What formula companies dont want you to know is that 50% of all infant deaths could be prevented if formula were not used as a substitute for breast milk Staggering statistics are virtually unknown due to the advertising campaigns of formula companies that even violate an agreement by the companies and the World Health Orginisation/UNICEF. Here and here are examples of what happened in the late 70's that led to a boycott of all nestle products (second article down). Whats still happening today in 3rd world countries is also happening in industrialised nations. Women are being given 'samples' of formula and sent home after they have their babies, and not being informed on how to breastfeed, let alone given awareness that if breastfeeding stops, even for a few days, a mothers milk supply will dry up, forcing them to convert to formula which could potentially retard growth, effectively not support the immune system, and possibly kill the baby.

Excellent post!. A lot of of the formula companies have blood on their hands for their irresponsbile advertisements that play on "western sophistication" to get women to buy their formula. In the states, they are very generous with formula gifts at hospitals to new parentsto try and get them hooked. I can't even imagine how much crap they sent me and my wife after our first child was born.

indeed SS. and whats worse is that there is little open study done for long term effects of formula feeding. at least none that i can find on the net

From what i could get out of the doctors, babies on formula have a higher risk of SIDS, asthma, ear infections, milk allergies, diarrhea, urinary tract infections, bacterial meningitis, obecity, and diabeties. not to mention gasto intestinal problems that can result in operating.

but you wont find this on their cans and bottles sold in the store

I work in a Health Department that oversees numerous community health programs and promoting breastfeeding is one of our top priorities. It's true that there are many health problems associated with Infant Formulas. What it all comes down to is 'education', parents need to be educated on the importance of breastfeeding.

But why would they carrie on with such a dangerous product?

You don't use money in Canada? It comes in real handy here in the states.

Personal parental resposibility. That is what it comes down to. I have to believe that the percentage of woman who do NOT know that babies can get milk from their breasts is very small. I got a sample of hair gel the other day. I don't use hair gel so I threw it out. I don't see how getting several samples of formula could influence someone against breast-feeding if that is what they want to do.
Yes, there needs to be education about the health factors behind breastfeeding, and yes, there has to be assistance in hospitals to help new mothers with the ins and outs of breast-feeding, but woman who choose to use formula should not be villianized.

Please people get off your high horses. Not everyone can successfully breast feed or can produce enough milk for their child to survive. I wanted to breastfeed exclusively, I had the support of my family, doctor and a lactation specialist. Guess what I still had to supplement.

Oh-yes, we have money, very, very, colourful money.

Yeah, but you would think they would have guilt in causing harm in babies though.

in reference to your last statement MJB, tobacco companies also know that their cigarretts are the leading cause of death in the US... but they also continue to manufacture their product. In short, money rules the world.

I always thought flying minkeys ruled the world......

But yes I agree with you on the "money rules the word" thing. It's amazing how strangly coloured peices of paper can cause human beings to kill each other.

Come on man be realistic!
My wife could not breast feed. There really is no wet-nurse society around, my sons are now 21, 18 and 17 years old. They look normal, speak normal play guitar play sport chase after girls, watch TV, they are lazy and think money grows on trees.....

Man is not out to GET YOU, sure money is the name of any service, but you have to deliver or you lose out. The multi national companies are not out there to kill the consumer whats the point? No consumer no profit. Sure there are dangerous or even lethal chemicals and preservatives out there, but even natural foods pose dangers ever heard of allergies? Do you own a car? Now this is a dangerous and lethal thing, it can explode if not used properly it can run over pedestrians and kill them and when used in conjunction with alchohol it becomes a weapon of mass distruction.

Come on relax and stop stressing over nonsense even I as as an obsessive compulsive refuse to allow myself to be haunted by these kind of "facts"!

when I was young my mother couldn't breast feed me, long story, so the hospital put me on a formula for her to feed me when I got home. I never kept it down and at just a few weeks old I was eating regular table food. (cut up, but real chunks of meat carrots etc... not some processed stuff)

Turns out I was projectile vomiting a formula that was causing deaths in other infants... This was in the mid 70's.

Actually it's the love of money.
Can you use another person breast milk? Possibly a healthy relative?

Yes you can
In the not so long ago when a mothers could not breastfeed, the baby was given to another mother who was breast feeding and the baby was fed this way and it was termed wet-nursing. Babies are also known to have been given animal substitutes such as goat milk even horse milk in rural areas when ther were no other nursing mothers. Cows milk was a popular substitute up until formula was developed, but unfortunately with the nursing of infants, some infants were allergic to this so it was necessary to formulate non-lactose substitutes. Yes it is risky business, but so is life in general.

We cannot allow ourselves to run and hide everytime someone shouts “foul”. It is not in the nature of man to profit from exposing his fellow man to danger. So when these risks are found we can only do what we can to minimise them.

As in most things the general public is not purposely kept in the "dark" we operate on a system of trust, which is belief in the inherent goodness of man. Imagine how paranoid and suspicious we would become if we doubted everything and mistrusted everyone?

Good grief we would see a conspiracy in any action!