formula vs breast milk

Ok, obviously breast milk is better My doctor has said that
after 6 months the quality of breast milk goes down dramatically
and breast feeding moms should supplement with a bottle of formula
every day.

If we don't supplement with some formula we should give our DS some
vitamin drops.

Something about this doesn't sound right. I don't mind giving him
a bottle of formula a day since he's already taking a bottle of pumped
milk a day and this way the wife doesn't have to worry about pumping
and cleaning the pump daily.

What do people think? Does breast milk start to lose it's quality
after 6 months? 9 months? 1yr?

wrote:
Ok, obviously breast milk is better My doctor has said that
after 6 months the quality of breast milk goes down dramatically
and breast feeding moms should supplement with a bottle of formula
every day.

[ . . . ]

What do people think? Does breast milk start to lose it's quality
after 6 months? 9 months? 1yr?

Your doctor sounds very poorly informed. I'd strongly consider looking for
a new doctor if I were you.

Breastmilk changes, but that is because your baby's needs change. It
doesn't suddenly become inadequate. At or around six months is when,
according to current WHO recommendations, solids may be introduced. But
introducing a daily bottle of formula? There is no nutritional reason to do
so.

--
Belphoebe

Your doctor is giving you a load of Hooey. Breastmilk is far more superior
than formula. Perhaps your doc is concerned about iron, which is the only
reason I can think of for giving vitamins. I'd find a new doc if I were
you...
wrote in message
...
Ok, obviously breast milk is better My doctor has said that
after 6 months the quality of breast milk goes down dramatically
and breast feeding moms should supplement with a bottle of formula
every day.

If we don't supplement with some formula we should give our DS some
vitamin drops.

Something about this doesn't sound right. I don't mind giving him
a bottle of formula a day since he's already taking a bottle of pumped
milk a day and this way the wife doesn't have to worry about pumping
and cleaning the pump daily.

What do people think? Does breast milk start to lose it's quality
after 6 months? 9 months? 1yr?

My doctor has said that
after 6 months the quality of breast milk goes down dramatically
and breast feeding moms should supplement with a bottle of formula
every day.

I think the quality of your doctor has gone down after 6 months. You should
consider supplementing with a pediatrician who knows the first thing about
infant care.

After 6 months, for many infants, breastmilk is no longer sufficient as a sole
source of nutrition. But that is why we typical start adding solid foods to
the diet.
Baby's needs increase, but the quality of the milk does not.

(For an occassional baby who is not taking solids after 6 months, iron
supplements may be needed to prevent anemia, but for most babies this is not an
issue, either because they ARE taking solids, or because their iron stores are
still sufficient.)

(Wondering, off hand, if this is where your doc is coming from -- the idea
that, since formula is supplemented with lots of iron, he believes you should
give the baby formula to make sure he is getting plenty of iron. Still, it's
nonsense. The amount of iron in the milk doesn't change after 6 months, and it
is not necessary to routinely supplement with formula.)


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to e-mail
reply.)

wrote in message
...
| Ok, obviously breast milk is better My doctor has said that
| after 6 months the quality of breast milk goes down dramatically
| and breast feeding moms should supplement with a bottle of formula
| every day.
|
| If we don't supplement with some formula we should give our DS some
| vitamin drops.
|
| Something about this doesn't sound right. I don't mind giving him
| a bottle of formula a day since he's already taking a bottle of pumped
| milk a day and this way the wife doesn't have to worry about pumping
| and cleaning the pump daily.
|
| What do people think? Does breast milk start to lose it's quality
| after 6 months? 9 months? 1yr?

I think your doctor is an idiot.

N

Really bad advice! I think he/she was misinformed. I think he/she was
thinking of the iron issue. I have heard that the baby has a good
storage of iron from birth to 6 mos and needs an iron supplement at that
point. I've never done it because I can't get my child to take the
horrible stuff but most cereals are fortified.

I'd look for a new pedi.
Susan

wrote:
Ok, obviously breast milk is better My doctor has said that
after 6 months the quality of breast milk goes down dramatically
and breast feeding moms should supplement with a bottle of formula
every day.

If we don't supplement with some formula we should give our DS some
vitamin drops.

Something about this doesn't sound right. I don't mind giving him
a bottle of formula a day since he's already taking a bottle of pumped
milk a day and this way the wife doesn't have to worry about pumping
and cleaning the pump daily.

What do people think? Does breast milk start to lose it's quality
after 6 months? 9 months? 1yr?

Naomi Pardue wrote:

I think the quality of your doctor has gone down after 6 months. You should
consider supplementing with a pediatrician who knows the first thing about
infant care.

LOL! I agree guys. I just wanted to know if there was any validity to this.
I assume that mother nature has a way and that if the quality degrades there
are other more natural solutions.

Our son is actually past 6 months and taking solids every day. This post was
for my own edification.

(Wondering, off hand, if this is where your doc is coming from -- the idea
that, since formula is supplemented with lots of iron, he believes you should
give the baby formula to make sure he is getting plenty of iron. Still, it's
nonsense. The amount of iron in the milk doesn't change after 6 months, and it
is not necessary to routinely supplement with formula.)

I'll have to check with the wife but I think his rice cereal is iron fortified.

"Naomi Pardue" wrote in message
...
My doctor has said that
after 6 months the quality of breast milk goes down dramatically
and breast feeding moms should supplement with a bottle of formula
every day.

I think the quality of your doctor has gone down after 6 months. You
should
consider supplementing with a pediatrician who knows the first thing about
infant care.

After 6 months, for many infants, breastmilk is no longer sufficient as a
sole
source of nutrition. But that is why we typical start adding solid foods
to
the diet.
Baby's needs increase, but the quality of the milk does not.

(For an occassional baby who is not taking solids after 6 months, iron
supplements may be needed to prevent anemia, but for most babies this is
not an
issue, either because they ARE taking solids, or because their iron stores
are
still sufficient.)

(Wondering, off hand, if this is where your doc is coming from -- the
idea
that, since formula is supplemented with lots of iron, he believes you
should
give the baby formula to make sure he is getting plenty of iron. Still,
it's
nonsense. The amount of iron in the milk doesn't change after 6 months,
and it
is not necessary to routinely supplement with formula.)


Naomi
CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator

(either remove spamblock or change address to to
e-mail
reply.)

Bwahahaha! Excellent reply. I am not a bf'ing mother yet, but I can't
imagine the quality of the BM deteriorating. It changes like many other
posters said, to provide what the baby needs.

"Susan" wrote in message
...
Really bad advice! I think he/she was misinformed. I think he/she was
thinking of the iron issue. I have heard that the baby has a good
storage of iron from birth to 6 mos and needs an iron supplement at that
point. I've never done it because I can't get my child to take the
horrible stuff but most cereals are fortified.

Well, iron and vitamin D. Apparently the downside to the surge of
breastfeeding in the US is a correllative increase in pediatric rickets
(caused by vitamin D deficiency). My daughter's pediatrician encouraged me
to continue breastfeeding, but to also add a multivitamin to my daughter's
diet for this reason.

Donna

wrote in message ...
Ok, obviously breast milk is better My doctor has said that
after 6 months the quality of breast milk goes down dramatically
and breast feeding moms should supplement with a bottle of formula
every day.

If we don't supplement with some formula we should give our DS some
vitamin drops.

Something about this doesn't sound right. I don't mind giving him
a bottle of formula a day since he's already taking a bottle of pumped
milk a day and this way the wife doesn't have to worry about pumping
and cleaning the pump daily.

What do people think? Does breast milk start to lose it's quality
after 6 months? 9 months? 1yr?

Your doctor is full of it, to put it simply. ;-) Breast milk does not
"lose quality" at any point. (What do you think people did before
formula existed, after all?)

However, it is still under debate as to whether or not exclusively
breast-fed babies need supplements of iron and/or Vitamin D after the
first 6 months. This is probably what your doctor is referring to -
other people can give you better information as the the pros and cons.
However, many if not most people who don't want to give formula
simply give iron through solids (most baby cereals are enriched with
iron) and deal with Vitamin D either through sunlight or vitamins,
whether as drops or fortified solids.

(And as I said, the iron question is very much under debate - many
people have babies who don't like solids much for the first year and
don't supplement with anything and have not had problems. YMMV)

Hope this helps,

Irene
mom to Thomas 7/01
& Marcus or Gwendolyn EDD 4/10/04