Say no to Homemade formula

Did you know that a baby is born with over 1 billion brain cells? In 
their first year of life, their brains will continue to grow rapidly, 
about 175 % growth!  Then in year 2, it’s about 20% growth.  The first 
year, and the nutrients that babies get, are the building blocks for 
their brain growth.

Brains need a few things to make the all-important synapses and 
connections between all those nerve cells.  In order to sit up and 
learn to walk, and eventually ride their bikes to school and learn to 
read, children need good nutrition.  When they’re babies, those little 
growing brains need fat!  It’s like brain candy.

Breastfeeding moms may find that they lose weight and the added 
padding as they continue to breastfeed.  It’s like the body is 
liberating that fat for the milk. If you’re breastfeeding, be sure to 
continue your prenatal vitamin and take one with Omega-3 fatty acids, 
DHA/ARA.

Commercially available infant formulas have very precise fat blends to 
ensure that babies are getting the right amount of fat for their 
growing brains. We also know that DHA and ARA,  omega-3 fatty acids 
are critically important for vision and for the development of the 
nerves and the infinite connections between the nerve cells in the 
brain.  Fat helps the nerve cells develop myelin sheaths, which help 
transport the message from the brain to the rest of the body.  When a 
baby sucks their fist, the message travels from the brain down the 
nerves to the arm and hand and fingers.  There’s a long list of 
nutrients that make this possible, including fat, iron and vitamins.

Moms who try to make their own formula at home are short–changing 
their babies.  It’s impossible to make homemade formula with the right 
amount of fat, iron, protein, calcium and all the other vitamins and 
nutrients that the baby’s brain and body need.  Sadly, once the 1st 
year is over, it may be too late to make up for those nutritional 
deficiencies. With vitamin and nutrient deficiencies, children can 
have delays in development both physically and cognitively.

Unfortunately, by the time a child is in 1st grade and having trouble 
reading it’s too late to go back and wonder if it was the home-made 
formula.

I understand that moms who are making homemade formula just want to do 
the best for their babies.  I just want to caution these moms, that 
just because the baby isn’t hungry, doesn’t mean that they are getting 
all the nutrients that they need to grow and develop into healthy 
children and adults.