Formula & Feeding

 This is a post from the now-gone pandemic forum, called 'Plan for Pandemic'.

Hat Tip to (kr105)


Formula has actually been around for a Longgggg time. Mom's used it back in the 50's (and the kids grew up OK - contrary to the LaLeche league). Here is the receipe (from Contemporary Pediatrics by Andrew J. Schuman, MD )


If you are a "mature" pediatrician one older than 40 years or so” there is a good chance that, if you were not breastfed as an infant, you were fed a formula created by mixing 13 oz of evaporated milk with 19 oz of water and two tablespoons of either corn syrup or table sugar. Every day, parents prepared a day's worth of this formula, transferred it to bottles that they had sterilized in a pan of boiling water, and stored it in a refrigerator until used. In addition to formula, infants received supplemental vitamins and iron.

LDS Preparedness Manual-Infant Formula
http://www.green-trust.org/freebooks/Preparedness.pdf

Pages 69-70

If at all possible, it's best for children up to the age of six months to be breast fed by their mothers and up to the age of one year breast milk should contribute a significant portion of the child's nutritional intake. Indeed, breast feeding can supplement a child's diet in an important way until age two. Even the American Academy of Pediatrics now recognizes and recommends this. There are those who nurse even longer, but I mention this only as an observation, not necessarily as a recommendation. For the preparedness-minded breast feeding makes particularly good sense as mama can consume a far wider range of storable foods than a baby can, and she can produce from those foods a nutrition source perfectly suited to her child.  ---continued at link, above, pages 69-70 ---

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***NOTE: A nice format for printing the SAME information, as above, can be found at this site:

Infant Formula
http://captaindaves.com/foodfaq/the-food-storage-faq-version-4-0/chapter-2-common-storage-foods/infant-formula/

Breastfeeding-Babies love it, and for good reason
http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/cowell115.html

By Rebekah L. Cowell

Here's a secret mothers have known since the beginning of time: breastfeeding is the most pro-active, sustainable action a mother can take, and it is so easy. Just think, your body is preparing the nutrients and immunities specific to the needs of that infant sheltered and nurtured by your womb for nine months!

The benefits of breastfeeding are overwhelmingly positive and not just scientifically so: breastfeeding is proven to support cognitive development, and healthy emotional behaviors.

"Although most doctors avoid saying so, out of fear of alienating some clients, formula-fed babies are generally less healthy than breast-fed babies. The cognitive development of babies fed formula doesn't equal that of those who are breast-fed. Breast milk protects against disease and promotes optimal brain growth. Formula does neither of these things." (The Nursing Mother's Companion) ---CONTINUED---

Includes:

   Steps for successful breastfeeding initiation

Alans Prudent Food Storage-Infant Formula
http://www.terrapsych.com/Prudent%20food%20storage%20FAQ.pdf

(PDF Document - -Pages 44-45)

"If breast feeding is not a viable option, you'll need to find an alternate source of nutrition ..."   ---CONTINUED---

How to Breastfeed During an Emergency-A guide for mothers
Second revised draft - 15 December 1995
http://survivalistbooks.com/faqv4/Breastfeeding_in_an_emergency.html

By
Dr Elisabet Helsing, Regional Adviser for Nutrition
Dr Aileen Robertson, Consultant, Nutrition Unit
Ms Tine Dige Vinther, Consultant, Nutrition Unit



Table of contents

Introduction

   Setting the scene
   How to breastfeed
   Milk production
   How to meet the needs of your baby
   The flow of milk
   How to asist the flow of milk
   How the baby gets the milk
   How to position step by step
   How to get breastfeeding started
   Re-lactation and induced lactation
   How re-lactation works
   Re-lactation step by step
   Hand expression of milk
   Hand-milking step by step
   Storage and feeding of expressed breast-milk
   Cup feeding step by step

Here's a link to a discussion forum for some good info on infant forumlas:



Preparing for Infants in a Pandemic
http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewtopic.php?t=1460&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=

 Kathy in FL wrote:

I've found several other infant formula recipes if you want them ACM. I can't say that these will work for every infant but in a desperate situation, some of these may be used as a stopgap to keep the children from suffering. Came from http://www.budget101.com/recipes/id771.htm

Under certain circumstances, it may be alright to use homemade formula, but consult your baby's pediatrician before introducing this to your infant. Breastfeeding is always the best choice, with commercially prepared formulas second.   ---CONTINUED---

When There is No Doctor-Feeding (Infants)
http://hesperian.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/en_wtnd_2017/en_wtnd_2017_19.pdf

Feeding - Page 271
Breast Feeding - Page 277

MORE HERE:

When There is No Doctor-120
THE BEST DIET FOR SMALL CHILDREN

(Chapter 11, Page 120)
“If a mother’s breasts produce little or no milk, she should continue to eat well, drink lots of liquids and let the baby suck her breasts often. After each breast feeding, give the baby, by cup (not bottle), some other type of milk—like boiled cow’s or goat’s milk, canned milk, or powdered milk. (Do not use condensed milk.) Add a little sugar or vegetable oil to any of these milks.

Note: Whatever type of milk is used, some cooled, boiled water should be added. Here are two examples of correct formulas:

Homemade Formula # 1
2 parts boiled, cooled cow’s milk
1 part boiled, cooled water
1 large spoonful sugar or oil for each large glass

Homemade formula # 2
2 parts canned evaporated milk
3 parts boiled, cooled water
1 large spoonful sugar or oil for each large glass

If non–fat milk is used, add another spoonful of oil.

-If possible, boil the milk and water. It is safer to feed the baby with a cup (or cup and spoon) than to use a baby bottle. Baby bottles and nipples are hard to keep clean and can cause infections and diarrhea (see p. 154). If a bottle is used, boil it and the nipple each time before the baby is fed.

-If you cannot buy milk for the child, make a porridge from rice, cornmeal, or other cereal. Always add to this some skinned beans, eggs, meat, chicken, or other protein. Mash these well and give them as a liquid. If possible add sugar and oil. WARNING: Cornmeal or rice water alone is not enough for a baby. The child will not grow well. He will get sick easily and may die. The baby needs a main food with added helper foods.”

There is a shortage of baby formula in our area due to low supply and I think a recall on formula. There is a post above with similar recipe info but worth highlighting the need to be prepared given the current state of the world. This is the recipe doctors gave mom's in the 50's & 60's. In the 1940's some mom's had to take their babys to lactating women for feedings. But after Evaporated milk came out it was the back up for women who couldn't breast feed. It is high protein so you need to add the Karo syrup to prevent constipation. Multi-vitamin drops can also be added per batch of milk.

Me and 4 of my 5 sisters were feed evaporated canned milk (watered down a bit). Mom said we got the runs from regular milk (lactose intolerance) and I still am if I drink too much.

I remember my Gram feeding this homemade formula to my little brother.

They added infant Polyvisol liquid vitamins to the formula. I just looked and these vitamins are still available.

While the only nutritional value to clear Karo corn syrup is carbs it used to hide the awful taste of liquid vitamins.

Homemade Baby Formula
https://drjockers.com/homemade-baby-formula/

(SNIP) ... We found this recipe through the Weston Price Foundation after my wife struggled to produce enough breast milk to feed our twin baby boys. The boys ABSOLUTELY thrived on it and they are now 6 years old! We used this formula for about the first 2 years of life and they developed optimally and have great skin, are barely ever sick and are smart kids that are great athletes. We are now using this formula for our 4th child, our baby girl Shine Caroline ---CONTINUED---

This recipe has been circulating around Facebook, this week. I've seen it before, but forgot to post. So, now, here ya go:

RM, I've seen that Dr. Jockers recipe floating around and so complicated and pricey! Not to mention raw milk can be hard to find in many areas.

The homemade baby formula, 1960's era has been tried and true for longer than the 60's. It used to be acceptable to give babies warm, brewed tea in a bottle as it was thought to settle the stomach but I think the practice has been largely abandoned. OJ seens to be dispaced by apple juice, but still a 50/50 ratio with water.

Border Patrol has tractor trailer loads of formula for all of joe biden's illegals, all he would have to do is give it up to the American Mothers. A tractor trailer or two per state that has less then 50% stock.

Our giant eagle and walmart have all types of formula on the shelves, that's according to our local newspaper.

Blondie wrote:RM, I've seen that Dr. Jockers recipe floating around and so complicated and pricey!  Not to mention raw milk can be hard to find in many areas.

The homemade baby formula, 1960's era has been tried and true for longer than the 60's. It used to be acceptable to give babies warm, brewed tea in a bottle as it was thought to settle the stomach but I think the practice has been largely abandoned.  OJ seens to be dispaced by apple juice, but still a 50/50 ratio with water.

I did some checking up on Dr Jockers, and he seems to be OK, though overly zealous. He has been in trouble with the FDA for violating their product labeling rules, and, while I don't think the FDA should always have the last say in things (we should treat them as one of many experts), some of his claims for things to prevent or treat Covid was a bit over the line.

I also noticed there was no date on the article about the baby formula, something that I always check (science evolves, as we learn), and that it says his kids are 6 years old and "great athletes," which is one of those claims that usually gets followed by parents getting permanent banishment from Little League (or T-Ball) games.

All of that to say that his formula may be really good, but there might not be enough difference to make all of the trouble and expense worth it. (Going overboard in one area usually leads to neglect in other areas.)

Cresson Kearny’s Infant Formula
https://www.theorganicprepper.com/infant-formula/

 (SNIP) ... Once upon a time, there was a man by the name of Cresson Kearny. A nuclear war researcher throughout the Cold War ...

(BIG SNIP) .... He knew that babies needed food after an emergency strike just like anybody else, and he wanted to ensure that they were well taken care of. Key to that was infant formula, and Kearny knew that babies were going to need it.

He ended up coming with the following emergency food supply that Americans should stash away to keep their babies from starving. The following numbers, according to Kearny, will keep a single baby alive for six months:   ---CONTINUED---

Just an update, and reminder that this isn't over.

https://www.goodrx.com/hcp/providers/formula-shortage

Many parents start out breastfeeding their infants, but only around 25% of infants are exclusively breastfed at 6 months of age. This means that millions of families rely on formula as a supplemental or exclusive food source during the first year of their children’s lives.

In 2022, the formula shortage has impacted how infants are fed in the following ways:

Use of donor breast milk increased up to 28%.
Informal milk sharing increased up to 26%.
Use of watered-down formula increased up to 29%.
Use of homemade formula increased up to 13%.

We're still having issues finding formula for a 9 month old. Several family members in several states do random checks at many different stores. We've been able to keep her supplied, but it involves several hours of driving different places in different states to find any. She needs a sensitive tummy type, too.

Cin, if you let me know what you're looking for I'd be happy to check here in MI.

The Abbott labs plant where this all srarted is down in Sturgis, near the IN line.

You can also now legally import infant formula from Canada into the US.

Another update on the Baby (infant) Formula Shortage.


https://www.foxnews.com/us/fda-review-rules-manufacturing-infant-formula-prevent-bacterial-illness

The U.S. health regulator said on Tuesday it would review guidance and rules about manufacturing infant formula as part of its strategy to prevent bacterial illness similar to Abbott Laboratories' products this year.

The Food and Drug Administration will also consider whether to establish a dedicated group of investigators and realign staff across two of its divisions to better support regulatory oversight of infant formula, among other measures, it said.

What is missing from the conversation?
I don't see anything about diversity and redundancy of supply channels.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/baby-formula-shortage-getting-worse-despite-white-house-intervention

FOX Business’ Lydia Hu reports from Montclair, New Jersey on the latest news emerging from the nation’s ongoing baby formula shortage on ‘Varney & Co.’

The baby formula shortage keeps getting worse.

One parent from Keystone, Florida, said it's been "crazy" – especially for parents in need of a popular hypoallergenic and lactose-free formula.

"We have been getting less powder, Nutramigen. So, whatever I have, I'm kind of like, can I just feed him less? But then it's like, you can't feed a child less because that's not fair to them," mother Ellie Johnston told FOX Business.

Her comments come as Reckitt, the maker of the popular baby formula brand Enfamil, recently announced that they are expecting shortages to last until spring.

Blondie, thank you so much for the offer!

However, one family member stopped at stores and managed to score some cans at various places on the way here. Between 5 family members and various states, we have the baby stocked through February. She turns 1 the first week of February and we can ease off the formula and switch to milk.

Her Mama started her on foods and she's loving it. She actually prefers food over the formula. We all went out to eat the last day they were here. We gave her a small piece of bacon, repeating the word, of course. 2 of us distinctly heard her say, "My bacon!"

I love this group and the generosity shown so often. Thank you again!