ABATTBQ11 said:

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Even though this has been beaten to death already...

Pretty much all the same nutrients every person needs and gets through eating food that babies can't. It is not that they need something specific that you don't, it is that their bodies cannot process solid food and they cannot tolerate nutrient or electrolyte imbalances like you can.

As an example, infants can't drink cow's milk because it contains proteins, vitamins, and minerals in the wrong balance. Their kidneys can't haven't all of the proteins and minerals in the milk, but it also lacks the necessary amounts of vitamin C and iron, among others. Giving an infant under 6 months cow's milk could cause severe illness.

As another, infants don't drink water. Drinking even small amounts can cause dangerous electrolyte imbalances. Even if they're dehydrated, they're only supposed to receive milk or formula.


It's like putting gas in your car. Your car is specifically made to run on gasoline. If you put diesel on, you're going to have a bad day. They're very similar and do many of the same things, but they are not interchangeable. Infants bodies can only run on breast milk or formula because it approximates breast milk closely enough. You can't just give them something else to give them nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.

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In the 1800s there were special cradles built for babies to nurse off of a nanny goat. That being said, any nutritional input is better than none.

I can't understand how our entire line of humans 200 years ago was able to feed babies without formula, but somehow with all of our advances, we can't. I know you have special children. Maybe they weren't born to survive.

I say that as a parent of a child who needs medication that requires me to spend 1000 dollars a month to keep him growing. I know he is an exception and I am continually grateful that modern science has allowed me to keep my first born son healthy.

But just like I did, parents will find a way. It isn't always convenient but there are always alternatives to feeding your child

The infant mortality rate was also in the hundreds in the 1800's. It's single digits now. The fact is, our ancestors often weren't able to adequately feed and care for their kids. You just have a pastoral and overly optimistic vie of the period.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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The infant mortality rate was also in the hundreds in the 1800's. It's single digits now. The fact is, our ancestors often weren't able to adequately feed and care for their kids. You just have a pastoral and overly optimistic vie of the period.

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No, I just realize that nature has never been kind to us, and we produce children in spite of it. If your child can't eat, maybe it isn't for the good of humanity.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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The infant mortality rate was also in the hundreds in the 1800's. It's single digits now. The fact is, our ancestors often weren't able to adequately feed and care for their kids. You just have a pastoral and overly optimistic vie of the period.

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Our ancestors weren't able to adequately care for their kids, but you are here posting? Looks like they did ok

10thYrSr said:

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ABATTBQ11 said:

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The infant mortality rate was also in the hundreds in the 1800's. It's single digits now. The fact is, our ancestors often weren't able to adequately feed and care for their kids. You just have a pastoral and overly optimistic vie of the period.

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Our ancestors weren't able to adequately care for their kids, but you are here posting? Looks like they did ok

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Often weren't, not weren't.

Username checks out

10thYrSr said:

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ABATTBQ11 said:

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The infant mortality rate was also in the hundreds in the 1800's. It's single digits now. The fact is, our ancestors often weren't able to adequately feed and care for their kids. You just have a pastoral and overly optimistic vie of the period.

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Our ancestors weren't able to adequately care for their kids, but you are here posting? Looks like they did ok

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His specifically did, but generally speaking not so much. Of course messing with stasis can have unintended consequences…

Surely "good enough" for supplemental nutrition in a pinch alternatives are out there and can be obtained or made, if necessary. They might not be perfect, but should be adequate.

I do find it odd how reliant we have become on an artificial concoction, and wonder if heavy use of it versus natural alternatives might have some small and unrecognized long term effects on development. Evolution is often quite good at optimization, and out ability to mimic the properties of the real thing is still limited.

ABATTBQ11 said:

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The infant mortality rate was also in the hundreds in the 1800's. It's single digits now. The fact is, our ancestors often weren't able to adequately feed and care for their kids. You just have a pastoral and overly optimistic vie of the period.

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That's a really good point

Why is everyone giddy about military flights from Switzerland with Nestle baby formula?
Mexico has a huge Nestle baby formula plant there.
Sounds racist, but we all know it is (D)ifferent.

I don't think any of us are giddy about having to rely on another country. Personally, I'm rather pissed about it. The U.S. should NEVER need basics like food flown in.

Protip: Just use whey protein.

bmks270 said:

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Can we start milking moms to sell to other moms?

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Only if you film it

Quote:

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I can't understand how our entire line of humans 200 years ago was able to feed babies without formula, but somehow with all of our advances, we can't. I know you have special children. Maybe they weren't born to survive.

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In it's default state, nature wants us all dead. Technological advances have allowed us to stave that ultimate end off substantially.

Squadron7 said:

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Quote:

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I can't understand how our entire line of humans 200 years ago was able to feed babies without formula, but somehow with all of our advances, we can't. I know you have special children. Maybe they weren't born to survive.

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In it's default state, nature wants us all dead. Technological advances have allowed us to stave that ultimate end off substantially.

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Notice something about that graph (other than the dip during the WONA)?

The life expectancy continually rises with the advent of the industrial revolution - the time period in which we modernized agriculture and became able as a species to feed the world efficiently.

Prior to that, infant mortality was insanely high. Life expectancy was insanely low. Imagine that - the advance ment of knowledge and our ability to produce food has steadily increased the ability of the human species to survive.

Boo Weekley said:

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ABATTBQ11 said:

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aggrad02 said:

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Can't they also drink goat's milk?

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Kind of. It's not something they should be solely on. It is closer to human milk than cow's milk and more digestible, by still very high in protein and lacking in other things. It's more something you would give babies who are transitioning to solid foods and have issues with dairy than newborns.

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Where can you even buy goats milk? I don't recall ever seeing it anywhere but admittedly have never looked for it.

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I've seen it in a grocery store.

Or you could just have your own goats.

By the way, goats milk is said to be the ideal milk to use in making biscuits.

WolfCall said:

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As an FYI, half of the infant formula in the U.S. is consumed by welfare recipients.

Link you ask:
https://www.wsj.com/articles/one-bad-choice-and-a-baby-formula-crisis-factory-shutdown-shortage-infant-cronobacter-fda-11653080306?mod=opinion_lead_pos8

See first paragraph of article.

Sorry if I digressed from OP's intent of having a magic ingredients thread.

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Not surprising since WIC literally stands for "Women, Infants, and Children." What we should be asking is why so many folks needing government assistance also rely upon formula, and if that might indicate that the demands of nursing may be too onerous for the working poor.

TxTarpon said:

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Why is everyone giddy about military flights from Switzerland with Nestle baby formula?
Mexico has a huge Nestle baby formula plant there.
Sounds racist, but we all know it is (D)ifferent.

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More importantly why is everyone so giddy about 1 flight??? I think i heard there's another flight today? How long will they keep up these flights?

78,000 lbs of formula, while not an insignificant amount, is entirely insignificant when shelves across the country are bare. What does a container of formula powder weigh? About 1 pound? So 78,000 tubs of formula?

back of envelope numbers...
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/houstoncitytexas/POP010220#POP010220
Houston population 2020 = 2,304,580
Houston population under 5 years old = 7.5%
Houston population 0-1 yr old ~34,500, 0-6 months 17,250
https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/data/facts.html
CDC estimates that only 25% are breastfed exclusively for 6 months... It's lower than the 3 month number, but lets just use 25%...

SO there are ~13,000 0-6 month olds in houston on formula right now. Yesterday they flew in 78,000 tubs.

How long does a 1lb tub of formula last?

EDIT -- That's Houston proper, not Houston Metro.

Soy?

That explains a lot

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More importantly why is everyone so giddy about 1 flight??? I think i heard there's another flight today? How long will they keep up these flights?

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Good question.

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SO there are ~13,000 0-6 month olds in houston on formula right now. Yesterday they flew in 78,000 tubs.


How long does a 1lb tub of formula last?

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Not long enough when there is loud crying.

Goat's milk can be used for infant formula but you need to supplement Folic Acid or your infant will get megaloblastic anemia which you don't really want. It also has poor iron levels.

Cow milk also does not contain linoleic acid which is an essential fatty acid, as opposed to those essential oils your neighbor wants to sell you this one is critical to brain and nervous system development.

Breast milk has various amounts of iron but it is much better absorbed than the pitiful amount of iron in cow milk. Infants have to change all of their hemoglobin from fetal to normal and require significant amounts of iron to avoid anemia which has been correlated with developmental delays.

It is possible to make an acceptable formula but it is also fraught with danger. We know many parents in the USA are not that great at chemistry. Heck I've had several cases where the parents couldn't follow directions on the formula can properly.

I'm sure there are tons of other little ingredients in there that are important but I'm not a chemist or nutritionist.