THE MYTH OF ROMULUS & REMUS

Romulus and Remus—Peter Paul Reubens from Google Art Project

 

“We are a therapeutics company leveraging human milk biology to create new medicines to transfer gut-brain axis (GBA) disorders with large populations underserved by current treatment options.” Statement made by Lupa Bio/also known as Intrinsic Medicine.   https://sosv.com/company/intrinsic-medicine-fka-lupa-bio/

LUPA, a Wolf Goddess or a Biotech Company?

Do our myths and legends become reality?  Does a myth shape some of our reality?  How influential are these myths to our present day reality?  Do tales of Empire impact our science, and what we believe about the nature of men and women?  

Take for instance the myth regarding the founding of the city of Rome.  A female wolf saves two human baby brothers, and nourishes them by breastfeeding them.  According to the myth the female wolf was Lupa, the Roman wolf goddess.  The twins had been thrown into the Tiber River, and found by Lupa.  There are numerous statues and paintings of the mother wolf with Romulus and Remus.  The twins were the children of Mars, God of War, and Rhea Silvia, a Vestal Virgin.

The wolf goddess and the twins are a symbol used by the city of Rome. Interestingly, I have seen this same symbol of the wolf and the 2 babies in two mammary gland biology labs of different universities. UC Davis is one of those universities.   https://hovey.faculty.ucdavis.edu/

Nowadays we have companies who believe that the survival of infants is dependent upon infant formulas because many (many-many?) mothers can’t or won’t breastfeed.  Therefore other mammal milks (cows, goats, etc) or cell culture (cloned milk) is the answer. Of course the question that is not asked is how many mothers cannot or will not breastfeed?  Since 1990 the number seems to increase with every decade.  Medical science seems to produce all sorts of reasons why women can’t breastfeed. No one appears to question a society that has strange views on women, and their “place” in our society.

The amazing survival of the twins on wolf milk seems to imply that wolf milk made them strong, politically bright, with a tendency towards violence.  Is the lack of a mother and her breast milk representing the belief that the human mother is a symbol of weakness of women? Romulus supposedly kills his brother in an argument.   The Roman Empire is considered by some to have been one of the more violent societies in history.  Slavery was part of their society, with supposedly 1/3 of the population slaves. According to myth, Romulus was responsible for the abduction and rape of young Sabine women who were made to marry their Roman captors.

Has the views of Empire and a woman’s place in an Empire changed?  Currently in our US Empire women will no longer have control over their own bodies.  How different is the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking of underage girls to powerful men from the rape of young Sabine Women?  How different is the current medical belief system that women can’t and won’t breastfeed, therefore men of science will create the perfect milk for babies?  Are our babies  bereft of their mothers and given genetically engineered milk from our scientists, any different then Romulus and Remus?  And is our Empire any different than the Roman Empire?

I read an article in Environmental Health Perspectives published in 1994 called, “The Mammary Gland:  Protein Factory of the Future,” by Romagnolo and DiAugustine.

“In evolutionary biology, lactogenesis, or milk secretion, is considered one of the more important functions for the survival of mammals.  Milk consumption by the newborn is critical during the early stages of life.  Colostrum, which is produced by the mammary gland postpartum, provides the newborn with immunity and precious nutrients that enhance survival.” https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/ehp.94102644

What is it about babies surviving without a human mother and raised on other mammal milks that is so fascinating?  I think breastfeeding is far more fascinating.  Maybe it is mammary gland envy mixed with capitalistic tales of wealth, power, and control by focusing on substitutes for mothers?  Is it so strange that a company that uses human milk research to create medicines calls itself Lupa?

Glycosyn licensing agreement with Lupa Bio (also known as Intrinsic Medicine)

Glycosyn is licensing out their patents to Lupa Bio also known as Intrinsic Medicine.  Who is Glycosyn?  A company founded by Ardythe Morrow, David Newburg, and Guillermo Ruis-Palacious that has created patents on manufacturing and using Human Milk Oligosaccharides. Ardythe Morrow and David Newburg are listed inventors to some of these patents. https://contracts.justia.com/companies/intrinsic-medicine-inc-14849/contract/234677/

Both Ardythe Morrow and David Newburg have been involved in milk banking (both listed as on the Research Advisory Board to the Mother’s Milk Bank of New England). David Newburg tested 8 human milk samples provided by Inside Edition.  The February 2016 article states that Newburg said, “Seven of the eight samples acquired over the internet I would not feed to infants.”  And, “He said [David Newburg] 87% of the samples contained potentially dangerous bacteria.”  https://www.insideedition.com/14736-breast-milk-bought-online-may-contain-bacteria-that-could-harm-your-child-investigation-finds

This sounds frightening but it is 87% of 8 samples.  Eight samples is far too few samples to determine public policy.  And rather curious that David Newburg is a founder of Glycosyn in 2002, and a listed inventor to a number of US patents owned by Glycosyn.

At about the same time as Newburg was published in Inside Edition about the dangers of buying human milk on the internet, Glycosyn and the infant formula company FrieslandCampina formed a partnership for the development of a new infant formula ingredient-Human Milk Oligosaccharide. https://www.foodbev.com/news/frieslandcampina-and-glycosyn-form-new-infant-nutrition-partnership/

In 2019 Glycosyn formed a partnership with BASF.  https://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Article/2019/05/24/BASF-and-Glycosyn-partnership-to-capitalise-on-HMO-and-gut-health-interest

There are 2 new US patents published in May of 2022.  The listed inventors to both patents are Ardythe Morrow, David Newburg, and John McCoy

Patent #11331329, “Fucosylated Oligosaccharides for Prevention of Coronavirus Infection.”

“The invention provides compositions and methods for utilizing oligosaccharides, such as human milk oligosaccharides, to attenuate a respiratory pathogen infection and/or promote recovery from a respiratory pathogen infection in the respiratory systems and/or GI tract of a subject.”

Patent #11324766, “2’-fucosyllactose For The Prevention And Treatment of Coronavirus-induced Inflammation.”

Meanwhile, Ardythe Morrow will be the Principal Investigator from the Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital Medical Center for the PREVAIL Cohort Study.  It will last 3 years from a mother’s 3^rd trimester of pregnancy until her baby is 2 years old.  It’s a $31 million grant from the NIH on a new flu study in babies.  The CDC website explains, “In order to develop effective vaccines, it is important to understand how these viruses interact with a child’s immune system and how the mother’s immunity may help fight these infections in the United States.” https://www.cdc.gov/surveillance/nvsn/prevail.html

I find myself being rather cynical about the outcome of this study, particularly since the Cincinnati’s Children’s Hospital Medical Center co-own’s patents in which Ardythe Morrow is a listed inventor as well as David Newburg. https://patents.justia.com/inventor/ardythe-l-morrow?page=2

Will breastfeeding be considered?  Or will the more narrowed view of, there is some magical component in human milk that can be used in vaccines and medications to save our babies from “the flu.”  Will Glycosyn reap the benefit of the myth that some women can’t or won’t breastfeed?  Of course they are not the only company investing in HMO’s (Nestle, Abbott, and others are investing in human milk components, made synthetically or genetically engineered).  Has myth become reality?  Do we have our very own wolves, goddesses of our new Empire?

© 2022 Valerie W. McClain

OF HURRICANES, AN INFANT FORMULA RECALL, AND MORE PATENTS

“A single, one-dimensional way of thinking has created a monoculture of the mind.  And the monoculture of the mind has become a self-fulfilling prophecy.  This is the root of why we have pitted equity against ecology and sustainability against justice.”  --Vandana Shiva

Mesmerized by the Niagara Falls coming off my roof, I was too tired to be worried.  Hurricane Ian was making a grand entrance, high winds and lots and lots of rain. Niagara Falls lasted about 2 hours, and then gradually dissipated to a steady drizzle of rain for many hours. 

Morning arrived and I went outside to find that my street had become a river, and my front yard was just part of that river.  I now had riverfront property or was the river really a lake?  I always wanted to live close to the water.  But frankly I really didn’t want a river to run through my house.

The water had tried to sneak in the back door, but had gotten trapped by several layers of towels.  But that was it, no water snaking though my house.  I was one of the lucky ones, 4 blocks away homes were swamped with water.  How did I luck out?  Even my electricity was still on?  Why was I so lucky, and so many other people unlucky?

Life is a puzzle. I have always wondered and questioned the whys of life.  My great grandfather, one of his sons, and 2-year old grandson died on a British ocean liner that sunk in 1915.  His daughter, my Aunt Chrissie survived the sinking of the Lusitania.  The ship had been torpedoed by a German U-boat and sunk off the coast of Ireland.  The sinking of the Lusitania was one of the events that indirectly precipitated the entrance of the US into WWI.  My great-grandfather and his family was suppose to travel on a different ocean liner, but at the last minute had been transferred to the Lusitania.  My understanding is that although the Lusitania was a passenger ship, it was rumored to be carrying munitions to aid Britain’s war effort.  Officials denied for years that ammunition was on board the Lusitania. In the 1980s divers confirmed that munitions were on board the Lusitania, and efforts have been made to recover them.  https://archive.archaeology.org/0901/trenches/lusitania.html

Who lives and who dies?  Is this just another war time story of bombs and bullets, and human beings getting in the way?  Hurricanes are not wars.  Yet I have heard that weather can be used as a weapon.  It does throw our lives into shambles, depending on whether we are at the wrong place at the wrong time.

I suppose that is enough about a hurricane and luck or fate during a disaster.  Speaking of fickle fate, once again Abbott is in the news. It is another recall of its infant formulas.  This time it seems to be a problem with bottle caps on 2oz liquid ready-to-feed formulas and Pedialyte not sealing completely.  For information on products recalled, countries effected, and phone numbers to call for questions, I have an article from the Miami Herald.  https://www.miamiherald.com/news/recalls/article267468118.html

And from Abbott: https://www.similacrecall.com/us/en/home.html

 

I am sure Abbott is not a happy camper right now. Their stock prices may slide downwards. Supposedly this will not impact the supply chain, according to Abbott.  I thought I’d share a couple of patents owned by Abbott. And one interesting one on myelination of the brain and duration of breastfeeding from Duke University.

US Patent #8802650 entitled, “Method of Using Human Milk Oligosaccharides for Improving Airway Respiratory Health,” owned by Abbott Labs.

One statement in the patent, “Breastfeeding has been associated with enhanced development and balanced growth and maturation of the infant respiratory, gastrointestinal and immune systems, thereby providing protection of the infant to infection and inflammatory diseases.”

Are you surprised that an infant formula company makes such a statement on a US patent document?  And should one ask how Human Milk Oligosaccharides are created by our men and women of science?  And how man-made Human Milk Oligosaccharide is the same thing as that which is made in the mammary glands of a mother?

US patent # 9539269 entitled, “Method for decreasing the incidence of necrotizing entercolitis in infants, toddlers, or children using human milk oligosaccharides,” owned by Abbott Labs.

“During postnatal development, a newborn’s intestine experiences a process of maturation that ends with the production of gastrointestinal epithelium that functions as a selective barrier (i.e., gut barrier).”  

“Barrier formation and maintenance has been found to be affected by the diet.  Breast milk contains components that not only act as pathogen receptor analogues, but also activate immune factors by infant intestinal epithelial cells and/or associated immune cell populations to enhance development and maturation of the infant’s gastrointestinal and immune systems.”

There is the belief that one component, Human Milk Oligosaccharide (HMO), manufactured by Abbott, will work like the real human milk component and create a barrier against pathogens and activate the immune system.  Have they proved that in clinical trials, compared breastfeeding vs. infant formula with HMOs? 

US Patent # 11426419 entitled, “Compositions and Methods for the Repair of Myelin,” owned by Duke University

“Human breast milk is associated with improved cognitive development.  Recent studies have shown that a direct correlation between duration of breastfeeding and the integrity of myelination microstructure exists in humans.”

I think this is fascinating particularly since media articles from a few years ago often stated that the reason children who are breastfed tested higher on IQ scores was because women who breastfed were more likely to be of higher education and economic status and spent more time with their infants/children.  According to those articles there was no physical reason for this difference.  But lo and behold, this patent inventor/researcher believes that some substance from human milk is supporting the myelination of a baby’s brain.  I actual think that there is likely more than one substance in human milk that supports myelination of the brain.  I believe the act of breastfeeding also helps accelerate the cognitive abilities of infants.  Breastfeeding means time spent with a baby, and the magic of oxytocin creates a bond of love that forms a base of attachment in which learning is facilitated. 

Our society knows that breastfeeding is better than infant formula feeding.  Yet the investment in our society is in human milk, and pumping so that mothers can separate from their babies and children.  It is part and parcel of society that invests in things over people.   La Leche League often spoke of people before things.  Things are replaceable, people are not.  Hopefully, we will remember to hold dear the time we spend with family and friends, with our babies and children (grandchildren and great- grandchildren).  No regrets, instead an understanding of what is important, and what is not so important.

©2022 Valerie W. McClain

Reflections on raining avocadoes, baby wrens and World Breastfeeding Week

“Aggressive marketing tactics are not unique to poor countries, nor is government inertia and nor is infant death.  During the 1980s in the USA, while 200,000 babies a year were hospitalized for diarrhea, infant feeding product promotion intensified.  A later analysis of 1988 data found that one in five of the US babies who died at between seven days and 12 months of age did so because they were not breastfed.”  Gabrielle Palmer, The Politics of Breastfeeding

It’s been raining avocadoes for the last month.  They fall off my Avocado Tree, four or five at a time. My nemesis, Squirrel One or is it Squirrel Two, pelts me with half eaten avocadoes.  I have yet to eat one of my avocadoes, because I let the tree grow too tall. It’s taller than my mulberry tree which towers over my house.  I haven’t the energy to drag a ladder out and use my fruit picker to get the fruit.  So they rocket through space and hit the ground, a fine example of gravity. 

Carolina wrens love my yard, and I love to listen to them.  They are such petite birds with upturned tails and loud, mouthy voices. One would think that little birds would have little voices?  Last year one couple had 5 babies in my mailbox that is affixed to my house (not used for posting mail, just used for friends to leave messages). The wrens ousted the frogs that lived in the mailbox.  The mailbox sits below a light I turn on at night.  The bugs love the light, and the frogs got fat and sassy—that is until the wrens moved in and built more comfy quarters. Now the frogs are homeless and squatting on top of my outdoor light. This year the wrens built a nest in my Greenstalk vertical planter.  Why? Because there was a vacancy of plants in the Greenstalk.  I was delighted because I could watch the family from my window. 

Early one morning the wrens were making such a racket, that I went to the window to figure out what was going on.  There, next to the Greenstalk was the neighborhood predator.  Yes, a cat.  He was quite the handsome, well-fed fella, but handsome or not, he was a predator. I joined the chorus of parent wrens in yelling at him. He jumped away and I made the assumption that the baby wrens were OK because I could still hear their voices from their nest. But sadly the cat must have damaged the two babies in the nest.  I smelled that dead animal smell and realized that we had not saved the babies.  I buried the babies. Later, the mother or maybe the father wren perched on the Greenstalk with a big worm in her/his beak and hopped around looking for the babies. (Both wren parents feed their babies).  I watched as she or he searched the Greenstalk.  She looked at me and I told her that they died and I buried them. She seemed to understand and flew away, and has not returned.  I cried.  I cry more often than I use to, the world we live in can be so cruel. 

Is it silly to cry for baby birds, when human babies die from the carelessness of an industry? (The Abbot infant formula scandal)  Or silly to cry over dead baby birds, when human children are slaughtered in a school? (Uvalde school massacre, among the many gun massacres in the US) I cry for the human babies and children, too. It’s not silly, it’s human to care.  The older I get the more readily the tears flow.  I see a human callousness in our society that is beyond redemption. 

The Abbott infant formula scandal is being defined in the media and Congress as a problem of formula shortages caused by supply chain issues. The deaths of at least 9 infants and hospitalizations of at least 25 infants, and un-counted infants sickened becomes a supply chain issue.  And by the way don’t mention the word, breastfeeding, because that is considered inappropriate.  A society that has a shortage of infant formula but cannot promote breastfeeding is what I call, backward thinking. Mothers are about to have babies in the midst of infant formula shortage and breastfeeding promotion is considered an inappropriate suggestion? 

As for the Uvalde school massacre, we are made to believe that we should not question the role of 300 police waiting for an hour to break down the unlocked classroom door to stop one white male teen determined to kill as many children as possible?  Yes, this is the world we currently live in.  A nation that does not protect mothers and babies and children is a nation beyond redemption. It’s a callousness and cruelty that should not go un-noticed.   

Who re-defined hungry? Now we call it food insecure.  Yes, it makes everyone feel better because we don’t have to think that US children go to bed at night hungry. Instead children are just food insecure. On the news yesterday the Biden Administration has redefined the word recession.  So now we can blame the large number of homeless people on the homeless people, not the government.  How dare they set up their tents near our homes?  How dare those families stand on the street begging for jobs, food, & shelter?  This is the United States, just hide it all, and pretend it doesn’t exist.  We aren’t in a recession, you are just imagining it. Instead send over $50 billion to Ukraine to fight a proxy war.  That is $50 billion that could be used to house the evicted, feed the hungry, and provide free health care.  Nope.

What does this have to do with World Breastfeeding Week?  Everything and nothing. A nation that doesn’t care about women, mothers, babies, and children, will not and cannot support breastfeeding.  Breastfeeding has been redefined.  Instead the word is becoming breastmilk. Instead of promoting breastfeeding, memes promote breastmilk. It is presumed that breastmilk is equivalent to breastfeeding.  In a capitalist society breastmilk feeding is becoming the priority because it supports the economy.    Breastmilkfeeding requires the buying of pumps, bottles, pacifiers, childcare services, etc. And often breastmilk feeding becomes formula feeding with the added cost of formula.  The growth of donor milk banks is tied to women pumping and donating their milk.  Now baby showers not only gift mothers with baby bottles but with breast pumps.  I read recently an article that was promoting sending donor milk in emergency situations.  Ever been in a hurricane or flood?  The first to go is electricity.  How will donor milk be stored in areas that are trying to recover from a hurricane or flood?  Until the infrastructure is repaired, sending donor milk seems short-sighted.  Why not focus on promoting breastfeeding, having volunteer breastfeeding counselors or IBCLCs available to help mothers who need to relactate?  Seven years ago I wrote about breastfeeding advocates in the Philippines using breastfeeding tents in the aftermath of Hurricane Haiyan. https://vwmcclain.blogspot.com/2015/04/typhoon-haiyanyolanda-part-2-rescuing.html

In the midst of a recession with large numbers of people unemployed, families living on the streets;  it seems logical to me that promoting breastfeeding makes economic sense, and is less wasteful of resources. Single use plastic pumps and plastic bottles and nipples/teats are thrown away into our overflowing landfills. Plastic is a huge problem for our environment. Breastmilk feeding is not free for mothers or for societies.  Breastfeeding is actually the free option. It lowers the burden of plastic pollution, and the pollution caused by the dairy industry.

While I feel sadness for the state of the world, I do envision a world where we don’t need a World Breastfeeding Week because large numbers of women around the world are breastfeeding.  I salute all the women and men and organizations who have made it their mission to promote and support breastfeeding! 

©2022 Valerie W. McClain

9 INFANT DEATHS DUE TO CRONOBACTER NOT 2 INFANT DEATHS

“Reporting illnesses helps health officials understand how disease occurs and to identify outbreaks.  Botulism, E.coli, Listeria, Salmonella, and Vibrio are all reportable diseases.  Cronobacter is not.  The main reason for this is that Cronobacter isn’t considered a threat to the general population.  Most adults don’t get sick from Cronobacter.  But babies do and the main vehicle of transmission is powdered infant formula.”  Carla Gillispie—“Minnesota Cronobacter Case Spurred Federal Investigation.” https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2022/minnesota-cronobacter-case-spurred-federal-investigation/

“Given the enormous risk Cronobacter poses to such a vulnerable population, reporting should be required in every state,” said Food Poisoning Bulletin Publisher and noted Food Safety Attorney Eric Hageman.”  Carla Gillispie—“Minnesota Cronobacter Case Spurred Federal Investigation.”    https://foodpoisoningbulletin.com/2022/minnesota-cronobacter-case-spurred-federal-investigation/

In September 2021 a baby in Minnesota was hospitalized with Cronobacter.  Minnesota is the only state in the United States that has made Cronobacter a reportable disease.  The State Health Department notified the CDC and the FDA with the information including the formula used and the lot number.  That baby was hospitalized and gravely ill survived but now we know that the total number of babies that died was nine NOT two as reported earlier, that there were 25 incidents of Life Threatening Illness/Injury, and 80 Non-Life Threatening Illness/Injury. https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2022/06/nine-baby-deaths-reported-to-fda-during-abbott-nutrition-investigation/

It is highly likely that there were more deaths and life threatening illnesses than is currently known because Cronobacter is only reportable in one state-Minnesota.  This is not just a US problem but also an international problem because Abbott shipped their contaminated product to many other countries.  All the money that Abbott raked in during the pandemic may go towards legal fees, and attorneys. Hopefully parents who have had to deal with hospital bills will be compensated, although no amount of money can compensate parents whose infants died. 

The only reason that this became a public issue was because the pandemic has created product shortages.  The infant formula cupboard became bare.  And when one factory that produced their infant formula shut down due to unsanitary conditions, the shortage became critical, the snowball effect.  The answer that some politicians have latched onto is to open the door to importing infant formula.  The question in my mind is that it is a known fact that powdered infant formula is not sterile, and the bacteria, Cronobacter is ubiquitous in the environment.  So dependence on other countries for infant formula means that we believe that other factories in other countries are more hygienic than here.  Which may be true, but if you look at the history of Cronobacter contamination, it has appeared in a variety of factories in various countries.  It isn’t the only bacteria to be concerned about, there is Salmonella, E.coli, and other pathogens.  Again, POWDERED INFANT FORMULA IS NOT STERILE.  It means that parents have to be ever-vigilant about the safe preparation of powdered infant formula. 

“The promotion of breastmilk substitutes damages breastfeeding.  For good and bad reasons, many babies are fed with breastmilk substitutes.  This is a high-risk process so the carers of these babies must be well-informed about the use of artificial milks and other breastmilk substitutes.”  Gabrielle Palmer,  The Politics of Breastfeeding,  p. 260-261

Physicians tell moms to read the directions on the formula container. Directions on the formula packages say consult your baby’s doctor.  So let’s look at the directions for safe preparation of infant formula on the back of Abbott’s Similac Sensitive infant formula package.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91WTAbJIE6L.jpg

The label is from 2017 but I looked at an image from 2020 and the instructions were exactly the same.  My focus is on the instructions regarding whether to boil water and whether they state that powdered infant formulas are not sterile. And whether they recommend breastfeeding or breast milk. The instructions state,   

“Ask your doctor if you need to use, cooled, boiled water for mixing and if you need to boil (sterilize) bottles, nipples, and rings before use.”  And

Next to warning “Powdered infant formulas are not sterile and should not be fed to premature infants who have immune problems unless directed and supervised by your baby’s doctor.” Note that infants that are formula fed do not have an optimal immune system.  Babies who are exclusively breastfed have an optimal immune system.

“Breast milk is recommended.”  Note they are not recommending breastfeeding but just breast milk.

Enfamil-Mead Johnson now owned by Reckitt instructions: https://d2ln0cvn4pv5w2.cloudfront.net/unsafe/1024x800/filters:quality(100):max_bytes(200000):fill(white)/dcmzfk78s4reh.cloudfront.net/1501531103073.jpg

They use the same or similar statements as Abbott’s instructions.  No date on the label, so do not know how old the label but since so similar to Abbott 2020 label, will assume close to that time.

“Powdered infant formulas are not sterile and should not be fed to premature infants or infants who have immune problems unless directed and supervised by your baby’s doctor.”

“Ask your doctor if you need to use cooled, boiled water for mixing and if you need to boil (sterilize) bottles, nipples, and rings before use.”

“Experts agree on the many benefits of breast milk.”  Again, the recommendation of breast milk not breastfeeding.

Gerber (owned by Nestle, SA-Switzerland) some of the instructions state, https://images.bonanzastatic.com/afu/images/bebc/364d/9fd7_7663625787/91ityloxmul.jpg

“Sterilization or boiling of tap or bottled water and sterilization of utensils recommended. Your doctor will advise if not required.”

“If boiling water bring to rolling boil for 1 minute and allow to cool to room temperature before preparing formula.”

“Warming formula above, or using water warmer than 100°F (38°C) will compromise the probiotic culture.”

“Breastfeeding is best for your baby.”

Gerber seems to have contradictory information on their label.  They recommend sterilization of water and utensils but then they state that warming formula or using water warmer than 100°F (38°C) will compromise the probiotic culture.  I just wonder how probiotics survive the manufacturing process of powdered infant formula?  Is it the last added ingredient?  Love to know the way probiotic bacteria is added to powdered infant formula so that it stays alive through the process; but also keeps the powder free of pathogenic bacteria like Cronobacter?  At least they state their motto, “Breastfeeding is Best.”  Yes, a little sarcasm.  I am somewhat humored that both Abbott and Mead Johnson-Reckitt support breast milk.  Of course many people believe that breast milk and breastfeeding are the same words.  I find it eye-opening that these US infant formula companies support breast milk.  Will anyone analyze that?  From my perspective it’s because breast milk-feeding often results in mothers’ formula feeding because the demand of pumping long-term can create many obstacles.  Long term pumping often results in lowered milk supplies.  I told moms who were long term pumping (mothers with premature infants) that occasional hand expression could help increase milk supply.  If the premature baby was home and mom still pumping, my suggestion was to hold the baby skin-to-skin and pump one side. Skin to skin contact is a mighty medicine for babies and moms.

In 2008 a study was published in Pediatrics called, “Infant Formula—Handling Education and Safety.”  The study determined “that the majority of formula feeding mothers did not receive instruction on formula preparation (77%) or storage (73%) from a health professional.”  Some 30% did not read the instructions on the package, and 38% thought powder (not sterile) and ready-to-feed (sterile) were unlikely to contain germs.

“Among the mothers of the youngest infants analyzed, 55% did not always wash their hands with soap before preparing infant formula, 32% did not adequately wash bottle nipples between uses, 35% heated formula bottles in a microwave oven, and 6% did not always discard formula left standing for >2 hours.”

This study was done in 2008, should we believe that a new study on the same subject would show that more mothers read the instructions? Do we believe that pediatricians are spending one on one time educating mothers on safe preparation of infant formula?  Do pediatricians in the US spend more than 10-15 minutes per mother and baby at visits?  So do they talk about infant formula labels or whether they need to boil their water for infant formula? 

When a product is a risk to infants, one would think that more regulation of the industry that makes the product is needed not less regulation.  The US media emphasis on empty shelves is certainly an important issue, no baby should go hungry.  But I find it frightening that the safety of infants from unsanitary manufacturing facilities seems to be a lost concern to most people.  Dependency on an industry to keep babies safely fed should mean that there are independent inspectors, and pandemics should not be an excuse to forego inspections. https://www.clickorlando.com/news/politics/2022/06/13/many-baby-formula-plants-werent-inspected-because-of-covid/

What is wrong with suggesting that breastfeeding should be supported and promoted during an emergency?  I feel like too many people believe the marketing created by Abbott Labs in which breastfeeding mothers are viewed as Nazis who push breastfeeding.  No one questions Abbott Labs or their advertising that destroys breastfeeding advocacy. They can say whatever they want to, but yes Abbott supports breast milk.  They say it on every package they sell. But breast milk is not support of breastfeeding.

The lack of US support for the WHO Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes is a clear statement by the US Government of support of industry over babies.  https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9241541601

The lack of support of the WHO Code means that labels on packages of infant formula on preparation of infant formula will continue to be unclear to parents (if they read the directions).  People believe that infant formula is so benign a product that anyone can fix a bottle of infant formula.  Although I do remember reading some years ago that even highly educated people do not follow the instructions on preparing powdered infant formula-they over scoop or under scoop the powder. 

The manufacture of infant formula obviously needs critical assistance during a pandemic—we might consider calling it a medical product that has certain, known risks.  One might think that as a medical product it should be distributed by prescription only in order that parents understand the risks, and get sufficient instruction on safe preparation.  Yes I know, dream on.

Copyright 2022 Valerie W McClain