New Government sponsored commericals regarding feeding babies

[Blondy876]

Sure, but it's no different than your right to smoke cigarettes around them.

I think it is disgusting that you would liken formula feeding to exposing an infant to cigarette smoke.

The thing is I'm not a "breastfeeding nazi",

I'm just tired of the martyr complex from women who didn't want to breastfeed .

And before you think I had it easy, I nursed all 3 of my children past a year and my 1st was through 2 hospitalizations, my 2nd was 12 weeks early and stayed in the NICU for all of those 12 weeks .

That sounds a lot like someone being a martyr.


Just and FYI I nursed/pumped with my oldest till she was 6 months. It was a nightmare despite weekly meetings with a lactation consultant. Every time she would eat we would both cry.

With my youngest my milk never came in. I had a traumatic delivery and the doctor said that that might have caused my milk to not come in (I didn't know that could happen) I nursed her for 6 days but my milk never came in and she was losing weight. I started formula and continued to nurse.

While I think educating people on the benefits is a good thing, the guilt trip is not. As mothers all we want is what is best for our children. Who am I to say what you choose is right or wrong? We all do our best and in the end, that's all we can do.

 

[teacherforhi]

I can't imagine why it's funny To me, a "breastfeeding nazi" tries to make other women breastfeed - I do not, never have and don't care to. I believe in education so that all women can make an educated choice. If medical science has proven breastfeeding is best, than not educating the public to that fact is akin to malpractice.

You are then free as an adult in a free country to do whatever you want to do with that information.

Honestly, only someone who was a "breastfeeding nazi" would state that mothers are risking SERIOUS consequences by not breastfeeding their children. Maybe I can blame my mother for my childhood cancer because she didn't breastfeed me.

 

[ducklite]

Honestly, only someone who was a "breastfeeding nazi" would state that mothers are risking SERIOUS consequences by not breastfeeding their children.

ITA!

I provided a list of documentation to support my assertations about cognitive and physiological differences between breastfed and formula fed infants, which WDWfor5 implied were incorrect.

I'm still waiting for her to offer any peer reviewed, published research that proves her assertations.

Anne

 

[katerkat]

I think all the formula ads are there to make me feel guilty for not giving my baby "comfort proteins."

The ads described are a little over the top - I've never seen them on TV, just on the web. But c'mon - there are formula ads EVERYWERE. I got formula samples in the hospital, from my OB, from my insurance meeting, from mailing lists at the maternity clothes stores. Coupons, too. And ads every other page in all the baby magazines. Did I ever get a coupon for Lansinoh or breast pads or even a pump? (Uh, well, I did get a free pump from a military grant.) Why is it so wrong for breastfeeding to be advertised? Like I said, these ads are a bit strong (and old - I remember these from before Russ was even conceived), but I remember a more recent ads just saying that babies are born to be breastfed - and people had issues with that.

 

[binny]

Just to clarify, I am FINE and HAPPY with the education aspect. If this was all the ads did I wouldnt have thought twice about it.


What I take exception to is the fact that these ads liken bottle feeding to riding a mechanical bull while pregnant and log rolling competition.

I totally disgaree with the women who cant BF dont feel guilt. I felt a lot of guilt. I called LLL for help. I called my doctor and the lactation consultant. I did everything they told me to, I went to the doctor and he checked me out and said " sorry you just cant" so yeah I get a little defensive when people say that women who bottle feed are clueless or just dont try.


Here is the link. Now while I dont agree with the formula companies pressuring the Govt to tone them down I think somebody should have known that these ads went TOO FAR!


http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=124271&page=1

 

[llij]

I hadnt seen these commercials until this morning on the Today show but I have to tell you I wasnt happy.


To me it was just adding fuel to the breastfeeding VS bottle feeding debate.

Yes we know what the studies say, but some women are unable to bf and many who just choose to bottlefeed. Why do people have to make these moms or ANY new mom who is doing her best feel guilty? Do we really another thing to divide the camps?


New moms need support and acceptance and they need to know that if they are doing the best they can then its OK. They dont need these shock ads to try to make them feel guilted into doing something they cant or arent willing to do.

grrrrr, this really irritated me today!

Those commercials irritated me too. I just thought they were a little over the top. I don't have a problem with a PSA on the benefits of breastfeeding but showing pregnant woman logrolling and riding a bull was a little too much for me.

 

[binny]

ok there is a ton of info in that link but part that really stuck out to me was this :

"the acting assistant secretary for HHS, Christine Beato, speaking for Thompson, said she was "not aware of that," and said the ads were pulled because a review found them scientifically inaccurate."




Dont you think someone would have thought of that BEFORE they went out and paid millions to produce them?


Im all for breastfeeding, please dont misunderstand me, but I am also all for making new moms feel OK about whatever they need to do as long as theyre doing theyre best! There is so much pressure out there to be the PERFECT parent just read any baby magazine or book on parenting. Heck, even the pressure to try to keep up with the Joneses here on the Dis and in your own neighbourhood! Its insane!

I really think that new moms have so much pressure on them nowadays from well meaning strangers to the TV that we need to take a step back and say " Hey,youre doing great, your baby is going to be fine and so are you"
Or maybe, " You know, this stuff is hard. Find someone to talk to if you arent feeling so good"


Where are the ads that say that?


You can read it about here and everywhere, I bet millions of women ( thats MY number. I just chose it. I dont have any scientific prove but Im going to guess that its accurate) struggle with feeling of inadaquecy especially so soon after giving birth. WHY do we have to add to that??

 

[WDWfor5]

ITA!

I provided a list of documentation to support my assertations about cognitive and physiological differences between breastfed and formula fed infants, which WDWfor5 implied were incorrect.

I'm still waiting for her to offer any peer reviewed, published research that proves her assertations.

Anne

It took a little while, to find all of them. The bottom line is this - Breastmilk has substantial benefits and formula feeding carries risk. We all make decisions everyday and no mother is perfect. Children grow up healthy in spite of the additional risk from formula and some breastfed babies get sick despite receing breastmilk. It comes down to deciding what risks are acceptable to you and what aren't.

Breastfeeding reduces chances of baby developing allergies.
[Halken S, Host A, Hansen LG, et al. Effect of an allergy prevention programme on incidence of atopic symptoms in infancy Ann Allergy. 1992;47:545-553 Saarinen UM, Kajossari M. Breastfeeding as prophylaxis against atopic disease: prospective follow-up study until 17 yrs old. Lancet. 1995;346:1065-1069]

Breastfeeding lowers risk of baby developing asthma.
[Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Med., Jul 1995]

Women who were breastfed as children have a 25% lower risk of developing breast cancer in later life.
[Freudenheim, J. et al. 1994 Exposure to breast milk in infancy and the risk of breast cancer. Epidemiology 5:324-331]

Breastfeeding may decrease risk of SIDS.
[Ford RPK, Taylor BJ, Mitchell EA, et al. Breastfeeding and the risk of sudden infant death syndrome Int J. Epidemiol. 1993;22:885-890 Mitchell EA, Taylor BJ, Ford RPK, et al Four modifiable and other major risk factors for cot death: the New Zealand Study J Paediatr Child Health. 1992;28:S3-S8 Scragg LK, Mitchell EA, Tonkin SL, et al. Evaluation of the cot death prevention programme in South Auckland NZ Med J. 1993;106:8-10]

Crohn's disease
Breastfeeding protects against this intestinal disorder.[Koletzko S, Sherman P, Corey M, et al. Role of infant feeding practices in development of Crohn's disease in childhood]

Breastfeeding is good for tooth and jaw development, and breastfed babies get fewer cavities.[The Complete Book Of Breastfeeding M.S. Eiger. MD, S. Wendkos Olds Copyright 1972, 1987 Comstock, Inc., Workman Publishing Co., Labbok, M.H. Does Breastfeeding Protect against Malocclusion? An Analysis of the 1981 Child Health Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1987 Loesche WJ/ Nutrition and dental decay in infants Am J Clin Nutr 41; 423-435, 1985]

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of baby developing type I (juvenile, insulin-dependent) diabetes.
[Virtanen et al Diet, Cow's milk protein antibodies and the risk of IDDM in Finnish children Childhood Diabetes in Finland Study Group. Diabetologia, Apr 1994, 37(4):381-7 Mayer, EJ, Hamman RF, Gay EC, et al. Reduced risk of IDDM among breast-fed children Diabetes, 1988;37:1625-1632]

Breastfeeding is thought to be a stronger factor than genetic predisposition in preventing eczema.
[Saarinen UM, Kajosaari M. "Breastfeeding as prophylaxis against atopic disease: prospective follow-up study until 17 yrs of age." Lancet. 1995; 346:1065-]

Breastfeeding protects against high cholesterol and blood sugar levels in later life.
[Research: Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland. Pub. Daily Mail 29 Jan 2001]

Breast milk helps the development of baby's immune system.[Koutras, A.K. Fecal Secretory Immunoglobulin A in Breast Milk vs. Formula Feeding in Early Infancy J. Ped Gastro Nutr 1989]
Breastfed babies go on to develop better intelligence and greater academic achievement.
[Horwood & Fergusson Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes Jan 1998 Pediatrics Vol. 101, No. 1 Morrow-Tlucak M, Haude RH, Ernhart CB. Breastfeeding & cognitive development in the first 2 years of life Soc Sci Med. 1988:26;635-639 Lucas A. Breast Milk and Subsequent Intelligence Quotient in Children Born Preterm Lancet 1992;339:261-62 Wang YS, Wu SY.The effect of exclusive breastfeeding on development and incidence of infection in infants J Hum Lactation. 1996; 12:27-30]

Breastfeeding appears to be associated with a decreased likelihood of multiple sclerosis.
[Dick, G. "The Etiology of Multiple Sclerosis." Proc Roy Soc Med 1989;69;611-5]

Breastfeeding protects against respiratory infections.
[Frank Al, Taber LH, Glezen WP, et al. Breast-feeding and respiratory virus infection Pediatrics 1982;70:239-245 Wright AI, Holberg DJ, Martinez FD, et al. Breast feeding and lower respiratory tract illness in the first year of life Br Med J. 1989;299:935-949 Chen Y. Synergistic effect of passive smoking and artificial feeding on hospitalization for respiratory illness in early childhood Chest. 1989;95:1004-1007 Wright AL, Holberg CH, Taussig LM, et al. Relationship of infant feeding to recurrent wheezing at age 6 yrs Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1995;149:758-763]
Scariati P.D. et al., A Longitudinal Analysis of Infant Morbidity and The Extent of Breastfeeding in the United States. Pediatrics. June, 1997. 99(6):E5.

Examined the rates of diarrhea and ear infections in US infants, adjusting for several confounding effects and examining the effect of how much breastmilk was consumed, unlike many earlier studies. The authors found that "The risk of developing either diarrhea or ear infection increased as the amount of breast milk an infant received decreased...Breastfeeding protects US infants against the development of diarrhea and ear infection. Breastfeeding does not have to be exclusive to confer this benefit...[but] the more breast milk an infants receives in the first 6 months of life, the less likely that he or she will develop diarrhea or ear infection."

Wilson AC and others. Relation of infant diet to childhood health: seven-year follow-up cohort of children in Dundee infant feeding study. British Medical Journal 1998;316:21-25. This study followed infants from the above cohort into childhood. Subjects were studied at 7 years of age. After adjustment for significant confounding variables, the estimated probability of ever having respiratory illness was 17 percent for those children exclusively breast-fed for at least 15 weeks, 31 percent for those partially breast-fed and 32 percent for those who were artificially fed. This means that the bottle-fed infants were at almost twice the risk of developing respiratory illness at any time during the first 7 years of life. This study also found solid feeding before 15 weeks was associated with an increased probability of wheeze as well as increased percentage body fat and weight in childhood. Systolic blood pressure was raised significantly in children who were exclusively bottle-fed compared with children who received breast milk.

Lucas A, Cole TJ. Breast milk and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. Lancet
1990;336:1519-1522. Nine hundred twenty-six preterm infants were studied, 51 of whom developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Exclusively formula fed infants were six to 10 times more likely to develop NEC than those who received breast milk. Although NEC is rare in babies over 30 weeks’ gestation, it was 20 times more common if the baby had received no breast milk.


I found more, but I thought this would be enough to convince anyone that the benefits of breastfeeding extend well past 12 months of age. Many of the diseases breastfeeding helps prevent have serious long term health ramifications.

Does not breastfeeding cause cancer? Not on it's own, but it increases the risk of getting it substantially. Can I compare it to smoking? Yes, because it increases health risks for the baby from asthma to allergies to respitory infections. Some mothers will tell you that they smoked while pregnant and their baby was fine. That may be true but it doesn't mean it's okay to smoke.

If you want more studies, let me know and I'll find more.

 

[ceiligh1]

Im all for breastfeeding, please dont misunderstand me, but I am also all for making new moms feel OK about whatever they need to do as long as theyre doing theyre best! There is so much pressure out there to be the PERFECT parent just read any baby magazine or book on parenting. Heck, even the pressure to try to keep up with the Joneses here on the Dis and in your own neighbourhood! Its insane!

I really think that new moms have so much pressure on them nowadays from well meaning strangers to the TV that we need to take a step back and say " Hey,youre doing great, your baby is going to be fine and so are you"
Or maybe, " You know, this stuff is hard. Find someone to talk to if you arent feeling so good"


Where are the ads that say that?
?

ITA

As a new mom you do not have an older child to look at and say "hey he turned out ok so I must not be that bad a parent" every time you do something someone else tells you is wrong you think you have ruined your child for life. I feel guilty when I cant give him the extra 6 oz of bmilk instead of formula a day. I look back now and think, I have a stong son who has made all of the milestones so far very early. He is active, walking and has a great sense of humor at 10 months. He is not destroyed for life. THis is what we need to tell new moms.

 

[bananiem]

Jennifer, you say you aren't a BF Nazi, yet everything you say is in an effort to make those of us who didn't breastfeed feel guilty. You've likened us to parents who abuse their children and don't want the best for their children.
I tried desperately to nurse my oldest. She cried for the first 4 days, all the time getting nothing from me. When I pumped all I got was blood. Now, pretend this happens to YOU with your next baby? What choice do you have when the doctor and pediatrician tell you to give your baby formula or she will die from dehydration?
There are more women out there like me than you realize. It was such a relief to me to meet some so that I didn't feel so defective. I felt a huge amount of guilt and it led to post partum depression.
Today, 12 years later I don't feel guilt. I know I did what was best, because my children wouldn't have survived without formula. They are both in gifted and talented, athletic, no serious illness, no food allergies, no asthma, no cavities....
If my doctors felt I made the right choice why do you feel the need to attack women like me? Why not be thankful I followed my doctors' advice?

 

[bananiem]

It has been my understanding that the government has been trying for years to get teen and welfare moms to breastfeed because 1.) It's best IF you can do it and 2.) so that they won't need WIC or get formula from the government anymore. It's financial to the government.

 

[WDWfor5]

Ann - if any of my comments made you, or any woman like you, feel guilty that's not my intent. I know there are times when it doesn't work - there are women who just can't no matter how hard they try and there are babies with medical conditions that make it close to impossible. My issue is with the women who didn't recieve the information they deserved because doctors don't want them to feel pressured, the women who never wanted to breastfeed who resent being told it's best and the formula manufacturers who do everything they can to tell women formula is just as good, breastfeeding is too hard for new mothers, etc.

And to answer your question about what I would do if I couldn't breastfeed, I like you would have to use formula. After nursing 3 others, I'd also have the resources to look into Supplemental nursing systems, donated milk and more and I'm grateful I have the information to do this. I always said that if my middle son, the preemie, was my first I probably would have failed because the doctors and nurses told me "to do whatever was easier for me" If I hadn't known how much it mattered, I might have given up under the stress. As for formula, I'm glad it's their for when it's needed and I was glad to know that if my pumping failed with my preemie that there was still food available. The problem is when it pushed on unsuspecting women who don't know the risks and when breastfeeding is discouraged by medical professionals and other women as "too hard, you won't have enough milk, you're baby's too big too breastfeed, etc."

You should be proud of your children and yourself for doing the best you could for them. You know that you did your best and tried your hardest - that is certainly nothing to feel guilty about.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

Here are four references to support my assertation:

Willatts, P., & Forsyth, J.S. (1998). Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, infant formula, and breastfeeding. Lancet, 352, 1703.

Willatts, P., Forsyth, J.S., DiModugno, M.K., Varma, S., & Colvin, M. (1998). Influence of Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on Infant Cognitive Function. Lipids, 33, 973-980.

Willatts, P., Forsyth, J.S., DiModugno, M.K., Varma, S., & Colvin, M. (1998). Effect of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in infant formula on problem solving at 10 months of age. Lancet, 352, 688-691.

Forsyth, J.S., Willatts, P., DiModugno, M.K., Varma, S., & Colvin, M. (1998). Do long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids influence infant cognitive behaviour? Biochemical Society Transactions, 26, 252-257.

I was only able to find two of these on-line, the second and third, but they do not reference breastfeeding at all. Both studies compare infants who received formula supplemented with long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, with infants who received non-supplemented formula. Since the LCPFA's found in breastmilk are different from those in supplemented formulas, these articles really have no relevance to the bf/ff debate.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=9832076&dopt=Abstract

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...tract&list_uids=9728984&itool=pubmed_Abstract

Besides, I don't believe anyone ever said that cognitive development was the only benefit to breastfeeding.

 

[beckmrk04]

Dont you think someone would have thought of that BEFORE they went out and paid millions to produce them?


Im all for breastfeeding, please dont misunderstand me, but I am also all for making new moms feel OK about whatever they need to do as long as theyre doing theyre best! There is so much pressure out there to be the PERFECT parent just read any baby magazine or book on parenting. Heck, even the pressure to try to keep up with the Joneses here on the Dis and in your own neighbourhood! Its insane!

I really think that new moms have so much pressure on them nowadays from well meaning strangers to the TV that we need to take a step back and say " Hey,youre doing great, your baby is going to be fine and so are you"
Or maybe, " You know, this stuff is hard. Find someone to talk to if you arent feeling so good"


Where are the ads that say that?


You can read it about here and everywhere, I bet millions of women ( thats MY number. I just chose it. I dont have any scientific prove but Im going to guess that its accurate) struggle with feeling of inadaquecy especially so soon after giving birth. WHY do we have to add to that??

Exactly!!

 

[kdibattista]

Weren't these out awhile ago and pulled... like a couple of years ago? I thought I remembered seeing them before

I, too, agree they are over the top.

 

[ducklite]

I'm not going to respond to each of these. Some of them are certainly good research. Many have flawd methodolgy or refutable findings.

Breastfeeding is good for tooth and jaw development, and breastfed babies get fewer cavities.[The Complete Book Of Breastfeeding M.S. Eiger. MD, S. Wendkos Olds Copyright 1972, 1987 Comstock, Inc., Workman Publishing Co., Labbok, M.H. Does Breastfeeding Protect against Malocclusion? An Analysis of the 1981 Child Health Supplement to the National Health Interview Survey American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 1987 Loesche WJ/ Nutrition and dental decay in infants Am J Clin Nutr 41; 423-435, 1985]

The only reason bottle fed babies tend to have more cavities is because parents allow the child to fall asleep with the bottle which causes decay. Additionally, breastfed babies are generaly weaned earlier than bottle fed babies, who often continue taking a bottle well after dentition has emerged. That study did not have adequate control groups.

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of baby developing type I (juvenile, insulin-dependent) diabetes.
[Virtanen et al Diet, Cow's milk protein antibodies and the risk of IDDM in Finnish children Childhood Diabetes in Finland Study Group. Diabetologia, Apr 1994, 37(4):381-7 Mayer, EJ, Hamman RF, Gay EC, et al. Reduced risk of IDDM among breast-fed children Diabetes, 1988;37:1625-1632]

This study did not include fortified soy based formulas, nor did it take family history into account.

Breastfeeding protects against high cholesterol and blood sugar levels in later life.
[Research: Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, Scotland. Pub. Daily Mail 29 Jan 2001]

Another study that didn't have a good control group.

Breast milk helps the development of baby's immune system.[Koutras, A.K. Fecal Secretory Immunoglobulin A in Breast Milk vs. Formula Feeding in Early Infancy J. Ped Gastro Nutr 1989]

Breastfed babies go on to develop better intelligence and greater academic achievement.
[Horwood & Fergusson Breastfeeding and Later Cognitive and Academic Outcomes Jan 1998 Pediatrics Vol. 101, No. 1 Morrow-Tlucak M, Haude RH, Ernhart CB. Breastfeeding & cognitive development in the first 2 years of life Soc Sci Med. 1988:26;635-639 Lucas A. Breast Milk and Subsequent Intelligence Quotient in Children Born Preterm Lancet 1992;339:261-62 Wang YS, Wu SY.The effect of exclusive breastfeeding on development and incidence of infection in infants J Hum Lactation. 1996; 12:27-30]

This was disproven in half a dozen other studies including the Dundee group.

Breastfeeding appears to be associated with a decreased likelihood of multiple sclerosis.
[Dick, G. "The Etiology of Multiple Sclerosis." Proc Roy Soc Med 1989;69;611-5]

This hypothesis was never proven.

Breastfeeding protects against respiratory infections.
[Frank Al, Taber LH, Glezen WP, et al. Breast-feeding and respiratory virus infection Pediatrics 1982;70:239-245 Wright AI, Holberg DJ, Martinez FD, et al. Breast feeding and lower respiratory tract illness in the first year of life Br Med J. 1989;299:935-949 Chen Y. Synergistic effect of passive smoking and artificial feeding on hospitalization for respiratory illness in early childhood Chest. 1989;95:1004-1007 Wright AL, Holberg CH, Taussig LM, et al.

The American Journal of Public Health has an paper in the current edition which supports the fact that the breastfed child of a smoking mother has eight times the chemicals of a bottle fed child of a smoking mother.

Relationship of infant feeding to recurrent wheezing at age 6 yrs Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 1995;149:758-763]
Scariati P.D. et al., A Longitudinal Analysis of Infant Morbidity and The Extent of Breastfeeding in the United States. Pediatrics. June, 1997. 99(6):E5.

Examined the rates of diarrhea and ear infections in US infants, adjusting for several confounding effects and examining the effect of how much breastmilk was consumed, unlike many earlier studies. The authors found that "The risk of developing either diarrhea or ear infection increased as the amount of breast milk an infant received decreased...Breastfeeding protects US infants against the development of diarrhea and ear infection. Breastfeeding does not have to be exclusive to confer this benefit...[but] the more breast milk an infants receives in the first 6 months of life, the less likely that he or she will develop diarrhea or ear infection."

This was a mail study where children's mothers filled out questionnaires and responded by mail. There was no control group, and no way to monitor findings for accuracy. Fraom that same study, "Does breastfeeding protect against infection? In developing countries, the answer clearly is yes.1 However, in industrialized countries the findings are mixed. Numerous nonprospective studies of industrialized populations in the literature examine the association between breastfeeding and infectious disease; many report a protective effect5 whereas others report little or no effect at all.13,14 Prospective studies show similarly conflicting findings.15 A 1986 review of the literature concluded that breastfeeding "has at most a minimal protective effect [against infection] in industrialized countries. [Bauchner H, Leventhal JM, Shapiro ED Studies of breastfeeding and infections: how good is the evidence? JAMA 1986; 256:887-892]"

Again, didn't allow for control group who was bottle fed for the same duration and under teh same circumstances as the breastfed child. The reason that bottle fed children get ear infections is that they are allowed to nurse to sleep with the bottle and milk pools into the ENT system. There is also anecdotal evidence that the infections are actually an allergic reaction to the milk in the formula, and it's quite possible that these children would also have had the same problem if breastfed.

Wilson AC and others. Relation of infant diet to childhood health: seven-year follow-up cohort of children in Dundee infant feeding study. British Medical Journal 1998;316:21-25. This study followed infants from the above cohort into childhood. Subjects were studied at 7 years of age. After adjustment for significant confounding variables, the estimated probability of ever having respiratory illness was 17 percent for those children exclusively breast-fed for at least 15 weeks, 31 percent for those partially breast-fed and 32 percent for those who were artificially fed. This means that the bottle-fed infants were at almost twice the risk of developing respiratory illness at any time during the first 7 years of life. This study also found solid feeding before 15 weeks was associated with an increased probability of wheeze as well as increased percentage body fat and weight in childhood. Systolic blood pressure was raised significantly in children who were exclusively bottle-fed compared with children who received breast milk.

That study didn't compare breastmilk to formula, it conpared feeding exclusively breastmilk to the early introduction of solids. I know one of the authors personally.

Lucas A, Cole TJ. Breast milk and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. Lancet
1990;336:1519-1522. Nine hundred twenty-six preterm infants were studied, 51 of whom developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Exclusively formula fed infants were six to 10 times more likely to develop NEC than those who received breast milk. Although NEC is rare in babies over 30 weeks’ gestation, it was 20 times more common if the baby had received no breast milk.

Journal of Perinatology. 2004 Aug;24(8):494-9. Maayan-Metzger A, Itzchak A, Mazkereth R, Kuint J. The rates of NEC remains constant in full term babies regardless of breast or bottle feeding. The factor which appears in all but one full term baby in the study is birth by C-section.

Anne

 

[DisneyPhD]

The actual percentage of those who really can't BF is very small. Nothing wrong with putting out the truth that BF is possible--even if you pump it into a bottle, it would be better than formula.

No need to get your panties in a bunch over the promotion of BF. And to say that it is to discourage money spent by WIC. Are you serious? I hadn't realized that the only ones who formula-fed were those on social assistance programs. Talk about a generalized statement!

What next--the promotion of healthy eating is to discourage food stamp purchases of Cheetos?

Lisa I have to say I agree. I know MANY women who put a major effort into breast feeding, when others would and did decided to stop (including myself, believe me I cut all milk and eggs out of my diet for a year in order to breast feed my youngest.) I know there are some that can't, but there are many that can given the right support and encouragement. If it wasn't for my families support I might of given up. I am very glad I didn't. Her Doctor said it has been extremely helpful in manamgnet of her food allergies and over all health. In addtion her health of breast milk is not the only bennift of breast feeding. I feel there has been countless ones to me and I always try to encourge new mothers to give it a real effort and education on it. Before I was a mother I had no idea how much breast feeding would really impact my life.

I don't think anyone should feel guilty about trying and not being able to. In fact some women (that I know) who wanted to but were not able to with their first child feel that pressure they put on themselves was a contriubuting factor in them not being able to. With their 2nd (and 3rd) child they were able to because they were much more relaxed and confident about it.

I have worked as a social worker and therapist in a very poor inner city for 6 years. Many of the mother's I worked with never considered breast feeding for a second. Why did they care it was cheaper? Formlua as already paid for. Many of the mother's that I worked with that did not recive asstance worked hard to breast feed, motovation to save money and do the best for their child (myself inculded.) I think the goverment should be encourging mothers to breast feed. I think maybe a benifit for breast feeding mother's who don't use formula might be good, but then it would have potiential for abuse for women who could get money instead of formula and still not (for whaterver reason) adequtly feed the child with breast feeding.

I think as a new mother you recive a lot of samples and coupons encouraging you to use formula. I think that breast feeding SHOULD be encourged more.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

Jennifer, you say you aren't a BF Nazi, yet everything you say is in an effort to make those of us who didn't breastfeed feel guilty.

I'm not Jennifer, but how do you know what she said was "in an effort to make those of us who didn't breastfeed feel guilty"? You can't know her intent.

As far as comparing formula-feeding to abuse, I must have missed that one. The only references I saw were in regards to rights. You have the right to do what you want, but health care professionals ought to tell you what is best, without worrying about offending or making someone feel guilty.

I tried desperately to nurse my oldest. She cried for the first 4 days, all the time getting nothing from me. When I pumped all I got was blood. Now, pretend this happens to YOU with your next baby? What choice do you have when the doctor and pediatrician tell you to give your baby formula or she will die from dehydration?

You're right, most women don't have much choice, because they believe their doctors and don't realize there are other professionals more knowledgable about breastfeeding. (Not faulting women for this at all.) Many doctors have no knowledge of the mechanics of breastfeeding at all. A lactation consultant might be able to help in a situation like yours, but most doctors won't refer women to LCs. They are very quick to say "switch to formula". IMO, that's one of the biggest issues... doctors and nurses who offer no help or support. I'm not saying this was your problem, but I've known women whose doctors have told them to stop breastfeeding because of very minor issues that were later easily remedied by LCs. But how are women to know this, unless we educate them?

I know you did what was best for your children, and I am glad they are healthy and happy. I have one bf and one ff child and they are both smart and healthy as well (although the ff one does get more ear infections!) I think that for most kids, bf vs ff won't make much difference, there are too many other factors that influence a child's health and intelligence. But we never know if our baby will be one of those for whom it might make real difference, and the only way to find out is to stop bf. And then, it may be too late to get the milk flowing again.

 

[WDWfor5]

I'm not going to respond to each of these. Some of them are certainly good research. Many have flawd methodolgy or refutable findings.


Lucas A, Cole TJ. Breast milk and neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis. Lancet
1990;336:1519-1522. Nine hundred twenty-six preterm infants were studied, 51 of whom developed necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). Exclusively formula fed infants were six to 10 times more likely to develop NEC than those who received breast milk. Although NEC is rare in babies over 30 weeks’ gestation, it was 20 times more common if the baby had received no breast milk.

Journal of Perinatology. 2004 Aug;24(8):494-9. Maayan-Metzger A, Itzchak A, Mazkereth R, Kuint J. The rates of NEC remains constant in full term babies regardless of breast or bottle feeding. The factor which appears in all but one full term baby in the study is birth by C-section.

Anne

Anne - First, you gave only 4 references, all by the same authors, in the same year and on the effects of Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. That alone makes your examples flawed in an argument on the merits of breastfeeding and the risks of formula feeding.

As for the ones, I quoted if you don't believe in the benefit of breastfeeding you are one of the few people left outside of a formula manufacturer and even they tell you "breast is best". I don't have the time to refute all of your criticisims, but on your last point you took the study I quoted which related to NEC and preterm infants and compared it to a study on NEC and fullterm infants. They're not even the same subject, so your criticisim is pointless and designed to discount the benefits of breastfeeding, Just curious why you are so anti-breastfeeding? Beleive me, if it wasn't backed by irrefutable medical science, doctors and the AAP would be more than happy to continue to back the formula companies as they have for decades - it took alot for them to come out in favor of something they can't make money off of!

 

[PaulaSue]

People calling others a "Nazi" is SO OFFENSIVE. Grow up people, people who support breastfeeding and the health benefits are not Nazis. Time for a history lesson.

edited since I missed that post.