"Artificial feeding is risky. This basic fact upsets people
who feel insulted if they or their mothers did not
breastfeed but most women do not 'choose' how they
feed their babies: they do what their culture and
society expects." --Gabrielle Palmer, The Politics of
Breastfeeding: When Breasts are Bad for Business
In our society is infant feeding really choice or cultural expectation? Gabrielle Palmer's book unveils our presumptions about infant feeding. Reading and rereading her book, I continue to learn from it. I heard her speak many years ago and went out and bought her book. Shared the book and never got it back. Bought an updated and revised edition and it is so worn that I think I need another copy.
I just finished reading an article in the Washington Post entitled, "I fed my newborns formula to keep them alive. Still, I felt guilty about it," by Darlena Cunha. I must say that the media has outdone itself in creating articles during World Breastfeeding Week that are unsupportive of breastfeeding. How can a breastfeeding advocate respond to such an article? But a response is needed.
The author states that she learned, "Good mothers, I learned, breastfed. Lazy mothers don't." Where did she learn this? I remember meeting with breastfeeding mothers and we were all talking about how we were lazy and how breastfeeding fit into our lazy lifestyles. Meaning it takes a lot of work to bottle feed babies. Sterilizing bottles, cleaning bottles and nipples, making sure that everything is done as safely and correct as possible is no easy task. Breastfeeding one simply puts the baby to breast, no fuss, no kitchen clean-up. Where did she get this notion that lazy mothers formula feed? Lightbulb goes off in my head, as I read further in the article about a survey taken by Baby Talk Magazine in which "33% of breastfeeding mothers called their formula-feeding counterparts lazy and selfish." I don't particularly have much faith in media surveys, particularly when the media is supported by infant formula advertising. Surveys can be set up to be slanted. And what better way to create the "mommy wars."
Then the author of this article states that this idea that women must breastfeed is echoed in "scary" media stories about stores pulling formula off the shelves after a baby died of a bacterial infection. I believe there was a recall--meaning in the interest of public safety the product was removed off the shelves. The bacterial infection is called Cronobacter sakazakii and infants who contract this bacteria (known scientifically to reside in powdered infant formula) have a 40%-80% risk of dying or being brain damaged. Scary story? Or scary reality?
The article goes on to state that "when breastfeeding adult medications must be stopped so that the effects don't reach the infants via the mothers' milk." There are very few medications that need to be stopped. ("It is currently known, that most medications have few side effects in breastfeeding infants because the dose transferred via milk is almost always too low to be clinically relevant, or it is poorly bioavailable to the infant."--Thomas Hale, PhD, "Medications and Mothers' Milk)
The author goes on to tell the story of a mother who was talked into breastfeeding by a well-meaning nurse. So in reality this woman did not want to breastfeed. Finally, a health professional told her to stop breastfeeding. This is an example of how choice is often controlled by who is believed to have the power in your life. The mother felt forced to choose breastfeeding because a medical person decided for her. And then she had to wait for a medical person to tell her she could quit. This is an example of a mother who has lost her autonomy and power to the medical establishment. We shouldn't be surprised that breastfeeding didn't work out. Or that the mother feels badly. The decision to breastfeed or not is far more important than our society recognizes. Who should control that decision-making process? The mother. A mother that let's others make her decision has lost her autonomy and depression is often the end result. Depression often leads to blame placed on the wrong people or the wrong institutions.
This article is a very thoughtless article and I am surprised that the Washington Post published it. It is an article that misinforms readers and perpetuates myths regarding breastfeeding and breastfeeding advocacy.
More patents...
Patent # 6232094 entitled, "DNA encoding human .kappa. casein and process for obtaining protein," filed in 1995. Invented by Lennart Hansson et al. and owned by Symbicom Aktiebolag (Sweden). This invention is about a DNA sequence encoding the human milk protein .kappa.-casein.
"Thus infant formula, often prepared on the basis of cow milk, is generally incompletely digested by the infant, and is lacking substances known to have effect on the physiological funtions of the infant. In order to obtain an infant formula with a nutritional value similar to human milk, a number of additives including proteins, protein fragments, vitamins, minerals etc., which are normally formed or taken up during the infant's digestion of human milk are included in the formula with the consequent risk of posing an increased strain on and possible long-term damage of important organs such as liver and kidney. Another disadvantage associated with the use of cow milk-based formulae is the increased risk for inducing allergy in the infant against bovine proteins."
Patent #5741957 entitled "Transgenic bovine," filed in 1995. Inventors are Hermon A. Deboer et al. and owned by Pharming B.B. of the Netherlands. For those who don't know what transgenic means, "an organism whose genome has been altered by the transfer of a gene or genes from another species."
"Further, it is apparent that a need exists for methods for producing transgenic bovine species which are capable of producing recombinant polypeptides such as human milk proteins and human serum proteins in the milk os such transgenic animals."
"Still further, it is an object herein to provide food formulations supplemented with recominant polypeptides from such transgenic milk such as human infant formula supplements with human lactoferrin."
This is the company that created Herman, the bull. The following website is an article about the creation of a herd of transgenic cows in Blackburg, Virginia back in 1999. There are many other herds now. The transgenic cows in Virginia were not initially separated from normal cows. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/1999-06/VT-Ibft-290699.php
Patent # 7914822 entitled, "Method of producing nutritional products from human milk tissue and compositions thereof," and filed in 2009. The inventor is Elena Maria Medo and owned by Prolacta Bioscience.
"Artificial baby milk, predominantly based on cow's milk, have been prepared and used to nourish an infant, but there is increasing evidence that infants fed artificial baby milks suffer long-term ill consequences."
"It has been known for a long time by physicians, scientists and nutritionists that the best food or nutrition supplied to an infant is its own mothers' milk, ie., fresh human milk."
"Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a standardized source of human milk that can be modified to reflect the various stages of lactation and various immune responses."
The human milk industry, Prolacta in this patent, recognizes that fresh human milk (note that they don't say breastfeeding) is the best source of food for babies. Yet there product is not fresh, it is frozen with additives. The beauty of human milk is that it is not standardized, it is individualized. Breastfeeding is the competitor for this industry as well as the infant formula industry. Both recognize and state that some women can't or won't breastfeed, so we must buy their products.
Copyright 2014 Valerie W. McClain
"Globalized industrialized food is not cheap: it is too costly
for the Earth, for the farmers, for our health. The Earth
can no longer carry the burden of ground water mining,
pesticide pollution, disappearance of species and destabilization
of the climate. Farmers can no longer carry the burden of
debt, which is inevitable in industrial farming with its high
costs of production. It is incapable of producing safe,
culturally appropriate, tasty, quality food. And it is incapable
of producing enough food for all because it is wasteful of
land, water and energy. Industrial agriculture uses ten times
more energy than it produces. It is thus ten times less
efficient."--Vandana Shiva
There is an ecological burden that we add to the Earth, when countries do little to promote, protect and encourage breastfeeding. Instead the promotion and protection is extended to the infant formula industry. In a very unbalanced system, this industry can market its products directly to mothers and fathers using advertising techniques that promote their products while sabotaging breastfeeding. This billion dollar industry influences our government, our educational institutions as well as the medical establishments through large donations. They advertise on the internet, in magazines, and TV. This very same industry owns human milk research. They own it cause they bought it and staked a claim through their patents. They wage marketing campaigns to silence breastfeeding advocacy. And we live in such strange times that marketing has becomes truth and truth cannot be tolerated. Out of fear that the truth creates shame and guilt, we are encouraged to omit the truth. Some call that lies by omission. Who benefits when we massage the message, speak and write unclearly about infant formula? Well, let's watch how that billion dollar industry makes billions more. But you know this isn't just about making money, its about a product that creates higher morbidity and mortality. What other products do you know that can do this and still get the support of the average citizen?
Breastfeeding is our rightful inheritance. By breastfeeding, a baby is getting gulpfuls of their mother's DNA, a fresh and a live substance. Formula is not a live substance and the DNA the baby receives is either cow or goat or some other mammal or sometimes a plant-soybean DNA. This is why we talk about species specific milks. The design of mammal milks is to benefit the particular species of mammal. Cow's milk is designed to quickly create a big animal. Human milk is designed for human brain function. Should we be surprised about our obesity problem in children, when a majority of infants are ingesting cow's milk formulas at some point in their early lives. The infant formula industry is now working on patents to make an infant formula that will resolve the obesity problem caused by their product. Should we applaud the industry for solving a problem they created? And actually the resolution of the obesity problem is breastfeeding not the creation of another untested product.
Some years ago I met a young mom who was breastfeeding her son despite some enormous difficulties. I asked her why she continued to breastfeed despite all the obstacles placed in her life. She told me that it was part of her religious belief and that breastfeeding was her children's rightful inheritance. She could not even think of quitting. I was impressed by her courage and her conviction to continue to breastfeed. I met many women who overcame many difficulties to breastfeed over the years. I was always impressed by how many mothers move mountains to make breastfeeding work for them. As I have looked at so many patents on human milk components and how these patents study the DNA of these components, I find myself thinking that it is quite appropriate to view breastfeeding as one's inheritance. You can inherit money and land but if you don't have your health (and we know that breastfeeding impacts your health not only as an infant but into adulthood) living your life will be a struggle. Most people who suffer with health problems, would rather regain their health than be given money or gifts.
More patents...
Patent #8394370 entitled, "Nutritional formula for optimal gut barrier function," by inventors Clara Lucia Barcia-Rodinas et al. and filed in 2004. Owned by Nestec (Nestle).
"During the postnatal development, the newborn intestine experiences a process of maturation that ends by the establishment of a functional barrier to macromaolecules and pathogenic bacteria. This phenomenon is called gut closure and appears to be affected by diet. Hence, differnt studies with infants (JPGN, 1995,21:383-6), and animal models (Pediatr Res, 1990, 28:31-7) show that maturation of the barrier is faster in breast-fed than in formula fed newborns. This could explain the higher prevalence of allergy and infections in infants fed formula than in those fed with mother milk."
Patent #8293264 entitled, "Nutritional composition to promote healthy development and growth," invented by Francisco J. Rosales et al. and filed in 2009. Owned by Mead Johnson. The patent states that Bifidobacterim spp. bacteria dominates the intestines of breastfed infants. And while Bifidobacterim spp (not necessarily the same species as found in breastfed infants) is also in the intestines of formula-fed infants, there are also many pathogenic bacterium.
"Bifidobacteria are generally considered 'beneficial' bacteria and are known to protect against colonization by pathogenic bacteria."
"Bifidobacteria are also associated with resistance to gastrointestinal (GI) tract and respiratory infection as well as an enhanced immune function, especially in children and infants."
HM [Human Milk] oligosaccharides are believed to elicit an increase in the number of Bifidobacteria in the colonic flora, along with a reduction in the number of potentially pathogenic bacteria."
Patent # 8282927 entitled, "Immunoglobulin fraction and process thereof,"
invented by Andrew Brown et al, and filed in 2006. Owned by Murray Goulburn Co-Operative Co. Limited (Australia). This patent states that very little IgA present in cow's milk and their intent is to make an IgA enriched milk product.
"Immunoglobulin A (IgA) is the dominant immunoglobulin in human secreetions, including breast milk and provides the body with protection against pathogens, binding to disease-causing viruses, bacteria, fungi and their toxins. IgA provides infants essential protection against the aforementioned pathogens."
Copyright 2014 Valerie W. McClain
"Breastfeeding is a natural safety net against the
worse effects of poverty." --James P. Grant, former
Executive Director of UNICEF
I have always felt that the above quotation was very important as well as insightful. Access to nutritious food is essential for well-being and can be a life or death situation for infants. Poverty can mean that access to nutritious foods is extremely limited. It takes money and resources (transportation, fuel, safe water) to formula fed a baby. Lack of money or resources jeopardizes the well-being of infants fed artificial formulas. Mothers may limit the amounts of formula or water-down the formula, jeopardizing the infant's health and well-being. Exclusive breastfeeding saves money because there are no costs to the mother, other than an investment in time spent breastfeeding. Infant feeding choice is a luxury designed for those who have adequate resources to cover the cost of formula feeding and the medical care that is needed because formula fed infants are at higher risk for diarrhea, upper and lower respiratory infections, pneumonia, diabetes, obesity, SIDs, etc.
In the USA, we have the WIC Program that provides infant formula for low income mothers, who choose to use it. Since it is a supplemental nutrition program, most participants find that they have to buy more infant formula out of pocket. One state WIC website declares that moms should be prepared to spend $30 per month for the first 12 months. WIC does provide breastfeeding education and breastfeeding peer counselors. While low income mothers can get free infant formula from the WIC Program, they still have to pay out of pocket because it is only a supplemental program. Which creates an element of risk because these moms may feel compelled to limit infant formula given or water down infant formula (a dangerous practice that can led to death of an infant if not caught in time).
The reason many low income mothers do not breastfeed at all or longer than 6 weeks is the need to be employed to pay for housing, food, and transportation. Depending on her educational background and experience, she may have to exist on minimum wage jobs which often do not offer nursing breaks or time to pump. Thus, many of the low income moms I worked with to help breastfeed, were financially compelled to quit breastfeeding early. And some moms, told me that because they were going back to work so early they didn't want to become too attached to their babies through breastfeeding. A sad statement about being a low-income mom and the obstacles to breastfeeding in our society. Breastfeeding can be a natural safety net against poverty, if our society created practices that supported breastfeeding.
More patents...
Patent #4977137 entitled, Lactoferrin as a dietary ingredient promoting the growth of the gastrointestinal tract." Filed in 1987 with inventors Nichols et al. and owned by Baylor College of Medicine. This is the infamous Pharm Woman patent in which the European Greens protested and had the European patent application revoked. The US and Australian applications became patents.
"A substantial growth of the intestines of newborn animals takes place in the first one to three days after birth. For example in newborn pigs who are nursed by the mother there is substantial growth, approximately eight to ten inches of the intestines of the infant within the first few days after birth. In a large number of human newborns, who are not nursed by the mother but are placed on an infant's formula, this growth of the gastrointestinal tract during the first few days may not occur, and, as a result, the infant is predisposed to chronic intractable diarrhea which must be managed for a period of three or more months at considerable expense and discomfort to the infant."
Patent # 8498729 entitled, "Manufacturing execution system for use in manufacturing infant formula," filed in 2009 invented by Shane M. Popp and owned by SMP Logic Systems, LLC.
"The key to successful formula design is to match as closely as possible the physical and nutritional properties of breast milk."
"Baby formula is a synthetic version of mother's milk and belongs to a class of materials known as dairy substitutes."
"In the United States alone, the infant formula industry is a $3 billion a year business, with another $1 billion in sales outside of the United States."
Patent # 8518894 entitled, "Human Milk Peptides," invented and owned by James Kenneth Friel and Apolinaire Tsopmo and filed in 2010. The human milk peptides are to be used in food supplements, milk substitutes, infant formula, mother's milk, cell/tissue/organ storage, perfusion solutions, and pharmaceutical formulations.
"The present invention relates to the discovery of 27 novel peptides derived from human milk."
"Infants fed with human milk are found to gain protection against necrotizing entercolitis and have fewer upper respiratory tract infections and system infections."
"There is therefore, a need for new compounds derived from human milk that provide antioxidant advantages and may be used as ingredients to mother's milk substitutes."
This patent also states that their invention can be used to manufacture new formulations of TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) "to prevent the photo-oxidation of TPN components."
Copyright 2014 Valerie W. McClain
"Women who make choices that optimize their own
health and the health of their infants need to be
acknowledged and supported by their families, the
public, and the medical profession."
--Patricia Stuart-Macadam & Katherine A. Dettwyler,
"Breastfeeding: Biocultural Perspectives"
There are enormous challenges to breastfeeding in our modern, technological world, where we are overloaded with information and breastfeeding gadgets. And to add to that challenge a lot of the breastfeeding information out there is contradictory.
I remember a home visit I made a few years ago in which the mother broke down and cried. Why? Because her own doctor told her one thing, the pediatrician another, the nurse told her something totally different, her friends another, her mother and mother-in-law something else, and now I, the lactation consultant was telling her something different. She couldn't see her way past the cacophony of voices. She asked me, "Who should I believe?" All I could think to say was for her to follow her instincts. Yet that isn't really a good answer because in our current society, most of our instincts are drummed out of us. So I added, "Who makes sense to you, who explained their reasoning, who is willing to take the time to help you work this out and did their plan to resolve the problem work?
Mothers are offered a ton of gadgets to resolve breastfeeding problems. And many times those gadgets get them into deeper trouble. When I relactated back in 1982, I didn't have easy access to gadgets. Never saw a nipple shield or breast pump or an SNS. I did something quite simple. I slowly decreased my baby's intake of infant formula by 2-3 ounces every 3 days while breastfeeding more frequently. It took me about 6-8 weeks to get to exclusive breastfeeding. I didn't like using the infant formula for so long a time but I was steadily decreasing it and I eventually eliminated it. I think if I had to use a breast pump, a nipple shield and/or an SNS, I would have given up. There wasn't enough time in my day to fiddle with gadgets, clean them, use them properly. But then my personality is such that I am always looking for a simple approach to life's challenges. And if it costs money, requires cleaning, and takes up too much of my time; my interest in the thing dissolves. One of the problems with all these devices is that the time for breastfeeding gets short-changed. And the breastfeeding challenges, like relactation, is that more time with breastfeeding is required not less. I recognize that everyone is different and that my challenges and resolutions are not necessarily going to fit for some or even many mothers. Yet if a mom is spending more time pumping and cleaning equipment than breastfeeding (and often mothers are also doing infant formula--with all the added work that entails), then should we be surprised that breastfeeding appears to be not working? Mothers need time to breastfeed. Sometimes equipment makes that time next to impossible.
I will never forget the woman who came up to me at a swim meet when I was breastfeeding my youngest. I was nursing her in the bleachers, next to a man and his wife that I didn't know. This was back in 1993. She told me what a pleasure it was to see a mom breastfeeding and what a wonderful job I was doing. It was good to hear because it is often hard to shake the "evil eye" one gets for breastfeeding in public. I didn't have time to respond or even thank her because she moved on after her own children. But I have passed that praise on to other breastfeeding mothers, knowing how much it meant to me. We call that "paying it back." What better honor to World Breastfeeding Week, than to give a thumb's up and a big smile or a word or two of praise to a mother who is breastfeeding in public!!!
More patents...yes plenty more...
Patent # 7354896 entitled, "Administration of leptin," invented by Susan M. Kirwin and Vicky L. Funange. Nemours Foundation owns the patent that was filed in 2002.
"For the newborn infant (both full term and premature), the physical benefits of breast-feeding are multiple and provide such diverse attributes as protection from infections (upper respiratory, intestinal and middle ear), and a decrease in atopic diseases. Many components of human breast milk have also been show to be necessary for development of the brain, intestinal tract, spinal cord and retina. (Crawford MA et al., A.J. Clin. Nutr. 31:2181-2185, 1978) In general, the bioavailability of human milk components is remarkably high and is superior compared to cow's milk or formula. (Fuchs, AR: Pysiology and Endocrinology of Lactation p.549-577. In Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies, 1986)."
This patent was derived from human milk research-leptin contains milk fat globule. The owner of this patent is the Nemours Foundation (Du Pont de Nemours is part of the infant formula industry offering their soy protein, called SUPRO, and prebiotics, probiotics to various infant formula companies)
Patent # 6613367 entitled, "Infant formula," is owned by N.V. Nutricia (Netherlands) and filed in 2001. Inventors are Wells et al.
"It has also been reported that infants that are exclusively fed with these artificial formula suffer from longer episodes of crying compared to those that are fed with human milk. This suggests a general feeling of discomfort due to perhaps hunger, pain, or even medical problems. These problems may delay development of the child and produce concerns and practical problems to the parent."
This patent resolves the problem with increased levels of vitamins and changes in protein and carbohydrate content of infant formula.
Patent 8314061 entitled, "Adiponectin for treatment of various disorders," owned by Childrens Hopital Medical Center (Cincinnati, OH) and University of Massachusetts (Boston, MA). The inventors are Ardythe L. Morrow, Lisa J. Martin, and David S. Newburg and filed in 2007.
"Breast fed children tend to be healthier, with lower incidence of allergy and infectious disease, and tend to be leaner than formula fed children."
Adiponectin is found in human milk. This patent is to reduce the risk of obesity and certain metabolic disorders in infants and children. It is to be used in infant formula or as a treatment. This patent collected human milk samples from donors to the Cincinnati Children's Research Human Milk Bank and from the NICHD-funded grant entitled,"The Role of Human Milk in Infant Nutrition and Health...in Mexico City."
The owners of this patent could license this patent out to an infant formula company. Both Ardythe Morrow and David Newburg have had their research funded by Mead Johnson. And of interest is the fact that Mead Johnson Pediatric Nutrition Institute collaborates with the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, "a world leader in the study of human milk." (as described by Mead Johnson on their website)
Copyright 2014 Valerie W. McClain
"Nevertheless, inappropriate feeding practices--
sub-optimal or no breastfeeding and inadequate
complementary feeding--remain the greatest
threat to child health and survival globally.
Improved breastfeeding alone could save the lives
of more than 3500 children every day, more than
any other preventive intervention."
from the Innocenti Declaration 2005
http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/files/innocenti2005m_FINAL_ARTWORK_3_MAR.pdf
How many people remember the statement, "the personal is political." This was a statement made by Carol Hanisch, a feminist back in the late sixties/early seventies. It was in response to the criticism made regarding the feminist movement's use of conscious-raising sessions. The critique was that these sessions were merely personal bitch sessions and not political. Hanisch wrote that the personal is political (which became a feminist tract/book). I must have read it years ago because I believe that the personal can be political and the political can be personal. Breastfeeding is personal. Breastfeeding is political. I found myself thinking about the social media campaign of "I Support You" and its lack of political awareness. From my perspective it appears that breastfeeding advocacy has disintegrated into believing that infant feeding choices is a personal issue. Are the angry feelings expressed by infant formula feeders towards breastfeeding mothers and advocates misplaced?
The issues that infant formula feeding mothers bring up appear to me to be about issues of power and powerlessness of women within a society that supports breastfeeding in meaningless words of support rather than in adopting medical and legal practices of support. Birth practices impact infant feeding. The care or lack of care by health care providers when giving birth is about who holds the power when giving birth. Mother? Or the medical institution? Or the Doc? Or the Midwife? Birthing can either empower you or make you feel helpless, depressed and angry. Likewise learning to breastfeed can either empower you or make you feel helpless, depressed and angry. Who holds the power when breastfeeding? The mother? The IBCLC or CLC? The Doc? The Midwife? If mothers hand over their power to the supposed expert, they become powerless and helpless. Control over your body is a human right. Birth and breastfeeding can be a struggle to have some control over your body. If a woman cedes control to someone else, then this is an issue of power and not a personal issue. If a mother gives birth in a hospital that separates moms and babies, gives out gift packs of infant formula, touches her without permission and does painfully invasive procedures, is her depression self-inflicted? Or is her depression a result of the politics (power) of medical institutions over birthing mothers?
And what about the struggle to breastfeed, when one must return to employment within two-four weeks (very common in USA). The first 6 weeks postpartum is statistically filled with the most breastfeeding problems. Thus, mothers are under a time crunch to get breastfeeding working well before they go back to employment. Most mothers are faced with unsympathetic employers and a society that has little sympathy for the problems faced by mothers who have to return to work far too early. Mothers are often faced with an unfair choice of financial disaster if she stays home too long. And going back to her employment early means breastfeeding ends before it really begins. Is this really a personal issue or a political issue? Our society has chosen to not support women with families, to not give them sufficient leave time to get their babies off to a good start.
What about the marketing of infant formula and how this impacts women and their infant feeding choices? Marketing is a powerful tool to control a society. It is a powerful tool used to create a desire for products. Infant formula has intrinsic risks but the industry does not inform its customers of this fact. Instead customers are persuaded to believe that infant formula is better than ever because it is more like breastmilk. The labels tells us that pediatrician recommend it or hospitals recommend their product. or even pharmacists recomment infant formula. Who holds the power of the media? The infant formula industry. I would prefer the truth about these products but an industry that makes billions is allowed to hold sway over the media. We become powerless because the control of information is in the hands of those who have the most to gain economically. Politics is about power. The WHO Code, if it were enforced, would balance that power, so that consumers would not be manipulated by the media hype regarding infant formula. Infant feeding may be about making personal choices but those choices are ultimately tied to politics.
Here are some more infant formula patents to think about:
Patent # 8771789 entitled "Oligosacharide ingredient," filed in 2009. This patent is owned by Nestec (Nestle) and the inventors are Sprenger et al.
"The large quantity of sialylated oligosaccharides in human milk is of particular interest. Sialic acid is a nine-C sugar that is a vital sturctual and functional component of brain gangliosides. It is thought to play an essential role in nerve cell transmission, memory formation and cell to cell communication. Studies in rat pups indicate that early supplementation with sialic acid improves brain ganglioside sialic acid and learning ability in well-nourished and malnourished animals and that these changes persist into adulthood."
They also state that "infant formulas have lower content of sialylated oligosaccharies than human milk." The reason they want to add this substance to infant formulas.
Patent # 8703173 "Newborn infant formulas and feeding methods," filed in 2011. Patent owned by the University College of London, Cambridge, Great Britain with inventors Atul Singhal and Alan Lucas.
"We have found from our long term infant studies that rapid early growth, achieved in large part from nutrient enriched feedings from conventional infant formulas, may result in long-term adverse health effects in individuals later in life, particularly with regard to long term vascular health relevant to the development of atherosclerosis and to the later propensity to insulin resistance and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIODM), while slower growth in newborn infants, achieved in large part from feeding human milk or formula with a modified carbohydrate, fat and protein calorie distribution (ie., higher protein, lower caloric density) can have a beneficial effect in the form of reduced occurrence of markers of adult morbidity."
Patent # 8648036 entitled, "Use of nutritional compositions including lactoferrin and one or more prebiotics in inhibiting adhesion of pathogens in the gastrointestinal tract," filed in 2010. Owned by Mead Johnson with inventors Anja Wittke et al.
"Lactoferrin is one of the primary proteins in human milk and is considered a glycoprotein..."
"Lactoferrin has been known to both bacteriostatic and bactericidal in inhibiting growth of specific bacteria while also killing microbes prior to a susscessful invasion of intestinal cells."
"Further, as known in the art, human breast milk is relatively low in iron, containing about 0.3 milligrams of iron per liter of breast milk. While this quantity is low, human infants have high absorption rate, absorbing about half of the iron from breast milk. However when human infants are given prior art formulations with high levels of iron fortification for example of from 10mg to 12 milligram per liter, the infants absorb less than about 5% of the total iron."
The reason why infant formula fed infants are more likely to be anemic than breastfed infants.
Copyright 2014 Valerie W. McClain
"More than a third of deaths in children under five happen
during the first month of life (about four million babies).
Breastfeeding within the first hours would save 22% of these
babies. That means 880,000 babies could be saved simply by
not removing them from their mothers, and by supporting
early sucking." --by Gabrelle Palmer, "The Politics of
Breastfeeding: When Breasts Are Bad for Business"
I decided to pick 3 patents from 3 different infant formula companies and share their statements about breastfeeding/breastmilk. The industry is trying to imitate human milk to create a safer infant formula. While laudible, it avoids the really tough questions. Is it possible to imitate human milk which has thousands of components (many not even known yet)? Why is the understanding of the value of breastfeeding/human milk so limited in our society? Why does it sometimes seem like the infant formula industry understands this value more than some breastfeeding advocates? Of course the value for the infant formula industry is in dollars and cents of profits. The value is in being able to market their product to be just like human milk. With the advent of genetic engineering and the lack of regulation and labeling, the industry can claim ownership of the genes of human milk. And then declare that their product is closer to human milk than ever before without the public understanding how they have done this. Dissecting human milk and trying to find that magic bullet that will create health and wellness in our babies, is a reductionist viewpoint. A huge error in the understanding of our world. We are a complex web of a variety of life forms that in many cases have symbiotic relationships. Reductionist thought creates the belief that one can extract a component from human milk, place it an artificial environment and genetically engineer it, add artificial ingredients and create a healthy food for infants. The distortion of reality means that the world begins to believe that breastmilk feeding is equivalent to breastfeeding. Yet, breastfeeding is a process not a product. Its a complex biological behavior that rests uneasily in a technological world, where human interaction is becoming more and more limited. World Breastfeeding Week is a time to celebrate the miracle of breastfeeding and committ to its very survival.
This is a patent owned by Nestec (Nestle) entitled, "Soluble toll-like receptor," patent #7230078. It was filed in 2004 and invented by Eduardo Schiffrin and Michael Affolter. It was "surprisingly" found that the transmembrane protein (soluble toll-like receptor) was found in breastmilk.
"It has been demonstrated that breast-fed newborns have a lower incidence of intestinal infections and inflammatory conditions, lower incidence of respiratory infections, and later in life, less allergic diseases. A number of human milk components may explain the protective role, among others, immunocompetent cells, antibodies transferring passive immune protection, human milk oligosaccharides, lysozyme, lactoferrin and other factors have been evoked."
Mead Johnson owns this patent filed in 2005 and invented by Erika Isolauri and Seppo Salinines. It is entitled, "Method for preventing or treating respiratory infections and acute otitis media in infants using Lactobacillus LGG and Bidfidobacterium Bb-12." patent # 7862808.
"Regardless of the cause for the differing bacterial populations [gut flora of infants], it is clear that breast milk has a measurable benefit in the treatment
or prevention of respiratory infections and AOM {Acute Otitis Media]."
and...
"In the United States, for example, 53% of lactating mothers introduce formula before their babies are a week old. By four months of age, 81% of infants receive formula on a regular basis."
and...
"Specifically, one study indicated that the feeding of many currently available infant formulas may be associated with a 3.6 fold increase in risk of infant hospitalization for respiratory infection when compared to at least four months of exclusive breastfeeding. Bachrach, V.,et al, Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med 57:227-43(2003)"
Abbott filed this patent in 2011 entitled,"Nutritional formulations including human milk oligosaccharides and antioxidants and uses thereof," patent # 8703737. The inventors are Rachael Buck et al.
"Breastfeeding has been associated with enhanced development and balanced growth and maturation of the infant's respiratory, gastrointestinal and immune systems, thereby providing protection of the infant to infection and inflammatory disease.
and...
"Further, breast milk includes HMO's [Human Milk Oligosaccharides] that not only act as pathogen receptor analogues, but activate immune factors by infant intestinal epithelial cells and/or associated immune cell population. The function of these breast milk components, functioning as antioxidants and as immune modulators, include not only the protection of breast milk lipids by peroxidation, but may also assist in the regulation of inflammatory responses to infection or other injury."
The infant formula industry recognizes that their product adversely effects infants and the answer is in mimicking human milk components. The reason for making these products is because some woman can't or won't breastfeed. Yet these products in the past have created infant morbidity and mortality. Correcting the defects of a product by adding human milk components, whether real or genetically engineered is thought to create a safer infant formula. Does it? The energy, time and money that is used to create a new safer infant formula could be spent on protecting and supporting breastfeeding. Instead our society's financial investment is in a product that has known risks.
Copyright 2014 Valerie W. McClain
"But human milk is not simply food. It is a living tissue,
including many substances that affect not only the body's
use of nutrients but also its immune capacity. Nutrition and
immunity are inextricably interwoven in either a healthy or
vicious cycle." by Maureen Minchin, "Breastfeeding Matters:
What we need to know about infant feeding" 1985
As we celebrate another World Breastfeeding Week, I thought I would dedicate my blog this week to discussing why breastfeeding is a health care decision and not a life-style choice. I feel a cold wind blowing at my back, listening to some younger women involved in breastfeeding advocacy who seem to have forgotten the reason for breastfeeding advocacy or for the existence of the WHO Code. We have a mountain of medical literature from the 1970's onward that shows the statistical differences in health between breastfeeding (particularly the practice of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months--only breastmilk, no other liquids including water or solid foods) and infant formula feeding. My focus today will be on 3 patents/applications that are concerned with infant diarrhea and ways to treat it. Two of those patents use human milk components to treat infant diarrhea.
The first patent I saw that triggered my writings was the following patent filed in 1995. It was called, "Anti-diarrheic product and method of treating rotavirus-associated infection, patent #5505955 owned by Senomed Inc., Cancer Research Fund of Contra Costa, and John Hopkins University School of Medicine. The inventors are Jerry A. Peterson, Robert H. Yolken and David S. Newburg. Both Yolken and Newburg have had funding at various times from Mead Johnson. The patent states the belief that gastroenteritis and diarrhea are linked to rotavirus infection. They will be using human milk fat globule to treat this problem. The patent states,
"In the US, over 200,000 children under 5 years of age are
hospitalized each year with acute diarrheal disease. This results
in nearly 880,000 in-patient hospital days, over 500 deaths, and
almost one billion dollars of in-patient costs per year."
And they go on to state,
"More recently, studies of children living in developing as well as
developed countries such as Great Britain and the U.S. have shown
that breastfed infants undergo fewer episodes of gastroenteritis than
bottlefed infants."
I discovered a patent application filed in 2006 regarding ORS (Oral Rehydration Solutions) entitled, "Oral Formulations for enteric disorders and/or rehydration." The inventors are Frank E Hagie, et al. (all are or have been employed by Ventria Bioscience). They will be using recombinantly-produced (genetically engineered) human milk proteins to prevent diarrhea and its recurrence. These inventors state,
"Breast-fed children have a lower incidence of diarrhea, as well
as other infections. Breast milk contains a number of innate
anti-microbial proteins that may play a role in the reduction of
diarrhea and in the promotion of colonization of the good intestinal
tract with health or commensal microflora that act as a deterrent
to ongoing and future diarrhea episodes."
The following patent, entitled, "Use of probiotics and fibers for diarrhea," owned by N.V Nutricia (infant formula company in the Netherlands)and filed in 2008.
This patent will use Lactobacillus rhamnosus (a probiotic derived from the human gut or urine), inulin, and soy polysaccharides to treat diarrhea. The infant formula industry does recognize the seriousness of infant diarrhea and many infant formula companies have created products specifically designed to treat infant diarrhea.
"Diarrhoea is a serious public health problem, a significant
contributor to malnutrition and associated with one-fourth of
all deaths in children less than 5 years, especially infants, in
developing countries. Each year diarrhoea causes more than
1 billion episodes of illness, with a global average of 3 episodes per
child and nearly 5 million deaths worldwide."
UNICEF more recently wrote the following in regard to breastfeeding and infant morbidity and mortality.
"The potential impact of optimal breastfeeding practices is
especially important in developing country situations with a
high burden of disease and low access to clean water and
sanitation. But non-breastfed children in industralized countries
are also at greater risk of dying--a recent study of post-neonatal
mortality in the United States found a 25% increase in mortality
among non-breastfed infants. In the UK Milennium Cohort Survey
six months of exclusive breastfeeding was associated with a 53%
decrease in hospital admissions for diarrhoea and a 27% decrease
in respiratory infections."
http://www.unicef.org/nutrition/index_24824.html
So for approximately 20-40 years, researchers and various institutions have recognized the association between diarrhea and how an infant is fed. Infant diarrhea can cause hospitalizations for dehydration and is known to cause death. Infant formula has a high solute load in comparison to breastmilk and thus contributes to rapid dehydration in the infant. Should we not inform the public of this risk? Is there a principle of the right to informed consent? Breastfeeding, particularly exclusive breastfeeding, saves infant lives. Denial of the risks, serves no purpose other than to keep the public misinformed and under the illusion that infant feeding is a balanced choice.
Copyright 2014 Valerie W. McClain
