195: The Science & Shame of Infant Formula – Dr. Elieke Kearns

The nutritional complexities of infant formula are overwhelming to parents and deeply tied to feelings of guilt, shame and disappointment. The Centers for Disease Control report that seventy five percent of new parents will turn to formula within the first year of their newborn's life. Yet two thirds of parents using formula report feeling guilty about that. In addition, there is a growing number of parents who are buying European formulas despite the fact it's technically illegal to import them into the U.S. Healthcare professionals who work with parents and newborns have a responsibility to help parents feel confident in their choices and their baby's unique feeding journey. Tune in to this episode to learn about: Statistics on breastfeeding and infant formula The guilt and shame factor associated with infant formula Survey insights about parents not being honest about their feeding choice The science and regulations behind infant formula The breakdown of macronutrients and micronutrients in infant formula compared to breastmilk The trend and risks of importing European formulas Elieke's story and feeding journey with her son Melissa's story and feeding journey with her son