Hi folks

I had a call yesterday on a parent baby info line.  Mom had some questions
about a can of ABM that had floating chunks of what she thought was milk in
it and wanted to know if she should use it!  I showed tremendous restraint
and told her to return it and get the store to take them all of that batch
off the shelf!  She went on to tell me her two and a half week old had
already suffered severe constipation, as well as colic!! I explained formula
did that especially if it was iron fortified, which it was.  She then told
me her pediatritians advice was to give the baby diluted formula instead of
50:50 25:75!!!!

The temptation to tell her if she had chosen to breastfed etc. was enormous.

Now my question is about the pediatric recommendations to give iron
fortified ABM from birth. (It is the practice for Canadian Peds.)I believe
it is based on some research that demonstrated certain groups of infants
contrary to normal physiology were anemic in the first few months.  I seem
to recall that one of our Canadian nutrition researchers was either funded
by an ABM company to conduct research on the topic or funded to present
findings at a symposium.  I know the ABM companies do not like making
different ABM's because of cost.

Is this a world wide recommendation?  If other countries Peds have this
policy what is the research basis for it?  Did the ABM companies have a hand
in the research?  Why don't pediatritions look at the effect it has on
infants gastric upset, constipation and their families the potential for
abuse when an infant is so screaming from colic all the time, and finally
what about the risk they are taking dishing out advice to mothers to further
dilute ABM?

Comments and information greatly appreciated.

Susan Moxley IBCLC
Ottawa, Canada,
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