It can be rather hard to find out, but it is important to have the information before you can make a choice.
Why not have a taste for yourself & see if you like it?
"Formula feeding is the longest-lasting uncontrolled experiment lacking informed consent in the history of medicine." — Frank Oski, MD: retired editor, Journal of Pediatrics
"The human species has been breastfeeding for nearly half a million years. It’s only in the last 60 years that we have begun to give babies the highly processed convenience food called formula" - Pat Thomas, The Ecologist.
There are several basic descriptions of artificial infant milks; such as this one from BabyCentre.
And many which compare BF with formula - such as this excellent one on the For Dummies page (not that kind of Dummy!!), one by Dr Sears which compares them nutrient by nutrient, and an interesting article from New Scientist July 2008.
I found quite a lot to look at in the Wiki page on Infant Formula Milk, whilst the information in Ann Sinnott's useful book is summarised here in this iVillage article.
Advice here from Dr Jen.
Cartoon here, and another here - from Mama is...
This file has an image of a truthful ingredients label for a can of Infant Formula - it's a creative way to make a point about the labelling of formula. It comes from MamaBear on this site.
Contents of artificial milk - what it does/does not do
Cow's milk plus...
- selenium - (but not really enough compared with breastmilk)
- MSG, monosodium glutamate
- manganese - particularly high levels, which many believe to be toxic, and there are worries over this toxin leading to ADHD (see the Wiki page).
- taurine - the taurine levels in artificial infant milks are reduced by the manufacturing process; so they supplement to bring the level back up.
- nucleotides (e.g. 5' UMP) - helps to promote sleep (and is also present in Breastmilk, by the way!)
- omega 3 fatty acids (DHA) - thought to be important for development of brain/nerves? Research on whether claimed effect actually happens in real babies is discussed here (May 2010).
- higher protein levels (~50% more) - affects the insulin levels after each feed, may contribute to excessive weight gain / diabetes risks.
- Emulsifiers, etc to stabilise the mixture.
- Contaminants from the cow's environment, or from the manufacturing processes (this is a highly processed food) - such as hexane, perchlorate and and more. A particular process which seems to introduce chemical contaminants is that used to prepare the ingredient, DHA.
- contamination by bacteria (the commonest of which, E. sakazakii, can cause neonatal meningitis, or necrotizing enterocolitis) and by insect life, e.g. Beetles (here too!) F***ula is NOT sterile.
- and I haven't finished yet! (read more here)
Safe formula feeding?
This next section is a tricky one to write, I'm afraid {glad to receive helpful comments}. I feel it's important to be informed, so I have included this...but please do look out for insidious comments such as this one on the AskAMum site, "In many ways, you’re actually better placed to give your baby 100% of your relaxed attention without any stresses over sore nipples, latching on or whether your newborn is taking on enough milk".
Such stresses are no reason to stop breastfeeding - please ask for advice and help if you are considering this. Most mothers who switch to artificial infant milks in the early weeks do so with regret - according to surveys, 90 per cent of women who switch before six weeks would have liked to continue.
Artificial infant milk can make a difference if used thoughtfully & with advice -- it can be used to preserve the breastfeeding relationship, rather like a crutch. It should not be used as a single large feed in any 24-hour period, and certainly not in the evenings (your prolactin hormone is designed to respond best at that time, so that demand will stimulate your milk supply).
A problem shared is a problem halved - especially if the person you talk to is a good listener, well-trained & experienced.
Those who continue to breastfeed, though, tell us that while the first weeks can be hard for some; the later years of breastfeeding are so easy & beneficial that on balance it is absolutely worth it. Our groups exist to offer help and support to breastfeeding mothers at any stage. Many of us struggled with a few hard bits and want to share what we learnt with other mothers - so it doesn't have to be so hard for you.
Helpful practical advice
If any parent makes the decision to bottle-feed their child, they will want to follow some of the steps below, continuing to create a fantastic beginning to the child's life.
- Skin contact & closeness are a vital ingredient to the breastfeeding relationship, and can be copied with little effort. There's no reason why the child can't still be held at your breast.
- It should remain Mum that feeds exclusively, for the first few months of your baby's life. It is certainly best to restrict tightly the number of people who perform this service for your child, rather than 'letting X have a go'. Let X have a go at nappy-changing! Or bath-times, which can be a magical bonding experience.
- Your child should remain the cue to beginning and ending a feed. Your child will not need the same amount every feed, and a life habit of overfeeding is easy to foster by encouraging a child to finish it up. Allow the child to rest mid-feed if it wants to, to allow the "I'm full" signal to be heard! Research on overfeeding with artificial milks was discussed here on HBW.
- Your child should be 'rotated' (i.e. held on different sides for alternate feeds) to promote the proper development of his/her eyes.
- If you are a mixed-feeder... any breastmilk you can add to each formula-feed will improve your child's digestion and health (also may help protect against tummy bugs). Even just a little. Don't shake up the breastmilk vigorously, though - just swirl!
Bottle Hygiene is important
Most of all, inform yourself about how to make bottlefeeding safe - milk can harbour germs, so it's vital that have a good hygiene routine.
"Formula-fed babies are five times more likely to be admitted to hospital with gastroenteritis, which in the majority of cases is preventable."Basic advice (on different types of milk and how to bottlefeed) is available in this Pdf file from the BabyFriendly Initiative.
Read about the risks of E. sakazakii in this WHO report. This bacterial contamination is present in a shockingly high proportion of powdered infant milks. (This is why parents of pre-term babies/ babies less then 4 weeks old are now advised to use pre-sterilized, ready-made artificial infant milk in cartons, I believe.) Bottle-feeding hygiene, and how to make up a feed was recently discussed by Analytical Armadillo.
You may also prefer to avoid BPA contamination from the plastics used (more info here from 2008 when the FDA said it was safe, and then the latest rethink from 2010).
See more on the FF post: "Expressions of Love".
The choice of formula brand can be fraught, as no midwife/HVs are allowed to recommend one brand over another. Inform yourself carefully! Remember that there are strict UK guidelines over what such milks can contain... so they are surprisingly similar. Read ingredient lists, not adverts.
Whilst I mention adverts - it's really worthwhile to know that in the UK, adverts/promotions for artificial baby milk cost around £20 per baby. Yet the government spends only 14p per baby on the promotion of breastfeeding. (source)
Don't be tempted to feed a child under 6 months with either the Goodnight or the Follow-on styles of milk. It is not safe under 6 months.
Don't add extras to artificial milks unless professionally advised - and always make up the feed to the correct strength.
Don't switch to soy formula without very clear advice (read this?).
Phew!
Going back to Breastfeeding
This is called 'relactation' and if you're unhappy about your switch to formula, you might want to think about exploring this option. It takes some work & patience, and you have to be sure you want to do it. Ask a breastfeeding counsellor how it's done (it involves cuddling your baby lots; it's not that bad!).
We know that woman's breasts often continue to make milk for several weeks & even months after weaning, but after this women can still relactate. In fact, even women who have never given birth can induce lactation, which is useful for adoptive mothers.
Contents of Human Breastmilk
Just to end on the positive note...here's the list of what's in breastmilk that you will not find in any Artificial Infant Milks. (or read much more in the FF post, "Best? It's amazing!")
Some control the child's behaviour:-
- endocannabinoids - gives baby the munchies & improves suckling?
- hormones e.g. oxytocin which calms; (in addition to the naturally present nucleotides, e.g. 5' UMP, which can promote sleep - copied now in AIM)
- analgesic effect on newborns - reduces pain/distress after labour. (see also KellyMom)
- lysozyme & lactoferrin - reduce bacterial infections
- particular sugars that stop bacteria sticking to gut cells
- particular fats that disrupt certain kinds of viruses
- immune signalling molecules
- antibodies
- living immune cells
- Calcium is better absorbed from breastmilk;
- and, possibly, stem cells (purpose as yet unknown)
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