.
Breast-feeding and infant illness: a dose-response relationship?
Raisler J, Alexander C, O'Campo P.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine whether breast-feeding has a dose-related protective effect against illness and whether it confers special health benefits to poor infants. METHODS: The association between breast-feeding dose and illnesses in the first 6 months of life was analyzed with generalized estimating equations regression for 7092 infants from the National Maternal and Infant Health Survey. Breast-feeding dose (ratio of breast-feedings to other feedings) was categorized as full, most, equal, less, or no breast-feeding. RESULTS: Compared with no breast-feeding, full breast-feeding infants had lower odds ratios of diarrhea, cough or wheeze, and vomiting and lower mean ratios of illness months and sick baby medical visits. Most breast-feeding infants had lower odds ratios of diarrhea and cough or wheeze, and equal breast-feeding infants had lower odds ratios of cough or wheeze. Full, most, and equal breast-feeding infants without siblings had lower odds ratios of ear infections and certain other illnesses, but those with siblings did not. Less breast-feeding infants had no reduced odds ratios of illness. Findings did not vary by income. CONCLUSIONS: Full breast-feeding was associated with the lowest illness rates. Minimal (less) breast-feeding was not protective. Breast-feeding conferred similar health benefits in all economic groups.

Pediatrics. 1997 Jun;99(6):E5.
A longitudinal analysis of infant morbidity and the extent of breastfeeding in the United States.
Scariati PD, Grummer-Strawn LM, Fein SB.

BACKGROUND: Studies on the health benefits of breastfeeding in developed countries have shown conflicting results. These studies often fail to account for confounding, reverse causality, and dose-response effects. We addressed these issues in analyzing longitudinal data to determine if breastfeeding protects US infants from developing diarrhea and ear infections. METHODS: Mothers participating in a mail panel provided information on their infants at ages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 months. Infants were classified as exclusively breastfed; high, middle, or low mixed breast- and formula-fed; or exclusively formula-fed. Diarrhea and ear infection diagnoses were based on mothers' reports. Infant age and gender; other liquid and solid intake; maternal education, occupation, and smoking; household size; family income; and day care use were adjusted for in the full models. RESULTS: The risk of developing either diarrhea or ear infection increased as the amount of breast milk an infant received decreased. In the full models, the risk for diarrhea remained significant only in infants who received no breast milk compared with those who received only breast milk (odds ratio = 1.8); the risk for ear infection remained significant in the low mixed feeding group (odds ratio = 1.6) and among infants receiving no breast milk compared with those who received only breast milk (odds ratio = 1.7). CONCLUSIONS: Breastfeeding protects US infants against the development of diarrhea and ear infection. Breastfeeding does not have to be exclusive to confer this benefit. In fact, protection is afforded in a dose-response manner. The more breast milk an infant receives in the first 6 months of life, the less likely that he or she will develop diarrhea or ear infection.

[dewi]

Originally Posted by wildflower18

Thanks for the links. Interesting info. It touched upon some of my questions, but I guess most of the studies are comparing exclusive BFing to exclusive FFing. I'm still interested to know the effects of adding formula around the same time as when solids are introduced. I don't think that you can use the gut flora argument anymore since the child isn't getting exclusive BM and their gut flora is begining to be altered anyway. Although I do agree that a whole food is better than processed, dehydrated formula.

I have run into a few women who have begun to supplement later - due to necessity (possible just perceived necessity) as well as situation (going away for a week and didn't have a stockpile of BM). I'm just trying to sort out in my own mind if there are increased risks of when adding formula after solids have been introduced. I think one of the articles stated that there is still an increased risk of disease (forgive me, I quickly read these while I was at work yesterday).

Wish there was a specific study that addressed this concern.

The risk is that formula has a history of being contaminated and has frequent recalls.

Thankfully in the USA we have never had anything reach the crisis level of what is going on in China.

Have you seen the news lately? China is in the middle of huge country wide recall of contaminated formula, Sanlu's baby milk powder, found to contain an industrial chemical called melamine, has been blamed in four deaths. Tainted formula has sickened more than 6,000 babies, with 1,300 hospitalized and 158 suffering from acute kidney failure

It is a huge crisis when Formula is recalled.
And it does happen in the USA.

Something else to consider.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

I am interested in your question as well. I wonder if the benefits of bm would contradict some of the problems with formula. If you need to supplement b/c of low supply etc, would the fact that your child is getting some breastmilk prevent some of the formula problems (obviously not contaimination)

Also I come from a harm reduction stand point and I think people should be encourage to breastfeed, and they should know that they can breastfeed when around the baby and give formula when at work (when you are in many work situations pumping may not be an option) and it is obvious better to nurse some rather than none.

[wildflower18]

Originally Posted by tbone_kneegrabber

it is obvious better to nurse some rather than none.

I agree! There is a friend who weaned to formula exclusively even though she had enough BM to continue to nurse. It would be nice to know the risks/benefits of all scenarios!

CEV - Thanks for the article!

Still a plea if anyone finds info about supplementation after the first 6 months. Thanks!!

[PatioGardener]

There is a study that says one bottle of formula can change the gut flora in an infant. Now - that isn't a study that links this change to health outcomes, but there are a host of studies that show gut flora and links to the immune system and allergies.

[wildflower18]

My question directly pertains to children over 6 months old, after solids have already been introduced, which I would assume would alter the gut flora as well. Is formula really any more harmful than introducing a new food to your child beyond the age of 6 months? For example, a child was exclusively BF for 6 months. Solids were being introduced and the mother just returned to work. Her supply took a nose-dive at 9 months and she needed to supplement, but intended to continue to BF. Is that one bottle of formula REALLY any different than introducing a solid food?

[G8P4]

I think (admittedly quite radically) that formula is the antithesis of a whole food. I wouldn't give my baby formula unless his life depended on it, while at the same time fully acknowledging that there are babies whose lives DO depend on it. Formula is a highly processed food, made of milk powder, cornstarch, vegetable oils, microencapsulated tuna oil, algae, etc and vitamin supplements. It is an nutraceuitical. I think that solid food from a healthy diet is a far, far better choice for a baby that doesn't have to drink formula. But that's just me.

[wildflower18]

Thanks - that is definately a good point to make! Processed vs Whole Food is a good argument! I think that was quite well stated too!

[Ophelia]

Will this help?

http://www.drjaygordon.com/developme...supplement.asp