Advocates of Breast-Feeding Accuse Formula Co. of Deceptive Marketing

by Brett Singer (Subscribe to Brett Singer's posts) Sep 19th 2009 11:30AM

Categories: Babies, Eating & Nutrition, Breast-Feeding

Can some formula make your baby smarter? Maybe not. Credit: curls & crossbones, Flickr

A new study claiming to show a link between DHA-enhanced baby formula and higher intelligence for babies has come under attack by breast-feeding advocates.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that some breast-feeding "experts and advocates" say that the study is "a marketing ploy" intended to push formula on new moms.

Researchers studied 229 infants, some receiving traditional baby formula, others getting formula with added DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid.

Babies got the formula "either shortly after birth, after six weeks of breast-feeding or after four to six months of breast-feeding," according to the Chronicle. When given a problem-solving task at the age of nine months, babies in the study who received the DHA-enhanced formula did better than those who received traditional formula.

But something in this study smells like spoiled milk to us. It doesn't compare formula with breast milk. It compares DHA-added formula to formula without DHA. In fact, some of the babies were breastfed for as long as six months, and DHA is a naturally occuring substance in breast milk. Furthermore, medical sources say that mothers can enhance their DHA levels through their diet.

Rather than accusing formula folks of "deceptive marketing," perhaps breast-feeding advocates could take the high road and say what they've said all along -- that "breast is best" until somebody proves otherwise.

Source

Comments (30)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Michelle 9-19-2009 @ 4:07PM

Actually, breast feeding is not "best" and breast milk does not "make kids smarter." Breastfeeding is and should be the standard. We are mammals who are meant to drink the milk of our own species. Formula keeps babies alive if human milk is not available, but it is not ideal. What these studies are actually saying is that all formula decreases children's IQs, but this new formula with DHA decreases IQs a bit less. (Please spare me the angry comments from moms who had trouble breastfeeding or chose not to. There is no reason for you to feel guilty - move on- and your experience doesn't change the scientific facts.)

So your survey should actually say "do you believe that formula can DECREASE your child's IQ?" Not that it matters what anyone "believes", I prefer to look at scientific evidence, not people's opinions.

bullcrap 9-20-2009 @ 11:35AM

typical sheep...scientific evidence is always flawed by personal agendas. Don't fall into such a mindless trap, without challenging what so-called 'scientists' tell you. there is no proof either way about formulas or breastmilk being better or worse.

some 'scientific studies' are skewed toward favorable results because they are funded by lactinazis who want to shove breastfeeding down womens' throats and make them feel guilty about not bfing, or on the other hand, by the formula companies that want to look good and sell more product.

Michelle 9-21-2009 @ 2:12AM

I absolutely agree. Breastmilk doesn't make kids smarter..it's the natural way. The children's IQ's aren't higher because they breastfeed..the formula-fed children's IQ's are lower because they do not.

mommiedear 9-26-2009 @ 1:07AM

I breastfed my daughter till the 6 months and started her on DHA fortified formula and I have no regrets! She is intelligent and healthy. I havent noticed any lack of energy or smarts on her part. Many moms on www.truuconfessions.com will agree with me.

SARAH BROWN 9-20-2009 @ 10:50AM

to breast feed or not is a personal choice...breastfeeding mother do look down on women, who for what ever reason, choose not to breast feed..flopping your boobs out in a resturant in front of my eight year old grandson is not exceptable...if you want to breast feed your babies stay home..you all made that choice and we don't need to see it...

sonja 9-20-2009 @ 12:13PM

are you kidding me, because I choose to do what is best for my child, you expect me to "stay home". I have breastfeed 4 children, and when given an opportunity to be distreet, I take it (changing rooms in clothing stores, corner booths in restaurants, the back pew of our church, etc...), but when my baby is hungry, I have the same right to feed him/her as you do. I don't look down on those who don't breastfeed, but I do think that if they CAN and choose not to, they are a little selfish...we always say we want what is best for our children, but it seems that if it is going to be any trouble for us, well then, maybe formula isn't so bad, right? I know plenty of moms who work full time and pump, just to give their babies the best possible choice...

Michelle 9-20-2009 @ 1:54PM

I totally relate to what you are saying. I too am disgusted that my 8 year old daughter has to see people in restaurants feeding their babies artificial milk in a bottle. How vulgar - giving an infant processed cow's milk instead of natural human milk! Women who make that choice should just stay home so as not to offend people like me and make my daughter and other children think their choice is OK. ;)

ame s 9-20-2009 @ 9:01PM

I breastfed both of my daughters. I never flopped my breasts out in public. If I needed to feed one of my daughters in public, I did so discreetly with a blanket.
Obese people aren't asked to stay home so the rest of us aren't subjected the sight of one of their fat-rolls escaping their pants or shirt, they aren't asked to stay home so we aren't subjected to the sight of rippling fat rolls swimming around in their clothing. Ugly people aren't asked to cover their faces with bags while in public.
I'm sure there is no connection between formula-fed me having only a slightly above average I.Q. and my breast-milk fed daughters both both having I.Q.'s above140. Luck of the draw, I'm guessing, but telling a nursing mom to only do so at home crosses a line. I'd rather see ugly, fat, stupid, ignorant, racist people stay home.

MamaJC 9-20-2009 @ 9:26PM

So Sara, I guess you prefer your grandson to believe the girls were given by God, strickly for adult pleasure...?? Get real!! How many times has he been "exposed" to that? And since you don't want him to see the female anatomy, how closely do you monitor his television & internet??

Carolyn 9-21-2009 @ 1:35AM

Sarah, it sounds like your grandson is going to have bigger issues than just watching someone breastfeed. We have all made choices but breastfeeding is a choice that is protected by several federal laws. Maybe your grandson would like a nice pbj at home instead. Where he won't be exposed to germs, cigarettes, alcohol or bigotry.

new yorker 9-23-2009 @ 11:48PM

Wow, that would be spelled "acceptable." Breasts were made for breastfeeding. What exactly did you think your breasts were meant for?? I have an eight-year-old child. As your grandchild is eight, I am sure you know that eight-year-olds need to go places (sports, music lessons, etc. etc.) I do not have the luxury of staying inside and hiding myself away while I breastfeed. It is sad that you think women should hide away. Women used to have to stay home when they were pregnant too. That male-dominated era is over. Encourage your grandchildren to grow up knowing what breasts are really for and not to objectify women.

JEM 9-20-2009 @ 12:22PM

One factor missed by this story is the fact that most prenatal vitamins now contain DHA which is passed onto babies in utero. I would also assume that a breastfeeding mom who is still taking prenatals with DHA that it would also be passed along to a nursing baby.

Carolyn 9-21-2009 @ 1:34AM

I have breastfeed both of my children. With my second child I have taken a dha supplment. I noticed a huge difference in her eyes. and as an added bonus, I have felt less of that nursing brain.

SKL 9-20-2009 @ 1:58PM

Sounds like some people are just looking for a fight. Too much time on their hands, it seems.

So what if this company is advertising a benefit to its formula? As long as they don't come right out and say it's better than breast-feeding (as Nestle did some years ago), what's the problem?

What are you all going to do if they actually do come up with a formula that proves to be better than breast milk??

Just do what you want and leave everyone else alone.

tony khatemi 9-28-2009 @ 4:17PM

Breast Feeding is obviously the best and most effective food source for babies. However Omega3, DHA definitely is proven to help brain developement in children. Childlife liquid vitamins and Fatty Acid with DHA is good product to continue supplementing the child's diet. http://crohnsstore.com has the lowest prices if you should decide to further supplement your child.
Thanks
Tony

dididi 9-20-2009 @ 9:34PM

Funded by "lactinazis"..???!!???!! Because breastfeeding mothers have so much more money than pharmaceutical manufacturers do? Puleeese. The evidence is clear that artificially-fed kids are less healthy, in both the long and short-term. Maybe if someone could make money from breastfeeding, the advertising and publicity would be available to allow women to make a really informed choice, uninfluenced by the multi-billions formula manufactureres rake in.

nina 9-20-2009 @ 11:56PM

DHA?? there was no such thing when we were born and I KNOW WE DID NOT TURN OUT DUMB!!

Nancy 9-21-2009 @ 3:11AM

There has always been DHA. It is a fatty acid found in foods, like flax, nuts, green leafy veg, mostly in fish and algae. Our body can manufacture very small amounts of it from consuming other foods but it is best to supplement with it or eat fish. But now given that most fish is contaminated with mercury and such a popular form of DHA is derived from algae.

Sue 9-21-2009 @ 12:04AM

Breat fed babies are by far superior. Lets all face the facts here..WE ARE A CHEMICAL INDUCED SOCIETY and we wonder why, multi millions die of diseases that can be preventable.
Everything we eat has CHEMICAL...enrich this , enrich that..IS DHA, another man made chemical??. They really wouldn't know until 20-30 years from now the effects the chemicals have on a child fed formula. MAYBE IT'S TIME THEY DO A STUDY ON BREAST FED AND FORMULA FED, THE PAST 30 YEARS AND SEE WHO HAS DISEASES AND WHO DOESN'T. AS LONG AS A MOM IS EATING THE PROPER FOODS AND HAS HER MILK TESTED( WHICH ALL BREAST FEEDING MOMS SHOULD DO ) THEIR BABIES SHOULD BE FINE. GROW YOUR OWN FOODS, BUY NO CHEMICALLY INDUCED MEATS. AND ANY FOOD PREPARED FOODS THAT HAVE ANY ADDITIVES/PRESERVATIVES ADDED. WE HAVE MORE DISEASE NOW THEN WE DID 100 YEARS AGO. WHY? MORE DISABLED, WHY ? CHEMICALS IS THE CULPRET . WE KEEP DR'S EMPLOYED, PHARMACITICAL CO, IN BUSINESS. THEY WOULDN'T NEED CURES, IF WE STUCK TO NATURE !!