I haven’t blogged in a while but as we deal with these tough economic times I am constantly angered by those whose financial situation is made worse by well meaning advisors. Weekly I encounter those who have been told by friends, family and especially health care professionals that the solution to their breastfeeding problem is “just give formula”. This is the wrong answer in so many ways; health, emotional, parenting, etc. but those are topics for another day. What most of these “helpers” don’t recognize is the economic cost to the family, especially the large number of young families who are struggling with minimal/marginal/or no incomes.
The cheapest infant formulas cost a family between $1000-$1500 a year. This doesn’t include the specialized hypo-allergenic formulas that more and more babies need as generations of formula feeding damage take hold. This also doesn’t include the cost of bottles, sterilization, more doctors visits and medications, rehospitalizations, lost days of work caring for a sick baby, and so on.
Staying with the day-to-day though, most families especially low-income families can certainly use an extra $1000 for a lot of other things. Often the person telling them the “solution” is formula doesn’t consider the cost. Even if they know the family is financially strapped, they may recommend WIC (Women Infants and Children) for the mother to get formula and think that negates the financial issue. Very few not directly involved know that WIC is a supplemental food program. That means that families on the program will still spend 6-8 hundred dollars or more in that first year buying formula beyond what the program provides. WIC, which recently made major changes in their 30 year old food program, rewards breastfeeding mothers by providing additional nutritious foods for moms who continue to breastfeed up to one year. Babies that are on WIC from 6-12 months who are not receiving formula also get additional baby foods, again a savings to the family. Breastfeeding moms on WIC not only do not have to spend the extra money on formula but they significantly lower their grocery bills and therefore have extra money for their families. Instead of those moms on WIC who are not breastfeeding and spend hundreds of dollars on formula in the first year, breastfeeding moms are receiving hundreds of dollars of additional benefits and improving the overall health of themselves, their babies and the overall financial well being of their family. So whether a family is qualified for WIC or not breastfeeding is the economically beneficial way to feed a baby.
So what is the answer to those breastfeeding problems that promoted the formula suggestion in the first place? Well the person giving advice could educate themselves more on breastfeeding or they can do what they do when asked many other health questions, refer to a specialist. If an adult has a digestive issue that their family doctor can’t solve then they are sent to a gastroenterologist and if that doesn’t help to any other of a number of specialists. Breastfeeding specialists are Lactation Consultants, they can help with simple and/or more complex breastfeeding problems, they can help a mom start to breastfeed, restart breastfeeding, bring in a milk supply even if they hadn’t been breastfeeding, and refer to other health care specialist when there is a need. WIC employees Lactation Consultants in most geographic areas so economics/lack of insurance coverage is not an excuse for telling moms that formula is the answer. So if you are asked a breastfeeding question you can’t answer refer the mother to ILCA.org to find a lactation consultant. If you are a health care provider or work with health care providers spread the word that formula is not only not a poor health option but a BAD economic one.