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Misuse and Melamine Add Fuel to Breastmilk vs. Formula Debate
A Florida mom's habit of diluting her son's formula nearly cost her child his life after the amount of added water resulted in malnutrition and water intoxication. This story spread like wildfire through our iVillage Playgroups and added fuel to arguments on the Breastmilk vs. Formula Debate message board. Many were shocked that this could happen and felt this incident is one sign that families are struggling with tough financial choices:
"I'm afraid that the as the U.S. economy gets worse, that a lot more people are going to resort to this practice, because food banks and other organizations that help people make ends meet are already reporting that they're stretched beyond reason. Where I live, few women initiate breastfeeding and even fewer sustain it more than a few weeks. As the economy tanks, people will begin to do desperate things. There isn't much support for breastfeeding where I live, and formula feeding is actively encouraged." -- tanjanika
"I just feel sorry for any woman, whether she's poor or not, having to water down formula. There are a lot of people in our country who don't qualify for WIC, yet are struggling big time to pay for formula. Babies need food. Period. I think ALL babies should qualify for the food that they need to survive." -- four2008
"Times are tough for everyone. I don't understand how WIC is not enough for them. Maybe these people need to use the food pantry b/c WIC really isn't enough." - netlady
"My heart ached for this woman and her baby when I heard about this. Really, nobody tells you not to do this - and who would think or know that water would be harmful - I didn't know until I read it in one of the baby books. I hope she isn't vilified for it because that would not be kind at all. I really think (am assuming anyway) that it was purely an honest mistake, a case of really not knowing the dangers of water for a baby." -- jpo72
Others were, well, a little less forgiving:
"People can blame the economy all they want, but stupidity is stupidity. The directions for use on the formula cans are not 'suggestions' for use, they are directions." -- jenthebrat
Some moms wondered why there weren't other safeguards or educational programs in place for families relying on the WIC program -- and why a pediatrician wouldn't have noticed the child's failure to thrive, even if his mother did not.
"Why didn't his doctor question his weight -- or even WIC, isn't he required to be checked by them? I mean, a 5-month-old baby should weigh more than 8 pounds, 6 ounces. If a doctor questioned his weight, the mom may have realized that it was her fault and mentioned what she was doing to the formula." -- aprill20
"She also said that she had been doing this since the baby's birth. I totally don't understand that, because I would have thought that when he was a newborn that the 10 cans she was getting from WIC would have been enough formula. I understand it not being enough now but how many cans of formula does a newborn go through? " -- cassibooboo
"I am pretty sickened that a mother would choose to cut corners on her child's nutrition. There are plenty of things you can do to cut corners before you get to that point. Also I am going to be a little judgmental here, but I am sorry, there are plenty of jobs available to supplement an income. If the father wasn't able to make ends meet with a crappy job --then get a second (crappy or not) job." -- mousakittie
Others pointed out that WIC assistance alone doesn't cover the full nutritional needs of a child.
"A friend of mine gets WIC. She only gets 10 cans a month. Her baby eats ... about 8 oz. every three hours. Those 10 cans only last her 15 days. It's sad. She's struggling and doing her best." -- four2008
After hearing this story, a lot of our moms double and triple checked their formula usage to make sure they were using the correct ratio of formula to water. One mom also admitted that it would be easy to make an occasional mistake:
"I am guilty of doing this. Not so much because we need to conserve formula but because I don't always measure properly. I will definitely be more careful from now on."
This story and the latest reports of trace amounts of melamine found in top US formula brands have moms wondering if formula will continue to be a viable option for infant feedings. Melamine is an industrial chemical that recently made headlines after infant deaths from tainted formula in China were reported. The same substance was also blamed for a rash of pet deaths in last year's deluge of pet food recalls. More debate ensued once iVillagers found out that the FDA apparently allows a certain level of melamine in formula. This prompted some to wonder if breastfeeding would become even more popular. One iVillager thinks a new awareness campaign is in order:
"The woman watering down the formula because she was trying to save money made me think; the [breastfeeding] advocates need a new campaign for the economic downturn, something along the lines of 'Breastmilk is Free'." -- harmony08
What do you think about these latest formula controversies? Should this enter into the breastfeeding vs. formula feeding debate or should there be tighter restrictions and oversight on programs that involve infant formula manufacture and distribution? Sound off here and for more lively discussion, join our Breastmilk vs. Formula Debate community.
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Breastfeeding is only a part of the solution. If this woman couldn't afford formula, there is a good chance she is not properly nourishing herself either. So breastfeeding may not be the best solution if she can't afford to feed herself properly. As far as getting another crappy job, who's going watch this baby (especially a nursing baby) while she works the double shift? Child care costs money!! This mother is a student, trying to better the life of her family.
We need solutions that don't put mothers in the position of making hard choices when it comes to proper nutrition and care. It's easy to play Monday morning quarterback and judge this woman, but not so easy to find a solution that doesn't compromise the family.
Breastfeeding definitely is not for everyone. While it is ideal, and it is of course, natural, not every mother has the choice. My oldest sister could not nurse with her first one because of severe nerve damage. She thought that, after several years, she could with her second, but she couldn't. She had to go with formula. And I have a friend that is struggling to feed his daughter and is sacrificing his own food to feed her. Admirable, perhaps, but he needs to eat, too. Times are very, very tough right now for the indigent, and perhaps this mother thought it would be okay to water down the formula. Her doctor, however, should have noticed. Sorry, but kids don't come with instruction books on every little thing. Yeah, she should've read the directions, but are there warnings on the labels? And again, why didn't her doctor notice a lack of weight gain? Not everyone knows how to take care of the human body; it's often up to a doctor to ask the *right* questions. I hope she gets good instructions, not punishment.
Breastfeeding is not an 'ideal'. Breastmilk is the standard by which all forms of infant nutrition should be compared. Therefore, if breastmilk is the standard, then formula is substandard. This is not a dig or a put down it is a simple fact. Breastmilk is a living substance, ever changing to suit the needs of the individual infant, that cannot be mimicked in a laboratory. It is always the right mixture and the right temperature.
Even a woman with a poor diet is capable of successfully breastfeeding her infant. Your body will 'rob Peter to pay Paul' essentially. When choosing to bring a child into the world, isn't it our duty as parents to ensure the child's health and well-being? Choosing formula over breastmilk, without any medical indication for doing so is irresponsible parenting and speaks volumes about the concessions your child will be forced to make due to your own selfishness.