I agree with Anne in that it's a good thing that a healthier formula choice
is available for those who are using formula to feed their babies. I
attended an excellent one day conference over the weekend - Diane
Weisssinger was one of the speakers. She stated that breastfeeding should
not be looked at as "all or nothing". I think this is so true of a lot of
the thinking in our profession. Sometimes too much emphasis is placed on
the "ideal" which is exclusive breastfeeding (at the breast for a minimum
of 6 months) and continued breastmilk for at least 2 years. How realistic
is this for many moms, especially in this day and age? It's true that
Mother Nature, when she invented this process in her infinite wisdom,
invented a breast and a baby. Humans invented formulas, bottles, pumps and
other paraphenalia. I, for one, will take breastfeeding any way I can get
it. For some moms, the reality is going to be some formula every day. If
using formula helps her to increase the duration of nursing, so be it. For
others, it will be nursing for a certain period of time, then weaning to
formula. If this helps her to nurse at all, then so be it. Some nursing
for as long and in whatever milk combination that realistically fits into
mom's lifestyle, is better than none. And we need to encourage moms to
think in this way. I shudder to think of the numbers of mothers we've lost
to breastfeeding simply because they were led to believe - "I either nurse
exclusively for x length of time, or I don't nurse at all".
Dr. Joseph Mercola has been mentioned before but I'd like to encourage
those who are interested to go to his website www.mercola.com and read his
thoughts on formula, including his "recipe" to make commercially available
formulas healthier for babies. He is an MD who is very into healthy
alternative lifestyles and medicine practicing in the northwest suburbs of
Chicago, IL USA. I have no financial in his practice. Just my thoughts.
Pam Hirsch, RN,BSN,CLC
Clinical Lead, Lactation Services
Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital
Barrington, IL USA
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