Feeding Babies: Safe Alternatives to Breast Milk?

With so many studies out there about the importance and benefits of mother’s breast milk to an infant, no one can deny that breastfeeding is the cheapest, safest, and healthiest option for every child.  Breast milk is a unique nutritional source that cannot adequately be replaced by any other food, including infant formula.  The basic points that support breastfeeding include:

• Breast-fed children are more resistant to disease and infection early in life than formula-fed children. Many studies show that breastfeeding strengthens the immune system. During nursing, the mother passes antibodies to the child, which help the child resist diseases and help improve the normal immune response to certain vaccines. Breastfeeding has been shown to reduce the likelihood of ear infections, and to prevent recurrent ear infections. Ear infections are a major reason that infants take multiple courses of antibiotics.
• Breast-fed children are less likely to contract a number of diseases later in life, including juvenile diabetes, multiple sclerosis, heart disease, and cancer before the age of 15.
• Mothers who breastfeed are less likely to develop osteoporosis later in life, are able to lose weight gained during pregnancy more easily, and have a lower risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer

Breast milk is the best option for feeding our children.  However, this is not a perfect world full of perfect people.  Sometimes a mother, due to anatomical constraints or physiological complications, is unable to breastfeed.  I know several such mothers that wanted to give their babies the very best that they could offer and they wanted to breastfeed for as long as possible.  These wonderful mothers did research, arranged appointments with consultants, and joined local support groups; but, when the time came, they felt that their bodies failed them.  And the community that they joined for support and comfort, offered judgment and frustration instead.  New parents need love, support, and access to varied and all-encompassing education, all of which are sorely lacking in this current “sick-care” system.

Granted, there are mothers out there that make a conscious choice about not breastfeeding.  Some mothers do not have the necessary information about breast feeding or breast feeding support available.  Other mothers choose not to breastfeed for more, let’s be honest, self-centered reasons: work, convenience, or the desire to “have their body back.”  This is not a judgment about such parenting choices, but they are still just that: a choice.

Regardless of how this current society supports a general lack of responsibility, I choose to hold myself and my patients accountable to these important life decisions.  Chiropractic is based on the idea that the doctor and patient are partners working together for the health and well-being of the patient.  As the doctor, I am responsible for offering as much information and guidance as possible to aid the patient in making choices for herself or children.  The final decisions are personal.

Breast milk is the best option, but what are the best alternatives to breast milk?

First,  if the baby is still mostly breastfeeding but in need of supplementation, then I would recommend fresh, raw goat milk.  Raw goat milk is very close to human milk in structure and has the enzymes present to help with digestion.  Supplementing with goat’s milk will give the baby fat and calories that they need.

If you are in need of a possible solution to completely replace breast milk, then I would suggest two options: create a fortified commercial formula mix or make a homemade infant formula.

Fortifying a commercial formula is the easiest option.  Like with most processed foods, the consumer does not have much control over the ingredients or additives in formula. Steps are as follows:

1. Use 1 cup of an organic formula, with as few additives as possible. One suggestion: Baby’s Only Organic Dairy Formula.
2. 1 cup of raw goat’s milk
3. 2.5 cups filtered or distilled water
4. 1 tbsp Udo’s Choice DHA Oil Blend
5. 1/2 tsp infant probiotic (like Udo’s Choice Infant Blend Probiotic)
6. Mix all of the above well.  Should make about 34 ounces, usually enough formula for 24 hours.

There is much controversy surrounding homemade infant formulas.  If done correctly, a homemade formula can be more healthful than any commercial formula.  Here are the basic steps to make about 32 ounces of formula:

1. 2 cups raw goat’s milk
2. 2 cups hemp seed milk
3. 1/4 cup goat whey (from goat farmer)
4. 1/2 tsp infant probiotic (like Udo’s Choice Infant Blend Probiotic)
5. 1 tbsp Udo’s Choice DHA Oil Blend
6. 10 drops Pharmex Liquid multivitamins
7. 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
8. Blend all ingredients in a very clean blender.  The finished formula can either be stored in a pitcher and poured into bottles as needed or poured into individual bottles immediately.  The formula will last 24 hours if kept in the fridge.

If you have any questions, please contact me and we can talk about any of these topics in more detail.

Thank you for your interest.

photo credit: moppet65535