Will Formula Feeding Harm My Baby?

Recommend (14) Comments (14)

The risks associated with formula-feeding as compared to breastfeeding are well-documented and diverse. Formula-fed infants are at greater risk for digestive disorders (diarrhea, gastroenteritis, necrotizing enterocolitis), respiratory infections, meningitis, otitis media, some forms of childhood lymphomas, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), etc. Breastfeeding appears to offer long-term protection against obesity, cholesterol issues, and, because it is such a “brain food,” breastfeeding encourages proper brain development.  The mechanics of bottle-feeding versus breastfeeding negatively affect proper mouth and jaw development, leading to a greater risk of obstructive sleep apnea.

Just one bottle of formula causes changes in the natural gut flora, creating an environment more favorable for pathogens to take hold. If that one bottle provides a newborn’s first feeding, it can interfere with one of the important responsibilities of colostrum (the concentrated first milk a new mother produces). Colostrum contains a high concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) that helps coat the lining of a newborn’s immature digestive system to help seal it from invading pathogens. This sIgA, produced by the mother, is specific for diseases that either the mother or her infant has come in contact with, so it acts as a targeted attack for pathogens in the newborn’s environment. Formula has none of this substance—or any of the living cells that help protect the infant while his or her immune system matures.

Not every study has clear-cut, definitive results. Controlling all the variables needed for a long-term study comparing formula-feeding and breastfeeding is nearly impossible. Better studies carefully define breastfeeding, distinguishing between the baby who was breastfed once from those who were “mostly” breastfed and those who were exclusively breastfed. It is reasonable to expect that the effects of infant feeding would be dose-dependent, and the better-designed studies confirm this.

Of course, not every formula-fed infant is going to be ill, and not every breastfed infant is going to enjoy lifelong health. The risks are undeniably against the formula-fed infant, however. Veering off of the biologically expected norm assumes a risk.