Question:
What is better, powdered formula or liquid concentrate?
Zachary & Jeremiah's Mummy
2009-01-20 10:09:58 UTC
Hey everybody... Here's my story... I've given my 11-month old canned liquid concentrate formula, I supplemented my breast milk for 6 months and after that I gave him only formula and solids.

I'm almost due with my second now, and I will probably have to supplement with formula again, so I'm looking for what formula to give to this baby.

I heard that liquid concentrate is better, healthier and safer than powdered formula (less chance of contamination, better for their digestive system). Which is partly why I gave it to my first baby despite being very tight on money and paying more for it. I thought it would be worth it.

Earlier today I read on Answers that powdered is actually better because the cans of concentrate contain BPA.

So which is it? Which is better? Help me decide which to use for my second baby!

Thanks!
Five answers:
2009-01-20 10:34:38 UTC
Powdered infant formula is indeed not sterile, it is not considered practical to sterilize it during manufacturing. So it should not be used for high risk babies (preemies etc) and some suggest not for any baby under 3-6 months. Common contaminants are Enterobacter sakazakii and salmonella. I have seen (but can't find again *lol*) stats that say up to 15% of all cans of powdered infant formula are contaminated with those two specific bacteria.



It is also certainly true that most, if not all (it is possible to have BPA free can linings but I am unaware of any company that has actually implemented them for infant formula), formula can linings contain BPA and when the formula is sterilized in the can it is done so at a high heat and BPA does leech into the formula in measurable amounts.



Both powdered infant formula and liquid concentrate have the risks from the addition of water including disease causing microbes, lead and other heavy metals, excess mineral salt content, excess fluoride (which can cause fluorosis). Which is why the American Dental Association recommends ready-to-serve or if not possible use distilled water only to make formula. Of course ready-to-serve contains more BPA than liquid concentrate (assuming that the water you dilute the concentrate with does not contain BPA)



Often the price difference between powder and liquid concentrate isn't as big as parents think, you do need to actually do the math on it.



I don't see why exclusively giving breast milk is not possible, and is clearly the best option. Otherwise I don't know what to tell you. The risks of BPA aren't all that well documented, on the other hand there is no consensus on what the actual risks are of contracting illness from powder for healthy babies.











When It Has to be Formula: Optimizing the Health of Your Formula-Fed Baby

http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/go/index.php/226/optimize-health-formula-fed-baby/





Bottle-feeding Index

http://askdrsears.com/html/0/T000100.asp



What Every Parent Should Know About Infant Formula

http://www.breastfeeding.com/reading_room/what_should_know_formula.html





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Edited to add:



The temperment of your next baby will be different then your first, and hopefully the hemorrage will not recur either.



Many babies nurse just fine when mom has inverted nipples. After all that pumping your nipples may no longer be inverted. Or this time during pregnancy the hormones (relaxin etc) may resolve the inverted nipples. Breast SHELLS (not shields) can help resolve inverted nipples during pregnancy or after birth.



Nipple shields almost always cause more problems than they fix. And many lactation consultants really know nothing about exclusive pumping. Without proper information and support of course its going to be harder to maintain enough milk supply.



I've never said "everyone can breastfeed" nor have I ever said "everyone can exclusively provide breastmilk pumped or direct for their baby". Nor does any respectable sources. I have said that "Every baby could be exclusively given breastmilk IF WE MADE MILK BANKING A PRIORITY" and that breastmilk is a basic human right. I've also pointed out it would be easier to modify human milk to make "formula" for babies with metabolic disorders than to start with cow's milk.



However when someone says "I will probably have to supplement with formula again" -I have to say that's simply not true. Every baby is different. And every time you are pregnant things change in your breasts, and the more you pump or nurse things change in your breasts. Moms that had surgery will experience more "recannalization" of the ducts as time passes, each time they are pregnant, and the more they stimulate milk production. Relactation is more likely to work the next time (even for adoptive moms who have never been pregnant). C-sections, hemorrhage, retained placenta, hormone disfunction, diabetes, hypothyroidism, epidurals, etc, etc are all potential causes of low milk supply that either aren't likely to recur(or shouldn't recur) or should be caught during a second pregnancy (well they should get caught long before that BUT usually at least anemia is caught during pregnancy) And the more you know YOU and the more you know about breastfeeding the more the chances of success.



Honestly though if you just believe that you will have to supplement then its probably going to happen, because you won't try to find the solution to the problem, you will just bring out the bottles. I'm not just saying "think positive", but at least realise that everything is different the second time.
Lilly g
2009-01-20 10:41:13 UTC
I used to go with the liquid but I had to wake up in the middle of the night to prepare my childrens bottle but then I switched to powdered because it was more convinant all I had to do was have a bottle spring water at room temperature and put the powder in the bottle and shake and give to baby .. but this time around I am breastfeeding which is even more convientant for me all I have to do is take out breast and give to baby the goodies lol and its free :) congrats
Kat
2009-01-20 11:13:08 UTC
I think you did a great job!! Pumping and feeding takes a lot more time and effort than Straight breast feeding. I work in a maternity ward so I know the difficulty you had and I work with mothers and their babies in this situation. So YOU DID A GOOD JOB!!!

Now, I found with my first powder was best for her, Carnation Good Start was wonderful, she stopped spitting up every feeding. With my second I mainly breastfed, If she needed a supp. while I was at work Carnation was once again my choice.
Kellie R
2009-01-20 10:20:31 UTC
Go and try to get WIC (Women Infant And Children) If you are going to have trouble buying formula. They can help. If I had to choose again, I would still go with powdered, I could pre-make the bottles for the middle of the night feedings and could use fresh spring water so everything was controlled by me.
John T
2009-01-20 10:29:05 UTC
About the same. Liquid is more convenient because you do not have to mix.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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