>I have the evidence of millions of healthy adults who were bottle fed -
>please do not be so frivolous!
I am not being frivolous at all. On the contrary, I am a serious,
professional, research scientist. I challenge you to find me a single
well-controlled study in which the formula-fed children had as good of a
health outcome as the breast-fed children. Same for cognitive outcomes.
Where are all these healthy adults you seem to see around you? I see people
with asthma, allergies, ADHD, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease,
breast cancer, lymphoma and on and on and on -- all of which have been
linked to formula-use. Every disease that has been studied has been shown
to be found at higher rates among formula-fed children. With an average
cognitive deficit of 5-8 IQ points for the formula-fed children, who knows
what an entire community or country might accomplish if those children had
been breastfed instead. Certainly, some individuals will still be smart,
and perhaps 5-8 IQ points isn't so critical at the high end of the scale.
But those 5-8 IQ points might make a real, functional difference in the life
of a child at the low end of the IQ scale -- and that child's parents.
And of course, we cannot forget all the children who died directly as a
result of formula use. And I'm not talking about those who had anaphylactic
shock. I'm talking about the children who died of necrotizing enterocolitis
due to being formula-fed. No, they're not around at all to be counted among
your healthy adults. I'm talking about the children who died of SIDS due to
being formula-fed. They're also not around to be counted among your healthy
adults. All of the mothers who died of breast cancer, leaving behind
mourning husbands and children -- they are also not around to be counted
among your healthy adults. Can you read the research showing that
formula-feeding increases the risk of NEC and SIDS and then look a new
mother in the eyes and tell her formula won't hurt her child? What if she's
already had a child die of NEC or SIDS? THEN will you tell her what the
research shows? What about a mother who has a family history of breast
cancer and has just given birth to a daughter? Are you going to tell her it
doesn't matter if she formula-feeds? What will you tell her when she comes
back and says she's been diagnosed with breast cancer? Can anyone tell for
sure if a specific case of, say, breast cancer, might have been prevented by
breastfeeding? No, we can't (not yet). But why not give parents the
information we do have available and then support them to err on the side of
caution? Why is that so difficult?
>Can you show me any credible references which show that all children >who
>are bottle fed are damaged.
No one is claiming that ALL bottle-fed children are damaged. No one. The
research clearly shows that for every disease studied, bottle-fed children
fare worse than breastfed children. And for those that include duration of
breastfeeding, those breastfed the longest fare best.
>Do remember that babies with diseases such as maple
>syrup urine disease require artificial feeds as BF will lead to brain
>damage.
Don't forget those with galactosemia and the other metabolic disorders that
preclude breastfeeding. And don't forget mothers with active TB and mothers
with HIV in developed countries. Certainly there are a few occasions when
formula -- especially specialty formulas -- carry fewer risks than
breastfeeding. No one says formula is evil, or that formula should not be
available for those babies who need it. No one.
Just as wheelchairs are a God-send to people who can't walk, so formula has
its place. But no one thinks it is a good idea to take infants and place
them in wheelchairs and not let them ever get a chance to walk. No one
claims that living life in a wheelchair is 'just as good' as being able to
walk. And people would be outraged if children were not allowed to learn to
walk. Wheelchairs are not evil. Formula is not evil -- it has its place.
But most of the children who are formula fed will have some degree of damage
from having been formula-fed, and most of those children could very easily
have been breastfed, and probably would have been breastfed if health care
providers had been HONEST with parents about the consequences of the choices
they make.
Tony, with all due respect, you are way behind the learning curve in the
field of lactation support, protection, and promotion. You might want to
spend a few weeks reading through the archives of LactNet to get up to
speed. You should read Marsha Walker's two articles on the dangers of
artificial infant formula (availalbe from JHL and ILCA) and Diane
Wiessinger's article "Watch Your Language" from JHL. In fact, you would do
well to start your LactNet archive education by requesting all of Diane
Wiessinger's posts. Go to Dr. Newman's web site and read his work on the
guilt issue.
I agree with the poster who said that we cannot afford to spend our valuable
time and effort on those who prefer to remain ignorant.
Katherine A. Dettwyler, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Anthropology and Nutrition
Texas A&M University
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