Notes on the baby formula crisis

[I will update this post as I am able, at the end]

I see that social media has caught up with my warning of nearly two months ago that baby formula supplies are dwindling or disappearing. There seem to be Reasons -- I am not sure what's going on, but there is no question in my mind that it's yet another grievous outcome for children of the unjust and disastrous lockdown measures of the past two years. 

My readers know that I think mothers can and should breastfeed their babies. In my podcast I urge any expectant mother to do so, and on my other blog and in my book set (affiliate link) I have a plethora of writings to help. I am very well aware of the problems! Because breastfeeding has become so technologized, if that is the word I'm looking for, when thinking about work schedules and pumping and bottles-going-by-the-breastfeeding-name, not to mention childbirth itself, many women who try to do it end up failing. They are set up for failure by our medical system.

There also seems to be an epidemic of mid-line malformations, specifically in the mouth of the infant, that result in difficulties, but these ought to be immediately investigated by the pediatrician and solved -- and certainly, long-term, prevented. 

There are a few mothers and babies who cannot make breastfeeding happen, but I am deeply suspicious of the instantaneous reaction against the statement that it's a natural process and the great majority can do it. 

I have learned that when the knives come out, there is an agenda behind that response. If I said that normally, human beings stand up and walk, and all the comments were about "some just can't, stop the pressure and judgement," I would wonder what is going on. Some indeed just can't walk. But that doesn't change the fact that the great majority do and we should be making sure they do.

The issue with breastfeeding is that (for the new mother) it has to be started right away. So it is indeed imperative that we do our utmost to help mothers in this area. Once breastfeeding is abandoned, it cannot be restored, and if there is no formula available, baby will starve or be malnourished. This is not a controversial statement, although it is an alarming one -- but that is not my fault! 

These things will happen, that is, if the mother relies on commercial baby formula. 

We need to shed our dependence on the industrialization of food, including baby formula. I have seen an old "recipe" for home-made formula going around and it's not a good one. Let's not feed our babies corn syrup. Instead, if baby can't get breastmilk, which is by far the best food for him, use this recipe from the Weston-Price Foundation. Do your own research, by all means. You will find that formula is not the mysterious substance it's made out to be, but it does require thought to come up with something that will help the baby thrive. 

Please share this information with mothers in a tight spot. 

Here is the recipe. I would home-pasteurize the raw milk if I didn't know the cow and farmer personally. Heating the milk to 161℉ is far gentler than pasteurized milk from the store, which is heated up to 300℉. You will still get the goodness of the nutrients without the possible pathogens.  You can use milk from the store, though, if that's what you have. And you can buy A2/A2 organic dry milk powder and reconstitute it. Here is a source (affiliate link).

Do visit the site where this recipe is footnoted with sources, and followed by a lot of information and other ideas about making formula, including one mom's quick version.

Raw Milk Baby Formula

Makes 36 ounces.

Our milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey, lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow’s milk but leaner in casein (milk protein). The addition of gelatin to cow’s milk formula will make it more digestible for the infant. Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.

The ideal milk for baby, if he cannot be breastfed, is clean, whole raw milk from old-fashioned cows, certified free of disease, that feed on green pasture. For sources of good quality milk, see www.realmilk.com or contact a local chapter of the Weston A. Price Foundation.

If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with a piima or kefir culture to restore enzymes (available from G.E.M. Cultures 253-588-2922.

Ingredients

2 cups whole raw cow’s milk, preferably from pasture-fed cows

1/4 cup homemade liquid whey (See recipe for whey, below) Note: Do NOT use powdered whey or whey from making cheese (which will cause the formula to curdle). Use only homemade whey made from yoghurt, kefir or separated raw milk.

4 tablespoons lactose

1/4 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis

2 or more tablespoons good quality cream (preferably not ultrapasteurized), more if you are using milk from Holstein cows

1/2 teaspoon unflavored high-vitamin or high-vitamin fermented cod liver oil or 1 teaspoon regular cod liver oil

1/4 teaspoon high-vitamin butter oil (optional)

1 teaspoon expeller-expressed sunflower oil

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons coconut oil

2 teaspoons Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes

2 teaspoons gelatin

1-7/8 cups filtered water

1/4 teaspoon acerola powder

Instructions

Put 2 cups filtered water into a pyrex measuring pitcher and remove 2 tablespoons (that will give you 1-7/8 cups water).

Pour about half of the water into a pan and place on a medium flame.

Add the gelatin and lactose to the pan and let dissolve, stirring occasionally.

When the gelatin and lactose are dissolved, remove from heat and add the remaining water to cool the mixture.

Stir in the coconut oil and optional high-vitamin butter oil and stir until melted.

Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients into a blender.

Add the water mixture and blend about three seconds.

Place in glass bottles or a glass jar and refrigerate.

Before giving to baby, warm bottles by placing in hot water or a bottle warmer. NEVER warm bottles in a microwave oven.

UPDATE: For babies with allergies: "I’m also going to show you how to make a hypoallergenic meat based formula in the event your baby has a true milk allergy." 

UPDATE: To bring back breastmilk (or even possibly begin breastfeeding for the first-time mom who missed the newborn window), see this article. However, restarting breastfeeding or stimulating milk production in a non-postpartum woman will almost always require supplementation, and the point here is that formula is scarce. So, back to the recipe!

UPDATE: The New York Times warns against homemade formula.

Points I want to make about what they say:

1. It is really important not to get into this awful dilemma if possible. We have to help women breastfeed their babies. STOP leading with "not everyone can" and START figuring out how to encourage.

2. There are two main points here and the first one applies equally to commercial formula when it's restricted/expensive, as it is now: the problem of diluting it. It is dangerous to give an infant more water than is in breastmilk or balanced formula, and the fact is that THIS is a significant problem with ALL formula -- the temptation to dilute it. It is not applicable to homemade formula ALONE.

3. The other point is that one can introduce bacteria and that is true. But mothers can do hard things like prepare formula for babies at home if they must, in a sanitary way. We don't need a corporation to take things out of our hands. Following normal hygienic practices will protect high-quality formula -- if the mother has all the information and encouragement she needs. 

4. Certainly, factory formula can be contaminated, and it's well known that those feeding babies are not careful about how they reconstitute it.  

UPDATE: Remember that it's possible there are breast milk donors in your area. Facebook is a good way to find the group you need, and your local hospital or board of health might be able to help you. 

UPDATE: Use your common sense, and as I say in the main part of the post, do your research. A commenter below mentioned the controversy around fermented cod liver oil. The point with the formula is to have highly nutritious ingredients and cod liver oil is a good fat -- breastmilk is high in fat and babies need it. Look it up and maybe use regular cod liver oil. If I were making it, I'd look up each ingredient I wasn't familiar with and then decide if it's absolutely necessary in a pinch and if I really want it in there. But overall, I think that it's a tried-and-true healthy recipe for homemade formula, to be used when breastfeeding is not possible.

I called it: Mothers need to breastfeed their babies now

UPDATE: GO HERE FOR MORE DETAILED INFO ON WHAT TO DO

What did I call? Well, the news today is that Walgreen's is restricting purchases of baby formula. Think about that. I also was right about what to do about this unbelievable development, but it takes forethought.

I have ventured into podcasting in association with The Center for the Restoration of Christian Culture, of which I am a Fellow. It's called The Home Truths Good Cheer Society, and in my first episode, posted a few weeks ago, called "The Reasonably Stocked and Prepared Life, or Doing a Little More," I spoke a bit about the importance of breastfeeding.

Now, I have a lot of reasons to encourage breastfeeding and in my book, The Summa Domestica, I have chapters and chapters on the subject. But in the podcast I really wanted to focus on something that struck me forcibly as I thought about inevitable shortages of food in the coming time.

My question is a frightening one, and we are seeing it now: What if you have a baby and rely on baby formula -- and there isn't any to be had? 

When you breastfeed, you don't need to buy anything -- although I know that this could be news to today's young mother who is led to think you do need pumps, bottles, and who knows what.

But you don't.

But if you rely on formula, there's no going back. 

Also contrary to what you might be led to believe, the vast majority of women can breastfeed their babies. Believe me, having written about it extensively, I am well aware that exceptions exist. But they are exceptions and they are rare. Breastfeeding a baby is just as essential a bodily function as one's own digestion and so on. However, breastfeeding is something the mother must commit to at the outset or it doesn't work (unless she has had children before, and even then it can be difficult).

The shortsighted and even dangerous reliance on "science" -- the rationale for bottle feeding in the first place -- has caught up with us. 

If you are going to have a baby soon or know someone who is, please realize that breastfeeding needs to be a priority. There are many helps for overcoming cultural pressure to do otherwise, including on my blog and in my book.