To expect Aptamil NOT to contain fish!

[Millie1206]

I'm not veggie (luckily!) but just noticed this on the carton. Do all infant formulas contain fish oil? Bizarre

Of course, I think formula is a very good idea, because throughout history there have been babies who have died because their mother couldn't BFd them, I just think it is a shame that something so very important (what is a baby's sole source of nutrition) has been left to big business/market forces.

I don't trust big business, I have worked for big business for too long to think that the corporations give a fuck about anything but their bottom line.

Morloth, if that wasent readily available to you what would you do? I would rather give my baby formula that has been tested and past certain standards, than milk from a website that hasent. Dont want to unwittingly feed my baby milk infected with HIV or Hep. Using milk that hasent been tested, carries big risks like anything else that comes from the body ie.blood. You would not give your child untested or unregulated blood, same thing.

Who should manufacture formula? Should it be the pharmaceutical induusty, and formula should not be branded, just generic like some medicines. Your right Morloth, in the past centuries, and throughout evolution, those mums who were not able to bf, those babies died, survival of the fittest kind of thing. Now this does not happened, and babies that would have died are being nourished by an alternate way.

But I wouldn't want to give my baby melamine or a massive dose of bacteria either (which is what those 2 babies in France died of isn't it?).

I don't know pigletmania but I think I am coming down on the side of trusting a woman who tells me her BM is uncontaminated (what does shehave to gain by giving me her milk?) over trusting a corporation who tells me their milk (from a completely different species) is - what do they have to gain by selling me theirs?.

I can't be alone or websites like the above wouldn't exist.

I just have no faith in the formula manufacturers (due to their past actions) nor in governments to police them/their product effectively (due to their past inadequacies).

I have some faith in other mothers though.

Those babies whose mothers couldn't feed them wouldn't have died, they would have been wet nursed.

I am pretty sure that plenty babies would have died over the years because their was no mother/wet nurse available to feed them. Which is why I don't think the idea of formula is necessarily a bad one.

I just wouldent risk it, i would not use blood or any other product from the body that had not undergone testing, donated milk is no different, and would not give that to my child. The mothers might not be aware they carry HIV or anything else, would you take that risk. Formula as much as you hate it, has undergone testing, and has to meet certain standards.

I would however use donated milk from and NHS milk bank. Wish that it was more readily avilable

Haven't got time to post properly now as off out. Just wante to say I'm not 'advertising' anything. Someone asked on the threat where all the wet nurses are so I linked a site I've heard a bit about. I think it's a good idea but haven't looked in to it properly myself as have no need to use the service at present. Of course it's up to the individual whether they want to use donated milk, nobody is being forced in to it!

I'm pretty sure there are ways of heat treating the milk to make sure nothing is passed on but I've only heard briefly about that. Better to have a look yourselves and get the info first hand. As I say, I was just sharing info with you all.

I am not ignorant or complacent, I actually just trained as a breastfeeding peer supporter.

Its a good idea Dairy, but it does need to be taken with caution.

I think Eats on Feets is amazing!

Donated milk can be flash heated. I'd much rather give my son milk from another mum than from a tin of formula. Personal choice.

Back briefly! I just had a read of the info on the facebook page. Yes, it basically says that you accept or donate milk at your own risk and they are just there to put people in touch with each other.

It says it is up to the individual to request that a donor be screened etc

I still think it's a good idea in principle but as you say, anyone using the service would have to do so with caution. I can't see anyone refusing to be screened if they're willing to donate milk but then you could just refuse their milk..

Muesli- ah ha, flash heated, yes, that's what I've heard about! You know much about it?

Who set the standards and who enforces them pigletmania, anyway each to their own.

I wouldn't want to bother with donor milk, as I found the whole business of getting enough pumped milk and freezing it successfully quite difficult just by myself! A couple of times I did have milk that went off. It sounds very complex to find enough of that type of milk and store it safely, or to have another person come around to your house or you to them, what happens if they have a growth spurt. I also wouldn't be happy using unchecked human milk from multiple sources (thinking of the 'mixed' blood that caused HIV/AIDS in haemophiliacs).

I just don't feel that having human milk is that important to me, and I say that as someone who breastfed both times around. It's my preferred option, but I'm bloody glad there's a back-up in formula.

Sorry to hyjack and also sorry i only read the first few pages but can anyone let me what the risk with Soy milk is for baby boys.

DS had reflux and I was told to avoid dairy. I BF and gave up dairy myself but when we weaned him I added soy formula to everything.

I am sorry again to but in

I agree with onetoomany tbh, Morloth like any food in the UK it has to pass certain standards does it not! Somebody mentioned flash heating, would that remove vital nutrients, would it get rid of harmful diseases like HIV? I personally dont think its worth the risk. Formula is a perfectly acceptable bm substitute where there is not bm available. My dd is nearly 4 and was fine using formula and many children the same.

Bumpsnow, it's about the oestrogens in soy which may affect testosterone production in infant boys. But I have no idea if this is a real risk, or if there is much evidence or really there is anything to worry about.

Yes, they all contain fish oils. We are very lucky that formula has moved on and the best research indicates that fatty acids are essential.

My cousin is madly allergic to fish so she bought HIPP (she's come out in a rash if someone who ate fish and had it on their hands even touched her) not sure now what allergenic mums would do - that was 3 years ago.

FWIW all the veggie mums I know (several) didn't have a problem with the fish oil in formula.

pigletmania I am only talking about how I view the risks, only.

The stuff I have read, the stories I have heard, my views on how we drink the milk of other species (which creeps me out completely if I think about it), my upbringing etc.

All of that mean that I would be more inclined to trust another mother who gave me her milk (even if a stranger) than I would a tin of formula because it is human and not cow. For me the other species thing is huge. Really really huge, the thought of putting the milk of a cow into my newborn freaks me out. Soy formula doesn't give me the same feeling of revulsion BTW. It is the other animal thing.

We don't do much dairy here for that reason, mostly I am fine with some cream here and there and cheese, but I couldn't bring myself to drink a glass of milk. Yuck. I also don't give DS1 much milk for the same reason.

If the decision was cow's milk or dead baby then of course I would go the cow's milk, but I would jump through a bunch of hoops (including accepting human milk from a stranger first).

Thank you Onetoomanycornettos.. I cant believe I never knew this. We used it for about 4 months until he was able to have dairy..

Well I guess this explains why he favours dd's pink fairy outfit rather than his own clothes...

So for me in order of preference:

My milk
My sister's milk
Friend's milk
Stranger's milk
Soy Formula
Cow's Formula