"best" baby formula??

[workinmom77]

From a public health perspective, milk sharing is risky - far more so than the use of formula.

Patently untrue. No one has died from milk sharing. Lots of babies have beome very sick or died from formula feeding -- most in the third world, but also children in developed countries.

I am sure people will have a list of "buts" -- but the fact above remains true.

People have weird ideas about "risk."

I am sure the OP will take all reasonable precautions when it comes to formula feeding her baby, which will mitigate the risk of unsterile water, expired formula, watering down the formula, making the formula too concentrated, etc. I am sure she will formula feed in the safest way possible. That doesn't mean formula feeding has no risk.

Yet, when I outline the precautions mothers who accept donor milk take, people question the safety of a product that has never killed an infant while preferring a product that has.

I think people's reaction here is more about the "ick" factor than the quantifiable risk.

OK, signing off now -- OP, good luck -- and many of my friends who use formula also had great success with Good Start.

[Benjorsam]

From a public health perspective, milk sharing is risky - far more so than the use of formula.

Patently untrue. No one has died from milk sharing. Lots of babies have beome very sick or died from formula feeding -- most in the third world, but also children in developed countries.

I am sure people will have a list of "buts" -- but the fact above remains true.

People have weird ideas about "risk."

I am sure the OP will take all reasonable precautions when it comes to formula feeding her baby, which will mitigate the risk of unsterile water, expired formula, watering down the formula, making the formula too concentrated, etc. I am sure she will formula feed in the safest way possible. That doesn't mean formula feeding has no risk.

Yet, when I outline the precautions mothers who accept donor milk take, people question the safety of a product that has never killed an infant while preferring a product that has.

I think people's reaction here is more about the "ick" factor than the quantifiable risk.

OK, signing off now -- OP, good luck -- and many of my friends who use formula also had great success with Good Start.

I realy don't think you can make a sweeping statement that NOBODY has died from milk sharing. Because this is mostly done without the consent or consultation of doctors its very likely there have been deaths or illness that have not been reported. The babies who have died from formula have been from third world countries where the lack of sterilization and clean water has contributed to the deaths more than the formula itself. There are cases of tainted formula but its rare and really not a reasonable risk in North America. Breast milk itself can be and is loaded with contaminants.

[TazDevil]

From a public health perspective, milk sharing is risky - far more so than the use of formula.

Patently untrue. No one has died from milk sharing. Lots of babies have beome very sick or died from formula feeding -- most in the third world, but also children in developed countries.

Remember that the taited formula has nothing to do with the formula and everything to do with the WATER. That is a huge misconception that it was formula that made babies sick. It was in fact the unsanitary water mixed with the formula.

I also know of a few babies, mine included who have become malnourished from breastfeeding due to sensitivites/allergies. Breastmilk passes a HUGE amount of what the mother ingests which can lead to serious issues if the infants have sensitivites or allergies. Lactose is 10x more in breastmilk than in cows milk and there is no way to eliminate it through mother's diet. It is also almost impossible sometimes to determine what is causing the reactions before the infant gets really malnourished.

Another reason I liked formula when I did end up using it, was that it provided freedom for me. I could leave a bottle for DH or my inlaws. Pumping was never an option because even with the industrial pumps I rarely got more than 2 oz.

I loved breastfeeding and did it for months before I had to move my one baby to formula so he would finally grow. However, formula IMO saved my one child's life and I know of other mothers where their babies were lives were saved by it too.

Therefore breast is best IF it works the best for mother and baby and thank GOD there is formula for the other babies and mom's where breast feeding is not best.

[Glowingtouch]

I wasn't going to post, so instead of not posting, I'll say this: There is a lot of misinformation on this thread about breastfeeding and formula feeding that has come up in the last page or two. If you (general you) are having issues with breastfeeding or have concerns, please visit your public health clinic, a breastfeeding educator, your doctor/midwife, or other up-to-date-on-breastfeeding health care practitioner.

OP, this post does not relate to your wish to find a formula for your baby as I respect your choice, and sorry for helping this thread get off topic. When we formula fed our son - because I was pregnant and was told to stop breastfeeding, more wrong information - we used My Organic Baby.

[TazDevil]

I wasn't going to post, so instead of not posting, I'll say this: There is a lot of misinformation on this thread about breastfeeding and formula feeding that has come up in the last page or two. If you (general you) are having issues with breastfeeding or have concerns, please visit your public health clinic, a breastfeeding educator, your doctor/midwife, or other up-to-date-on-breastfeeding health care.

Just wanted to comment on this. I found the doctors and BF clinics to be quite useless diagnosing breast feeding issues caused by intolerances and allergies. It seems like the medical profession has gone to pushing breast feeding even if it is to the detriment of the infant. Even some pediatricians don't want to recommend trying formula as an alternative.

Just saying in my case it was experiences of other mothers that helped us decide to try it so my severely intolerant infant could gain weight instead of losing it.

[cyricus]

I haven't read the entire post, so hopefully I'm not repeating a previously posted suggestion, but have you considered making your own formula? I've read this can be an economical way of going about it, also then you know for sure what the ingredients are. I'm not sure how practical this would be, it could be time consuming, for instance I'm not sure how much you can make at one time, ie can you make it in large bags and freeze it, etc.

My daughter has an anaphylaxis allergy to dairy (which we discovered when trying formula on her at 4 months) so she's been breastfed 100% until recently. Now I'm researching how to make our own non-dairy milks and yoghurts and during my searches I found sites on making formula (both dairy and non-dairy based).

I don't have any experience with this but wanted to offer it as an option. It might be worth a quick google. Here's an example: http://www.cheeseslave.com/how-to-make-homemade-baby-formula/

[VicStepmom]

Make your own formula strikes me as being an incredibly risky thing to do - frankly I don't know which is more of a hazard 'milk sharing' with unrelated moms and no milk screening or make your own formula? ?

At least the commercial stuff has to meet the requirements set by health Canada....

[Amethyst]

Babies that have died from formula have died because the WATER used to make the formula was contaminated. Not because the formula was.

Breast milk is a body fluid that can carry viruses. Why would you give your baby a strangers body fluid that has not been screened and pasteurized?

[wheresmymind]

Babies that have died from formula have died because the WATER used to make the formula was contaminated. Not because the formula was.

This is not completely true. A few years back, there was a huge scandal in China over powdered formula which was tainted with melamine. However, it was found that the companies intentionally used the melamine to bulk up the powdered formula as it was cheaper. Alot of babies died. There was also a recall last year in the states over some potentially tainted powdered formula too. Something about a rare bacteria. Can't remember, I'd have to look it up.
But I've noticed that alot of the contaminated formula does appear to be the powdered version. Not sure if it is a combination of user (ie. water, measurement, etc.) and commercial producer error. But we've always used the liquid concentrate. Ounce for ounce, it's actually a bit cheaper than the powders. They do say to use cooled, boiled water to mix the formula for the first 6 months, regardless of what formulation you use.