"enzymatically hydrolyzed casein (EHC), or whey/casein (W/C) for the
first week"

Assuming they used cow casein and cow whey, how did they get the Human
Subjects Board to approve this study? While parents may test any number
of foreign proteins on their newborns with impunity, researchers are
meant to be held to a higher standard. I would think someone on the HSB
would have checked the literature and determined that early exposure to
foreign proteins increases (or conservatively, "likely increases") the
infant's risk of both early atopic disease and diabetes, both of which
are life-threatening at worst, and have significant quality of life and
economic impact issues at minimum. That doesn't even take into account
the impact on breastfeeding of offering oral supplements--how could they
hope to prove there would be no risk of adversely impacting
breastfeeding? 

And what, exactly, is the practical application of a protocol which
would require a woman with a newborn (and perhaps other children as
well) to administer 6 doses of "medicine" every single day for a week?
What is the likelihood that such a protocol would be followed?

It is possible that the researchers acted in good faith, and simply
failed to do their homework or think this through. BUT--it is also
possible that these researchers are fishing for corporate sponsors for
an unnecessary, risky new consumer item to market (at an inflated price,
no doubt) to needlessly frightened parents. It would also have the
"benefit" of shifting the responsibility of helping to prevent
excessively high jaundice from the health care providers (doctors,
nurses, and authors of hospital policy), where it belongs, to the
uneducated public. 

My guess is that the researchers have already been approached by a
pharmaceutical/infant formula company. 

Arly Helm, MS, IBCLC 

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