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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

who *isn't* ashamed to admit using formula?

635 replies

LookingForwardToSummer · 30/04/2008 11:42

feeling crap after reading the 'exclusive breastfeeding' thread! i find bf really hard and have set myself the target of 5 months, i intend to feel very proud that i went that long and then use formula happily! i can't be the only one! all the stats show low bf rates - so where is everyone?

OP posts:
TheHedgeWitch · 01/05/2008 20:22

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redadmiral · 01/05/2008 20:23

Just skimmed some of the research write-ups. They think it may be due to the prescence of fatt acids in human milk which aren't present in cow's milk. Formula is now supplemented with these, and although there aren't any studies in humans yet, obviously, animal studies show that this kind of supplementation increases memory and intelligence in tests. The formula wasn't supplemented in that way when the babies in the research were being fed.

Just so we all have the whole picture...

ExtraFancy · 01/05/2008 20:24

That's not true HedgeWitch, there are lots of FF threads in this section!

I think a huge amount of the BFing threads are from posters asking for support with BFing. That's because MN is lucky enough to have some fantastic posters who really know their stuff, and take time to do their best to help these posters.

redadmiral · 01/05/2008 20:24

'fatty acids' sorry

AitchTwoCiao · 01/05/2008 20:24

i'm at a loss to see why you are missing the point then, hedgewitch.

TheHedgeWitch · 01/05/2008 20:27

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K999 · 01/05/2008 20:30

TheHedgeWitch..you are correct....it is a well known and prove fact that the 'intelligence' gene is inherited from the mother!

gingeme · 01/05/2008 20:32

Ive just put my baby to bed feeding him 7 oz's of formula milk. He smiled and said 'yum yum yum thankyou Mummy, I love you'.

AitchTwoCiao · 01/05/2008 20:33

and you are a research scientist, hedgewitch?

Trolleydolly71 · 01/05/2008 20:35

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verylittlecarrot · 01/05/2008 20:38

Hedgewitch, hypothetically then...

  1. Take a couple of thousand people (or whatever sample size you'd be statistically happy with)
  2. Note which were ff and which were bf
  3. Measure IQ of both groups (in whichever way you feel is satisfactory)
  4. Eliminate confounding factors (age, economic satus, social class)

What results would you expect?

(BTW your argument that there can't be any effect on IQ from formula feeding because you and your brother are dead clever, well, it's not hugely compelling That is only a sample size of two. Scientifically I'd like to see a few more results, IYKWIM)

redadmiral · 01/05/2008 20:40

Er hellooo. Modern formula is different. That 'evidence' was based on old style formula, without added long chain fatty acids. If we are being so scientific.

redadmiral · 01/05/2008 20:41

In fact, it is no longer 'evidence-based' research as the conditions are now different.

TheHedgeWitch · 01/05/2008 20:42

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AitchTwoCiao · 01/05/2008 20:45

i'm not sure the long-chain fatty acids stuff has been proved, in fact i think some of them are banned in NZ because the NZ health service hasn't seen enough evidence in its opinion.
and what is in formula, exactly? milk powder, sugar, water, added vits? it's not so different from the stuff of 50 years ago. apart from the immunofortis [bullshit name icon] of course.

ExtraFancy · 01/05/2008 20:46

Not necessarily HedgeWitch, because nobody is saying that FF lowers intelligence - just that for most, BF may have increased IQ slightly. And I'm guessing that IQ tests have probably only been around as long as formula milk (a century or so? Not sure) so there'd be no 'BF only' data to compare our generation's results to.

redadmiral · 01/05/2008 20:51

I did say it hasn't been proven. It probably wont be able to be or not for many years yet. I said that the animal research indicates it works in animals.

I also said that the scientists themselves say that the longchain fatty acids are what they think may be the cause.

I also said that the conditions of the experiment have now changed as the formula is now different. The rest of the ingredients being the same is irrelevant - don't know how scientific you are, but I think Trolleydolly will agree.

AitchTwoCiao · 01/05/2008 20:58

i'm not understanding you. human long chain fatty acids may be the cause of the IQ raise in bf babies? yes, gotcha. fish ones? weeeeell, that primary school research has been debunked and until the formula manufacturers deign to tell us more about what they're putting in there then i wouldn't go assuming that it's heaps better tbh.

sarah293 · 01/05/2008 21:01

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AitchTwoCiao · 01/05/2008 21:02

lol, flatearthers, hundreds of them.

harpsichordcarrier · 01/05/2008 21:04

I think sticking fish oils into formula milk is a really really bad idea.
imo.
about as smart as putting in peanut oil, frankly.

redadmiral · 01/05/2008 21:10

And what do you think they were putting in the ones that they got the results with in animals.

LOL, they are not putting in lumps of fish

AitchTwoCiao · 01/05/2008 21:14

what are you talking about, lumps of fish? the research on fish oils and children, the stuff that was done in Newcastle schools and now sees fish oils flying off the shelves of Boots, has been amply discredited. that's as if not more relevant to humans than lab rats, is it not?

AitchTwoCiao · 01/05/2008 21:16

By redadmiral on Thu 01-May-08 20:40:11
Er hellooo. Modern formula is different. That 'evidence' was based on old style formula, without added long chain fatty acids. If we are being so scientific.

modern formula might be different but we don't have any actual proof that it's better, as you acknowledge yourself.

harpsichordcarrier · 01/05/2008 21:18

no I am aware that they are not putting in lumps of fish
interesting that there are around 13,000 studies demonstrating the risks of ff, and you are happy to scoff at that
whereas the benefits of putting fish oils in formula has been demonstrated by, oh hold on.... in advetising
and the potential long term risks of putting fish oils into the stomach of a newborn baby whose gut had been developed over millennia to deal with human milk only has been thoroughly researched. naturally.

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