06/02/2022
Here is a great example of a WHO code violation. Before I go further, here are some important disclaimers and I would ask that you don’t yell at me in the comments without reading them first.
1. Formula is lifesaving.
2. Formula is often needed in our society due to the way we fail breastfeeding families.
3. Formula is a valid way to feed your baby.
BUT. Formula is not a F**king superfood! It’s cow’s milk with added ingredients. If we’re going to be pedantic – formula is a processed food. Human milk, however – THAT is a genuine superfood that has been shown to do all sorts of incredible stuff for babies. However, I don’t want to preach about the differences between formula and breastmilk because I don’t think that’s actually the issue here. My thoughts on this are why is formula so normalised that the UK’s leading News source thinks it’s a superfood, when babies COULD have access to a genuine amazing nutrition in the form of breastmilk? Don’t start angry typing yet – I’m not talking about making everyone breastfeed. I am talking about donor human milk.
Why is it that formula is so readily available and so poorly understood that the BBC think its deserving of the superfood title, but human milk, that many parents would love to share, is seen as a bit icky, and if you do want to access it you either need a very sick preemie, or to source it yourself on the internet?
I suspect two main reasons.
1. Companies can’t profit from human milk.
2. Generations of misogyny, and a general mistrust and devaluation of women and mothering have led to human milk being seen as dirty or unsafe.
How different would the world look if babies who couldn’t be at the breast were given human milk instead of cow’s milk? How different would the world be if we could have discussions about human milk as superfood without it triggering shame, anger and defence for those who struggled to provide it for their babies, because donor human milk was normal?
Parents would save money.
Breastfeeding rates would probably increase as more money would be spent on helping you to reach your goals.
Less babies would be hospitalised with vomiting and diarrhoea.
Less parents would feel bad about their feeding experience.
**There would never be a shortage of milk to feed your baby.**
The only reason we live in a world where processed cow’s milk is hailed a superfood, but breastmilk sharing is seen as “icky” is because the companies who profit from formula have worked hard to make sure we feel that way. They do this with misinformation, by tapping into parent’s fears, providing a friendly face throughout your pregnancy, staying present on your TV screens, and spending a LOT of money. They can do this so easily because our patriarchal society has taught women from a very young age that our bodies cannot be trusted, that companies know more than we do, and that formula is… a superfood.
