A lactation consultant has warned of the dangers of making your own baby formula, after the trend of homemade organic-style breast milk substitutes has taken off.
Lactation expert Wendy Wisner has written a post for Scary Mommy with some eye-opening advice for any mums out there tempted to try their own version of baby formula.
Wendy begins by explaining that she understands the heartbreak of not being able to breastfeed naturally, and is very careful to point out that it's every mum's choice to feed her baby however works best for her and her family.
'As a lactation consultant who has been helping moms breastfeed for the past seven years, I know how heartbreaking it can be when breastfeeding doesn't work out for whatever reason.
'Most importantly, no mother should be shamed for having to feed her baby formula & or even making the conscious decision that formula feeding is a better choice for her and her family than breastfeeding.'
But, although she's clear in saying that there's no judgement in how you choose to feed your baby, she can't help but be 'a little strict here, and maybe a bit judgmental (okay, a lot), and tell you this: Please do not feed your baby homemade formula. Really, don't do it. Not now, not next week, not ever.'
The baby expert describes a situation which many new mums will find themselves in, standing at the supermarket feeling suddenly overwhelmed with the different options of baby formulas.
'There's the long list of ingredients, many of which you can't even pronounce. The fact that you have to add water (boiled? bottled? what is best?) and mix it up yourself.'
But, Wendy warns, even if the shop-bought formulas don't seem appealing, they are FDA approved and therefore safe for your baby. What you should not be doing, according to this expert, is making a homemade version yourself.
She continues to say that if you are recommended making a 'homemade formula that you can do yourself, right there in the comfort of your kitchen' from an 'organic mum' who 'smells like patchouli and hemp-seed and is glowing head-to-toe from all that hot yoga and grass-fed butter' you should say no.
'You pause for a sec when you read that the recipe calls for raw milk. Umm, is that even safe for babies? Newsflash: It absolutely isn't! In fact, babies and young children are the most vulnerable to complications associated with consuming non-pasteurized milk.
'Here's the deal, mamas: Infant formulas aren't just manufactured willy-nilly. Each formula much be approved by the FDA. They know what they're doing, and it would be stupid to try to replicate this shit yourself.'
Wendy writes that although she gets 'why these homemade formulas sound magical', parents should 'stick to the stuff that is strictly regulated, tested, economically sound, made-to-order for your precious baby.'
Before finishing her post to give us a shot of reality, 'trust me: However you feed your baby, everyone is going to be eating Doritos off of the playground slide in just a few years.'
She's got a point!
Have you ever been tempted to make your own formula at home? Tell us your thoughts in the comment box!
