In my opinion breast feeding is clearly the best option for optimizing infant health. What do parents do who can't breast feed and their child has severe allergies? Try finding a formula that is soy free, dairy free, gluten free, and corn free. Besides allergies there are parents who want the absolute best for their children.
Besides breast feeding yourself the next best option are reserve banks where you can actually buy or trade breast milk. Unfortunately my child is so allergic to everything I'm certain that is not an option. The next step in our searching plan is to make our own formula. It sounds archaic and tree huggerish, but if you know anything about food and the FDA you might agree with me.
Infant formulas across the board have been found contaminated with all sorts of toxic chemicals. in the last couple years there have even been recalls.
For example, the CDC found perchlorate, a chemical from rocket fuel, in 15 brands of infant formula, including two brands that accounted for 87 percent of the market share in 2000. The top brands included Similar and Enfamil.
Other contaminants discovered in some infant formulas include:
Melamine (linked to kidney failure)
Dioxin
BPA
AGEs (advanced glycoprotein end products)
Genetically engineered ingredients
Fructose
Soy formulas should be avoided altogether. It infuriates me how soy has been deemed a healthy alternative when it's causes devastating health effects.
Phthalates, or "plasticizers," are a group of industrial chemicals used to make plastics like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) more flexible and resilient. These are found in everything including packaging.
We've all heard if BPA by now but does anyone know what it really does.
Structural damage to your brain
Hyperactivity, increased aggressiveness, and impaired learning Increased fat formation and risk of obesity (hence our country)
Altered immune function
Early puberty, stimulation of mammary gland development, disrupted reproductive cycles, and ovarian dysfunction
Changes in gender-specific behavior, and abnormal sexual behavior Stimulation of prostate cancer cells
Increased prostate size, and decreased sperm production
Diabetes
Heart disease
Liver damage
BPA is in everything.
Plastic water bottles
Plastic gallon milk bottles
Plastic microwavable plates, ovenware, and utensils
Tooth sealants
Canned foods and soda cans (most have plastic lining in the cans)
Baby toys, bottles, pacifiers, and sippy cups
The biggest thing when feeding your child why would you go to all this trouble to make something or buy organic only to put it in something toxic. I mean the baby bottles, the plastic cups and the liners. They get sanitized over and over. All that heat is just leeching toxic chemicals into your child's milk. Not to mention most baby formula comes in a can of some sort that is more than likely lines with BPA.
It's unfair! That's exactly what it is. My husband thinks they can't live in a bubble but my thoughts are keep them as healthy as possible so they have a fighting chance. No one is immune to BPA and sadly it's in EVERYTHING. People have gotten smart to it in recent years but chemists and scientists only created another binding agent that's even more toxic to replace it so they can deem their product as BPA free.
The simplest solution buy GLASS whenever possible. As for formula I have yet to find anything worth giving to my child. With the food allergies we have to be even more careful and we have yet to master a formula recipe he isn't allergic to.
