Dangers of Formula Feeding Worldwide

This is a hot topic.

I know.

I'm not condemning you if you chose to formula feed.  I've used formula.  It's not poison.  You're not a bad person if you use it.  Formula is life-saving in many instances.

Here in the United States, formula use is fairly safe.  Aside from "user error" (meaning leaving it out too long, not mixing properly, etc) and the occasional recall due to contamination, formula use doesn't cause all that many problems.  Formula is inherently more finicky than breast milk because it lacks the immune properties and is not sterile.

In many countries though, where money is extremely tight or water isn't clean, formula use can be deadly.   Babies die.  Every.  Day.

I didn't know this until recently.  It shocked me.  Broke my heart.

How?

• Parasites - Contaminated water is used to mix formula
• Malnutrition - Caregivers thin down formula to make it last longer (it's expensive)
• Sickness - Babies do not get the extra antibodies from mom.  Non-sterile bottles are used.  Refrigeration methods are insufficient.
• Improper Use - Moms are not given the information or support to safely formula feed.

Why?

• The culture is shifting.  Formula companies have promoted their products in unsafe ways.
• Moms are given free formula to use in the hospital (worldwide). Once they realize they cannot afford it, their milk has dried up.
• Moms are given incorrect information.

What can we do?

• Push for education
• Push for fair marketing
• Provide resources
• Push for clean water
• Push for improved health care world wide
• Push for more human milk banks

In my local WIC office hangs a poster that grabbed my heart. This is why I post a sad message today.  I need to speak for those babies who never will.  On the poster is a mother.

She is holding her two sweet infants.

The one on the left is a healthy weight and is breastfeeding.

The other is emaciated and is drinking formula from a bottle.

The caption.

This mother had twins. She was told she could not breastfeed both and needed to choose which she would nurse and which she would bottle feed formula.  The baby on the right died just one week after taking this picture.

Died.

This baby could have been saved.  So many things could have prevented his death. Clean water.  Education (yes, mom CAN nurse twins).  Proper use of formula.  Proper health care.