The Cost of Not Breastfeeding: laboratory modified infant food products

Let’s face facts: human breasts were designed by the Creator for two purposes; one is to attract the male so the species continues and two, to feed the offspring of procreation.  Breastfeeding babies is normal.  There are scientific studies that show that what is eaten during pregnancy directly affects the physical and mental growth of a fetus.  Is it any wonder that what the baby eats also affects physical and mental growth?

Then what is all of the hub-bub about breastfeeding photos?  Why is something so normal and

natural looked at as the exception rather than what it is ~ normal?

There are situations when formula is necessary to feed an infant.  Such cases include but are not limited to some maternal breast reduction surgery or past history of maternal abuse.  With the surge in the number of breast milk banks, the need for adoptive parents to formula feed is on the decrease, yet still there.

But the bottom line here is that formula production is big business, not only to the production company but to hospitals as well. 

For example:

Medela announced on 9/17/13 a call to share best practices to raise awareness about premature births and effective efforts to support human milk consumption with the goal of improving infant health. One in nine babies in the United States is born prematurely--more than in most developed countries. Content of human milk can substantially improve outcomes for critically compromised and premature infants (preemies). Outstanding neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) across the country understand that a mother's breastmilk gives the baby one of the best health outcomes available.

Premature birth costs society more than $26 billion a year and takes a high toll on families. Premature babies, born before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy, are at risk of both moderate and severe health problems, as well as lifelong disabilities. Premature birth is the number one contributor to infant mortality. Human milk acts much like medicine to premature babies who are vulnerable to potentially fatal diseases such as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), an intestinal disease associated with a high mortality rate in the NICU, from merely being born too early.

Research shows that:

-- Length of stay was reduced from an average of 88 days to 73 days for babies fed more than 50ml/kg of breastmilk daily versus preterm formula.

-- Increasing average daily doses of human milk from less than 25 to less than or equal to 50 ml/kg/day for Very Low Birth Weight babies decreased NICU costs incurred by the hospital by $31,514 per infant.

Breastfeeding and breastmilk saves lives and saves money.  Saving money in this way is not something businesses want to do – they want to bring in more money.  Just ask why your local hospital is not Baby Friendly ~ some say it “costs too much” and some even turn down funding for BFHI because in the long run, it will cost them in less revenue.

Perhaps we should rename infant formula to "laboratory modified infant food product"?

You know like GMOs (genetically modified organism)?