Mix it and bottle it, is all you need to do :

Are we poisoning our babies?

by Carol Aloysius

They come in different brands with beguiling names and claims: organic infant formula with iron; only organic DHA & ARA formula; Best milk to start life; the ideal milk with 22 nutrients for growing kids. Each of them has a different claim but their collective message to new mothers out there is quite simply, “We can provide your baby the right amounts of nutrients he needs from birth and beyond.”. Some even boldly claim to be closest to mother’s milk, and therefore, the perfect substitute for natural human milk. Even better, the internet now has a web post listing the top ten best formulae a new mom can access at the click of a button.

Different brands.

Different mix of proteins, fats, macro and micro nutrients and carbohydrates, all packaged attractively, some even offering kiddies toys on the cover to lure a growing number of mothers, who are increasingly abandoning their initial healthy breastfeeding habits and turning to infant formulae, as a convenient substitute, when they return to work after completing their three months of maternity leave.

Step into any supermarket and you will see how wide a choice these mothers have, when choosing an infant formulae that will be the perfect substitute for breast milk, on which they initially started their baby’s life.

Basically, these baby formulas come in three forms; 1). Ready to use 2) Powdered and 3) Liquid concentrates. The most convenient to use is the first, since all they need to do if they are in a hurry to go to work, is to mix it and bottle it. Websites on baby formulae, allegedly quoting paediatric evidence say “Most hospitals use formulas for newborns as they are safe and hygienic; and helpful when you are worried about water safety”.

Far from agreeing, health officials are now on the war path to eliminate what they consider a dangerous trend in the country.

Speaking at the launch of the National Breast Milk Week ( August 1-7) at the Health Education Bureau, Wednesday, Director General Health Services, Dr P.G. Mahipala said, “ Breast Milk is the key to child survival .No other milk can replace it.

When I was growing up there were no formula milk in Sri Lanka, but that didn’t prevent people from becoming doctors, lawyers, engineers or teachers.

Our IQ was high and we were mentally and physically fit, thanks to the breast milk our mothers fed us with when we started life”. He said, laws would soon be framed to regulate milk powder advertisements that tempt new mothers with misleading messages.

“The Health Ministry is in the process of formulating new laws to regulate and minimize infant milk powder advertisements. A committee has been appointed to amend the existing Act.”, he said , adding that infant milk powder advertising was currently banned.

“Although Sri Lanka is ahead of all other countries in the region, the countrywide prevalence rate, ( 92%) of breast feeding, our aim is to raise it to 95% by 2020 as it is the key to sustainable development goals to which we are committed. Unfortunately, many mothers who know the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are not prepared to make the sacrifices needed to protect their babies from life long illnesses”.

“Breast milk is an infant’s right It is enshrined in many human rights frameworks and conventions, including our own Constitution”, Consultant Community Physician of the Family Health Bureau ( FHB,) Breast Feeding Promotion Unit, Dr Hiranya Jayawickrama stressed, reiterating that breast feeding was a natural and low cost method of feeding babies and children, affordable to everyone.

Licence to kill

Consultant Neonatologist, Neonatology Unit, De Soyza Maternity Hospital, Dr Nishani Lucas making a strong case against infant formulae , lashed out at manufacturers of infant formulae blaming them for encouraging mothers to stop breast feeding their babies exclusively for six months . “What they have now is a powerful tool akin to a licence to kill”, she charged. “The only way to fight them is to refuse to buy their products.”

“All of them carry deadly risks to the newborn baby, and thereafter. We have proven evidence of at least 21 such risks “, she noted.

Take a look at a few:

1. Asthma,. Allergies, Ear infections, Respiratory infections , Low birth weight gain and early weight gain from breast feeding, Iron deficiency anaemia which is higher in infant formulae due to low bioavailability of ferrous sulfate in cows’ milk based formulas.

The risks of adverse impacts from infant formulae are not just for their offspring. New mothers who switch to bottle feeding before six months, also face serious health impacts.

Consider some of them:

Overweight and obesity, Diabetes , Osteoporosis, Breast cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer, Hypertension. Dr Lucas further charged that apart from such physical manifestations , these artificial formulae also contained invisible, but equally deadly health hazards.

“ They are not sterile despite the claims. All formulae foods contain harmful germs”, she charged.

She added that there were certain heat resistant germs which in the long term could lead to cancer over a period of years if the child ingested such foods for a long period. In addition, they have toxic chemicals including pesticides, which could lead to cancer and kidney problems”.

Citing recent cases of toxic ingredients in infant formulae, she recalled how melamine plus had been found in infant formulae to increase the protein level in infant formulae despite the knowledge of its deadly harm to infants. More recently, rumours of DCD in milk powder from New Zealand had led to Sri Lanka demanding the testing of such products. “The good outcome was that this product went out of the market temporarily.

The bad news is, it is back on our shelves. This is because these companies are very powerful and use that power to flaunt our advertising code which has been gazetted , happily paying the nominal fine and continuing their illegal business with impunity”.

She also charged that many of the formulae found in our shops were rejects from their own countries. “ If you go to any of those countries from where they originated, you may not find a single of these so called leading brand names on their shelves. Besides, they don’t have labels in the officially designated languages like English , and our own vernacular languages, according to our Food Act.

Nor do they carry a list of the nutritional values of the ingredients used, which again is compulsory. In many, the dates have also expired. All these are requirements for mothers to make an informed choice”, she stressed.

So how can these gaps be closed?

“Strengthen our existing laws. Fight back as a nation” ,she says.

Consumer Affairs Authority sources when contacted said, any complaints should be channelled to their hotline. “ So far no one has complained about infant milk formulae .

“We can act only if the public brings this to our notice”, a spokesman said.

The Food Administration Unit of the Health Ministry said, their PHI’s were regularly monitoring shopping outlets selling various consumer goods including milk foods. Health Ministry Media unit said, the Health Ministry was in the process of amending the existing Act on infant milk powder and would be strictly enforcing it, especially, the advertising of infant milk foods.

“Our problem is getting round the media barons. Advertising them via newspaper supplements , radio and television ads and holding contests though forbidden, continue with impunity as they are a money spinner”, a health official wishing to remain anonymous, said.

So whose responsibility is it?
Mothers ? Health officials? The media? Or the nation as a whole?
Readers views are encouraged

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