P.S.  Jaye, could you tell us the condition these babies had where breast
milk was needed to save their lives?  That would be a "specific" situation.

Absolutely - I have had 2 babies in particular who, when given formula
became extremely ill.  Both babies had mothers who had low milk supply due
to IGT and/or hormonal complications.   

Baby #1 (now 5 or 6 yrs of age - I don't recall exactly) was being 75% fed
on formula, was listless, unhappy, sickly and his color was gray.  Mom tried
every formula including soy - but baby was miserably ill.  Mom begged the Dr
for a prescription for donor milk but he refused.  Baby was not thriving by
any means health wise nor developmentally and had started to lose weight
regardless of the amount he was fed.  We found a donor who had more than
enough milk for her singleton and within 3 days on exclusive human milk
started to pink up, become active and alert and started catching up on
developmental behavior.  At about 6 months, mom had to leave town suddenly
and was unable to get enough donor milk to take with her and was forced to
supplement with formula for about 4 days.  Within the first 24hrs he started
turning gray again, by the time she got home he was listless and miserable.
She got her donor milk and got him off the formula and he was much improved
within a day or so of exclusive human milk.  Mom kept him on donor milk
until he was fully on solids (about 18 months).  Interestingly enough, mom
had a 2nd baby a couple years ago and was very nervous about supplementing
with formula - but was unable to find a donor that time.  Luckily, her 2nd
baby did just fine on her milk and formula.

Baby number 2 is currently 8 months old and on her own mothers milk as well
as donor milk.  When she was given formula (starting at 3 days of age) she
was miserable - again mother tried every formula out there to no avail.
Baby was clearly in pain, vomiting regularly, very ill, and unhappy, not
developing well at all and chronically ill.  With help from me, mom found a
couple of donors and got her off formula.  Her Dr actually noted that baby
was in distress on formula (while she thrived on donor milk and moms milk)
and gladly wrote the prescription for Donor milk.  The Insurance company
refused to pay for it fully leaving the parents with a $70 per day co-pay
they could not afford.   Even with the Dr's insistence (he was really cool!)
- it was a no go.  The insurance company told them that in order to have the
milk bank milk paid for 100% baby would have to be hospitalized and put on a
feeding tube.  So, in order to keep their baby safe, healthy and off
formula, they would have to put her back on formula, make her deathly ill,
hospitalize her and put her on a feeding tube in order to get banked milk.
Disgusting to say the least.  Luckily, mom and I were able to find several
donors, screen them, and baby has been exclusively human milk fed for the
past 7 months.  In this mother's case she had similar health issues with her
first two daughters who also required supplementation (IGT and PCOS and
about 50% supply).  No one could figure out why the first two kids were so
horrible sick on formula - every type and brand was tired to no avail. Mom
got them off formula as soon as they were able and onto solids exclusively.
Now we know.  

Yes these are extremes - but these types of extremes DO happen here in the
USA.   And it is because of these extremes that we must take a look at what
formula causing to happen in our babies bodies.  Just because we cannot see
it doesn't mean it is not happening.  I agree that determining causality
down the road for this disease or that is not easy, or perhaps even
possible.  However, when we know the immediate risks and we know that there
are risks that HAVE been documented and researched, we MUST, in my opinion,
take a harder look at even the healthy term baby (of whatever age) and if
possible, provide them with a food that is Normal for their body...human
milk.  If we can't - we can't.  But if there is any possibility at all...we
should.

Warmly,
Jaye

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