They perform comparison studies in usually hundreds of babies at a
time, occasionally thousands, comparing one modification to another.
There's follow-up into childhood in some. There are thousands of
studies. Obviously, as we are all learning more about nutritional
components, so are they -- in fact I believe they've been a part of the
impetus for omega-3 awareness for all of us in their recognition that
part of the brain damage caused/allowed by formula-feeding may be
related to DHA. Of course, financial considerations (greed) prevent
formula manufacturers from even using some of the best of their
science.
Still, the best, so far, nutritional balances have been worked-out over
the century (and if only their science were as good as their marketing).
Now the homemade formula makers could evaluate what they have and
compare it to that which has been developed already --- and hopefully
improve upon it. They can't base so much on human milk as the
absorption/accessibility of the nutrients is so incredibly different and
difficult --- as the formula companies have long realized.
The hope of the raw-milk supporters is that some of the absorption
facilitators in milk may still operate. Actually, studies/reports on some
of the apparent digestion/absorption benefits of raw animal milks (over
processed milks) show that it's the fermentation effects of the bacteria
in the milk that are providing most of the little bits of benefit -- not so
much actual facilitators in the milks. Not that this is bad; it's a good
solution to some of the drawbacks of formula and cow's milk. Then, just
like the reductions in immunity and nutrition afforded by
pasteurized/stored/frozen/re-heated human milk, "raw" milk is seldom
so fresh from the source, and of course no animal milk comes close to
human milk in its advanced "technology," and certainly in its specificity
for humans. The immune provisions are miniscule.
Don't think I'm promoting formula, and don't have disdain for the
promotion/disinformation practices of the industry. I wrote the
article "The Deadly Influence of Formula," which I've re-printed on my
own site sans some of the sensationalism that the original editor had
put in: http://www.babyreference.com/InfantDeaths.htm Even the
industry-promoted focus on nutrition successfully draws attention away
from all the other benefits of breastmilk and of nursing itself. The big
travesty (besides all the deaths themselves) is that there is no honesty
about the mortality (and little honesty about the morbidity) caused by
unneeded formula use in industrialized countries (this being the cause
of unneeded formula use/unnecessary deaths). Then the very high
formula-death rates in developing countries is all so shamelessly
blamed on the water through subtle industry disinformation campaigns.
It's true that any child that dies (of whatever cause), who was being
fed a homemade formula (i.e. not provided with "real" artificial
breastmilk), will likely set-off large media and court reactions, as a
result of the immense success of formula industry marketing, while no
parent has ever been prosecuted for withholding breastmilk, when
available.
linda
"Baby Matters"
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