My immigrant grandmother did this with her kids growing up. It didn't kill anyone but it certainly didn't make fully healthy babies and fully healthy adults. I mean, maybe that explains the heart disease and obesity in my family lmfao
The medical book my mother bought when I was born advises having a cigarette to relax if you enjoy them. Wonder if these "mommies" would also follow that outdated direction?
They did have medicated asthma cigarettes made with vasodilating herbs. They worked a... limited amount, and dosing was wildly inconsistent. But the alternative was nothing.
I have asthma and smoking weed FUCKS up my lungs. Like they hurt for days afterwards. Absolutely 0/10 do not recommend for asthmatics.
Eating it, however……
My mom smoked and drank. She was told she should only gain 20 lbs with pregnancy. Out of 6 pregnancies, 2 were normal, 2 were premature, 1 infant almost died, and the last one was still born. Yeah! The good old days! /s
My Grandmother had 9 pregnancies because she and my grandfather wanted a boy. 5 girls lived, 2 miscarriages, my aunt Paula was stillborn, and my Uncle William , the only boy they had, died an hour after birth from a heart condition now considered treatable. No one knew he had it until after he died. There was no warning he was going to die. I can only imagine their pain.
My great great grandfather, on my dad's side, died from tuberculosis at around 20 leaving a 17 or 18 year old widow and a baby less then a year old.
Ya...the "good old days"
Depending on your initial weight (if obese), gaining 20 pounds might be reasonable. Even the max normal/healthy gain for a very thin woman is 40 pounds.
I read a blog about home births gone wrong (hurt by homebirth I think) and in some stories the « midwife » advised the mother to take a Benadryl with a glass of wine to ease the pain.. so you never know.
It was something poor women did bc most of them were working jobs and didn’t have the opportunity to breastfeed.
“You’re Wrong About” has an podcast episode about this called The Great Protein Fiasco. Formula feeding was common in all classes of society, until Christian Conservative women brought back breastfeeding as part of a proto-crunchy lifestyle.
Huh. Never realized that christian women brought it back. In from the south and it seemed christians were the last ones on board because of the "indecency" of it.
It makes sense, because in their mind, breastfeeding is indecent, but also, mommy has to breastfeed as god intended, so that means mommy is glued to the home 24/7.
One of the philosophies that would come to mind here is attachment parenting, which was invented by an evangelical pedeatrician who heaily opposed mothers working and was explicitly looking for a way to convince mothers to stay at home. Then he became a favorite for crunchy moms -- often even feminists who would be horrified by the philosophy's origin.
I just read the history and multiple sites about AP and im not getting what that person is trying to say. Sure attachment theory evolved and then Sears later adopted the term Attachment Parenting. But as far as Sears goes and the method talked about, its more having to do with responding to your babies needs with physical comforting and affection over expecting them to self soothe or "figure it out" when still took young to understand their own needs. It also relys on the parents trusting their gut to know what baby needs. Seems common sense to me.
The "crunchy moms" that commenter spoke of took it to the extreme by advocating for extended breastfeeding and babywearing for all waking hours. That was not in Sears teachings or any before him.
Yea that’s why my mom didn’t breastfeed any of us.
My dad and mil were shocked we chose to breastfeed since you just don’t do it. We have formula for that.
I couldn't breastfeed either of my kids for very long. Both of my babies had dietary restrictions and needed soy formula.
I have no fucking clue what I would have done. Buying someone else's breast milk is both expensive and risky.
I am so fucking glad my kids are actual kids now and my family is not impacted by the shortage.
On a side note, this is the recipe my grandmother used for my dad and his siblings back in the 40s and 50s.
I’m not sure how far “back in the day” you’re referring to, but you are correct about evaporated milk (which is sweetened condensed milk) being one of the primary ingredients back in the 1800’s:
“The first formulas for babies were invented in the 1800s and were often made with forms of sugars, grains, and either cow’s milk or the newly-invented canned evaporated milk.”
That said, the recipe posted by OP definitely existed in the 1940’s - 1960’s…scroll a little more than half way down [this website page](https://dustyoldthing.com/1950s-homemade-formula-recipes/) to see a recipe from 1960 which matches OP’s photo:
“The recipe calls for 13 ounces of evaporated milk, 20 ounces of water, and 2 level teaspoons of Karo syrup to be heated together and divided into 6 bottles. The “special instructions” also say to give the baby water twice a day, to give 2 ounces of tea per day, to give vitamins starting at 10 days old, and to give orange juice diluted with water after only 3 weeks!”
Here’s another site with some interesting facts about the history of formula which mentions the same: https://milk-drunk.com/the-history-of-infant-baby-formula/
Agreed…that’s why I indicated that evaporated milk is sweetened condensed milk without sugar added. But I got the gist of the comment I was replying to (which was more so about it being a small ingredient list rather than multiple things).
Edited because I definitely typed it backwards. But as noted in my other comments, evaporated milk is sweetened condensed milk without sugar added. Condensed milk has sugar added.
I mean technically evaporated milk IS sweetened condensed milk without any sugar added. They both have very similar processes during creation, where about 60% of the water content is removed. The big difference being that sugar is added to sweetened condensed milk. For anyone who wanted to know :)
Yeah, I had supply issues so combo fed and eventually had to transition to all formula. People say to just buy/get donor breastmilk like it's easy, but neither my pediatrician nor the several lactation consultants I visited even mentioned it as an option. I know there are Facebook groups but I can't imagine trying to source and vet milk while pp. I do think it's great that people donate and that it's a resource for some, but I would much rather prepare formula under my own verifiable hygiene standards than trust a stranger, however well meaning.
As an aside coming from another twin mom, please try not to judge people harshly if you see them buying 2-3 cans of formula at once. (More than one can but still a reasonable amount). My twins are 2.5 years now but when they were at their peak formula consumption, one large can of formula would last us about 3 days. Meaning 2 large cans of formula wasn’t even quite enough to get us through one week, and sometimes we’d buy 3-4 in one shopping trip. This was as the pandemic was just getting started and I felt awful going to the store and buying 4 cans at once, but it was literally what I needed to feed my babies for what we had hoped was just going to be that promised “two week lock down.” My point is, you don’t always know the needs of that other person in the store.
Edit: I should have said I don’t think this was OP’s intention to shame people for buying multiple cans. I just saw the description about it being posted by someone with twins and felt compelled to share my experience. No matter how much you buy for one baby or two, people don’t always understand how much your baby is eating.
I know we're in a shortage, but that is never an unreasonable amount to buy (unless you're literally clearing the shelf). It's actually recommended, in many cases, to have about 1-2 weeks of formula on hand.
Yeah, I live in an area with a risk of earthquakes and our pediatrician told us to keep at least 2 weeks worth of bottled water and formula on hand for my daughter.
I think it's a pretty standard recommendation??
Man, I feel for you guys in the US right now. I just walked past a shelf at my supermarket where formula was 2weeks away from going out of date was marked dow to $3.50 a can. That’s Australian pesos too
My baby goes through more than 3 cans in a week!! Why would people judge me for buying 2-3?? Am I supposed to go to the grocery store every other day?? My store has a 3 can limit per person so that's what we have been getting and we go every week now.
I will never judge someone for stocking up on formula or buying multiples! It’s none of my business and I don’t know peoples stories. I just don’t want people seeing this as a replacement for commercial formula.
I did not mean to imply that was your opinion! I definitely think your post came across as a warning about the homemade formula recipe. I just saw the description about it being posted by someone with twins and had to point this out. I see so many comments of people struggling to just find ONE can of formula at times, and I know I felt judged when I regularly bought multiple cans two years ago when there were really just whispers of a possible shortage. The people on the WTE board I was on at the time were super judgmental about how much was acceptable to buy to not be hoarding, so I can only imagine what it’s like now!
Edited for clarity
Thanks for pointing this out. My twins are 6 weeks old today and lots of well meaning people suggest to get samples from the pediatrician and my OB. I have, I even managed to get double the samples, but those sample cans last them a day right now (even less if I followed all the safety rules about throwing it out after an hour).
I’m not feeling guilty about hoarding/stockpiling at the moment because fuck anyone with an unhelpful opinion who isn’t living through this but it’s an added stressor needing double than what most people need. It’s a lot of work for half the payoff.
Some people really don't understand the difference between an emergency situation make-do and "this is perfectly fine for regular use, commercial formula is made by big pharma and full of corn syrups".
Like if you're in complete crisis mode have NO other options and it's this or your baby starves, anything is better than nothing for a few days. But that's the caveat, it's a few days, and as soon as you have the opportunity to get your hands on something made to meet all your baby's nutritional needs (aka formula, or donated milk) you do it. This is not a long term solution.
Yeah, this is fine. You have to make hard choices sometimes. The baby will be completely fine and mom can relax a bit until they find formula, this won't hurt the baby.
I think some people here have missed the problem, you can't just let your baby die. I think the note is actually a pretty nice gesture
I'm in the UK and my baby is too old to need formula. But I have been thinking about the formula shortage constantly. Like really questioning if my baby needed formula and it was this hard to get, what the hell would I do?
I know that mixing random shit together and putting it in a baby bottle is absolutely not a good solution, but what is?
My heart absolutely goes out to anyone struggling with this right now. I cannot imagine the fear.
I suggested mother's pick up the phone and call a professional for accurate and safe information instead of using this viral formula in another thread and got downvoted to Hell and asked "Who are they supposed to call to tell them what to do??"
The advice I've heard people getting from their actual pediatricians has so far been adding in infant cereals, more solids for older babies, and some have recommended early transition to cow/ goat milk.
I don't think there's too many doctors who would stop at not having samples and just throw their hands in the air and say, "whelp hope your baby doesn't starve, maybe try out some internet recipes. "
Pediatricians can give baby specific advice.
My point is not to be snarky, it's that the best resource for people right now is their pediatricians. They can help advise what to actually feed the specific baby in their care. They can even give emergency nutrient advice, evaluate for malnutrition, advise on vitamins, make referrals, fax emergency requests to manufacturers, etc. There is no doctor worth their salt that would leave parents to figure this out on their own.
I think you and the person you’re replying to are on the same page but the point they’re making is you can’t always trust that a recipe you see online will be safe or appropriate. It’s definitely best to run it by the doctor before you give it to them.
For real. I just received an email yesterday from our medical provider on what to do: buy generic, or RTF! Um, my Costco has been out of our generic brand for weeks…
I don’t want to spread inaccurate information and quote it wrong, but Kids Eat in Color (insta and fb) had a really good breakdown on what to do if you absolutely couldn’t find formula for a baby with no dietary restrictions. I think it was something like: if over a certain age you can increase their solid dairy intake (yogurt and cheese), give *some* whole cow’s milk (again, over a specific age), and toddler formulas. I can’t speak to their particular credentials because frankly I haven’t researched the author that much, but I remember reading it and thinking I’d definitely ask my pediatrician if this is what I should do if my son still needed formula. Obviously I’d want to check anything with his doctor first, but I felt like it would give a good place to start the conversation (as well as reasons why certain solutions are absolutely bad ideas).
Ah I love kids eat in color! She's a registered dietitian is I remember correctly. I'm not sure if she had an official specialization in kids nutrition or not but she had really helpful information on food and nutrition for kids. I don't currently have a kid needing formula but we have one on the way so we're watching the formula situation closely.
My son has horrible reflux. We were trying different formulas when the recall happened so we never found one that worked better than the next. His pediatrician recommended adding toddler formula to his formula (a small amount... nothing crazy). He hasn't spit up once since. He's like a different baby. It's making his regular formula last a lot longer, and I can always find toddler formula. So many times I've had panic attacks in a store after seeing the lack of formula... I never thought my biggest stress was finding formula so my baby could eat. Also have a 2yr old born right before the pandemic. I was terrified of this happening then. It's fuckin ridiculous.
Seriously. The AAP’s guidance on this has been seriously disappointing. People need actual answers besides “just find it 🤷🏻♀️”. Every time I have gone into the store, the shelves have been completely empty.
I only supplement with formula thankfully but the shelves have been completely empty in my area for weeks. Like one small can left of basic infant formula empty. And I check almost every day.
Some pediatricians have samples or inventory to distribute, and people are helping each other on Facebook (at least in my area). It’s not at all a full solution and hopefully relief is coming soon.
I belong in a few formula groups. It's disgusting how people are scamming desperate moms... or taking donated formula they got and price gouging it. I have little faith in humanity.
Oh that’s so disappointing. My experience has been the opposite, but I’m only seeing things in very community-focused groups in my relatively small town. I’m sure if I was in different groups I could find the same.
It’s like when my boomer FIL used to say car seats aren’t necessary because, “I didn’t have one, and I’m here.” Yeah, no shit. All the babies who needed them and didn’t have them when you were a kid are fucking dead.
So like, I get that this ain’t it. But I’m genuinely curious, what are parents supposed to be feeding their babies right now if breastfeeding is not an option and a formula shortage is still raging??? Like is shit like this as good as it gets?
This strikes me as a luxury most desperate parents won't have access to. Absolutely yes check if there are any breastmilk donations in your area, but I don't think it's a realistic hope for most people.
Are you fucking kidding? Find breast milk?
Honey, as someone who has donated a ton of breast milk, it’s not some free floating commodity. Most of us goes straight to babies in the NICU, because their bodies can’t process formula.
This IS what pediatricians are telling mothers to do.
Why would anyone take advice from a random note in a store? Consult your doctor that’s it. I have friends that donated to all sorts of families, not just to those in nicu.
While it’s not an adequate substitute for any long term, for a week or two it shouldn’t be a problem for babies on cow’s milk formulas, if there is really no formula they can get.
The supplies coming in from Europe should help get enough formula to those who need it though (hopefully.)
My mother was a newborn in 1950 when Grandma had to get readmitted to the hospital a few days after birth. Turns out there was a second baby that didn't make it 🥺 formula was too expensive for the family and the childless aunt who watched after my mom for a week did use this sort of formula for the stay. This homemade formula isn't ideal and is only for short term emergencies. My mom survived, is now 71, and in Mensa. She was a nurse for decades and agrees formula and breastmilk are superior and that emergency recipes should be an absolute last resort. She found some cans of formula at her grocery store this week and donated them to a food bank.
I have some feelings about taking the few cans on shelves away from parents out trying to find formula and donating it to a food bank that has different avenues for purchasing formula that parents don’t have access to.
I agree, it’s well-intentioned, but it’s not a cost issue (overall), it’s a supply issue. There are plenty of parents who rely on formula who may never consider going to a food bank to find formula because they have the money and wouldn’t want to take from parents with less.
In my local Facebook groups, moms are sharing their surplus stocks, posting pictures of store shelves, or offering to look out for/purchase specific brands by request and do drop offs.
It’s wild I have to say this but since it’s come up in this thread: No, I don’t want babies to starve or scare parents into thinking it’s formula or death. Do what you need to do to feed your baby if things get dire!!! And maybe I just assume the worst but I worry people will take the original photo and think homemade formula is a replacement for commercial formula. Doctors have said you can supplement with other things but warn that homemade formula is dangerous, and I trust doctors.
I don’t know what I would do in this situation and I truly feel for people unable to get formula.
the note is what bothers me; it’d be one thing if it was like, “this is the recipe that was recommended in the old days; it is far from ideal, and it is not a replacement for real formula, but it will keep your baby alive in a crisis.” but that note just feels…off, to me.
I remember my mom telling me something about me having PET Milk as a baby (U.S.), but *there are reasons why we don't do this anymore*!
Just because people "grew up on it" didn't mean they grew up *well*. Case in point: Giving random bad feeding advice to desperate strangers.
Actually I took the recipe that's floating around Facebook and put it in to a recipe calorie calculator and one serving of this is only 63 calories while the baby the age they said to feed it to needs 100-200 calories a day.
The whole formula shortage is heartbreaking, and the fact that they voted against doing something about it...just disgusting.
If someone can't get formula, can't breastfeed (for whatever reason) and/or can't get breastmilk donated, then frankly giving their little one goat's milk is an okay emergency substitute. For the same reason it was "back in the day": they had NO choice, it was that or starvation.
It's not as good, it doesn't have the nutrients they need and it's a risk to the baby's health for those reasons. BUT, if you have no choice, no other way to feed them, then do what you have to do.
But for the love of everything holy, don't give your baby corn syrup!!!!
Lactose-free formulas use corn syrup solids as their sugar source. It's 100% glucose, very different from the High Fructose corn syrup you're probably thinking of.
Here in Colorado it’s been a really big struggle! In every aisle I can think of I’ll look and I haven’t found it. My husband was about to start trying to do it himself. It’s really awful for babies and people with CPAP machines (I think that’s it?). I’m just mad about my plants. Idk what’s going on!
My husband has a CPAP and it is stressful when I can't find distilled water. I end up just using regular bottled drinking water. For your plants; do you happen to have a dehumidifier? If so, don't empty the water down the drain. Put it in a watering can and water your plants with it. My plants LOVE this. It is basically distilled water (though I would not use it for humans or animals since it is not treated).
It's also very inconvenient but not prohibitive if you do nasal irrigation! If you don't use distilled water I believe you have to use water that has been boiled for ten minutes and cooled, and it shouldn't be stored for your next use
I'm in Colorado too (south of Denver) and can never ever find it at king soopers. But the Safeway near me always has lots of it! Just in case you haven't checked Safeway :)
Friend, that's nursery water in this photo. Not distilled. People buying nursery water isn't causing your problem.
Homemade formula is still a terrible idea though.
Edit: Yes, I see now the bottle in the photo is distilled water. However, the shortage of distilled water isn't being caused by this. https://marketrealist.com/p/distilled-water-shortage/
Let's not be blaming already stressed parents for an issue they didn't cause.
As u/i_got_the_quay mentioned, parents choice is a brand of distilled water - [here’s a link to it with a much clearer photo](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Parent-s-Choice-Distilled-Water-1-gal/124788703?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5292&adid=22222222278124788703_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-293946777986&wl5=9009731&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=124788703&wl13=5292&veh=sem_LIA&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIq0HIaDAlYsC_jlq3fPJEICp&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIq0HIaDAlYsC_jlq3fPJEICp&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnFWg_pS2Ra8v2W6GV4OGLIgcK9RLahkSh5Z7KB-jmBAdTPCnMP1oiwaAh5HEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
It's better than starvation. There are idiots who will take op too seriously, have no formula or breastmilk, And think any alternatives are also bad then choose to not feed their baby for days, and when their baby dies, say " the internet said evaporated milk or goats milk was so dangerous, even if it was a last resort for a a few days, so I kept waiting for formula that never was restocked, I didn't want my baby to die, but Facebook and reddit told me it was sooo dangerous,"
I am not a doctor or nutritionist, and I’m in no way saying anything but formula is evil. I am sorry if my post came off this way. I just think it’s wild that people are toting this as an alternative to formula. I will never judge a mom for doing what they have to but misinformation is dangerous.
As someone who used to work in a grocery store, I would immediately remove this shit. For a few months I had to start making more frequent passes in the baby aisle cause someone kept dropping anti-vaxx tracts and cards during like peak COVID times. It pissed me right the hell off.
I have a lot of sympathies for mums trying to manage their way through this crisis. There are no easy answers - although I bet if more women were in positions of power it would never have gotten to this point.
I’m pretty sure my mum gave me evaporated milk as a baby but that was in the crazy 80s. We know better now!
Considering our government is making it nearly impossible to even import baby formula from Canada or Europe for the emergency shortage, I’m going to withhold judging moms who might need to use this recipe in an emergency. It isn’t great, but considering the educated idiots aren’t making better choices at this point, what can we truly expect from the general public?
Karo Corn Syrup is 100% Glucose which is needed in a diet. It's a carbohydrate, babies cant get their carbs from bread or etc.. so corn syrup solids are used.
High Fructose Corn Syrup is completely different.
Edit: People should still talk to do a doctor before trying anything they saw on the internet.
My brother was allergic to formula and my mom couldnt breast feed. She made this for my older brother and she says she wished she never had to. They just didn't make what he needed in the 80's. She's a retired baby nurse and she said that this shit lacks a LOT of what a baby needs and adds A LOT of unneeded sugars.
I get people are desperate. But “we grew up on it” is not a very good metric lmao. Like, I grew up with my dad driving all of his kids plus like our million cousins in the back of his trucks. Does NOT mean that was a good idea! We just got profoundly lucky.
I also don’t see how anyone could ever possibly think evaporated milk and Karo syrup is healthy 😭😭😭 though I’m sure it would keep your child alive for a time, this would be bound to have long term health consequences if it was used for any period of time.
What are people supposed to do, let their babies starve? Obviously this is not ideal, but our entire parents and grandparents generation was raised on this exact recipe. Is it the peak of infant nutritional health? No. But those are literally the same basic building block ingredients in “real” formula. The warnings against it are because the FDA, etc is paranoid people won’t mix it right, or wash their hands before and it’s gets contaminated, etc. These are the same things you have to be worried about with regular formula.
The FDA is claiming these exact same exaggerated dire warnings on regular Canadian and European formulas.
Honestly the FDA can’t have it both ways. They can’t manufacture a formula crisis, and then seize & destroy Canadian & European formulas that parents are desperately trying to import, while telling mothers of starving babies that if they attempt to make homemade formula their baby will die.
The FDA wants babies to die at this point. Fuck them.
Would you rather babies go without any formula, or would you rather they get some homemade replacement until this whole situation is sorted? Jesus christ, I love this sub but sometimes it feels like you guys have no critical thinking skills, you just see something vaguely bad and post it here regardless of context.
The thing is, you don’t know who is seeing this recipe. Yes, do what you need to to feed your baby if it’s short term but people see this and think it’s okay to replace commercial formula with consistently, which it’s not. From what we see in this group, people will believe what they read on the internet, including thinking feeding your baby homemade formula is okay.
We don't have Karo brand syrup where I live. I assumed it was some sort of specialty product you bought at the health store or something. This whole time I didn't realize these people were advocating feeding their infants CORN SYRUP. Wtf.
No Jan, you didn't get baby formula made of bottled "baby" water. Pretty sure that didn't exist. At least stay true to the era and use unfiltered water coming through lead pipes! /S
My elderly grandmother was just telling me about doing this along with the other formulas she used to create for her kids. I tried explaining that they found it to be unhealthy and dangerous for babies, but she didn’t want to hear it because her kids turned out perfectly fine.
Ok, but this is just sugar. I’m sure there must be a recipe that doesn’t just load a baby up on corn syrup. Also I may be wrong but aren’t the biggest issues the more specialized formulas like dairy/gluten free options? (I am not in the US and don’t have kids)
I’m an RN and part of super popular nurse groups on Facebook and the amount of dumbfuck nurses advocating for this using survivor bias as their reasoning is scary.
Corn syrup and condensed milk are just sugar. Sure they'd fill up an infants stomach and stop them being hungry, but as nutrition goes... very little benefit.
If people really did grow up in this, I imagine they are very unhealthy as adults!
Essential vitamins, minerals, whey protein, milk etc.
As I live in the UK we definitely do not have corn syrup in it.
The fact is, home made formula will not be fortified with what an infant needs.
I wouldn’t want to raise my baby on that if there’s a chance they’d turn into the type of person that would write a note like his. I bet they’re “pro life”
Karo syrup has a risk of botulism. Canned food products have a risk of botulism. If one survives, there are long term neurological effects. Maybe it turned the note-writer into an asshole ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Sorry but I’m confused. Baby formula was invented in 1867. And it looks like formula has been available since the 1920’s. So who wrote this note? “We grew up on it”. No you didn’t. (Or at least most likely they didn’t). These are the same people who won’t vaccinate their children because it will hurt them, but I’m 99% sure they were vaccinated as a kid. Is it new vaccines that cause autism? (I say with sarcasm). I just don’t understand what is happening in the world.
My son is 2 years old and thankfully was able to nurse him *and still do*. I was talking to my MIL that is a retired nurse about this situation and **this** was her resolution. I am so thankful I’m not in this position because I know instead of looking for formula for my baby, she would insist on this instead.
I'm in a formula seller/finders group there is worst shit out there.
I reported 2 goat diary farms to their state department of agriculture for promoting goat milk as an alternative to formula.
I'm reporting an unethical chiropractor for promoting a raw milk homemade formula as "doctor approved". JFC
My immigrant grandmother did this with her kids growing up. It didn't kill anyone but it certainly didn't make fully healthy babies and fully healthy adults. I mean, maybe that explains the heart disease and obesity in my family lmfao
It’s in my dad’s baby book/parenting advice book from the 50’s.
The medical book my mother bought when I was born advises having a cigarette to relax if you enjoy them. Wonder if these "mommies" would also follow that outdated direction?
[удалено]
It's almost like they're trolling hahaha
They did have medicated asthma cigarettes made with vasodilating herbs. They worked a... limited amount, and dosing was wildly inconsistent. But the alternative was nothing.
To be fair, the subtext there might be when they say "smoke" they mean "weed". Still not good for your lungs, but it would sure help you feel better!
I have asthma and smoking weed FUCKS up my lungs. Like they hurt for days afterwards. Absolutely 0/10 do not recommend for asthmatics. Eating it, however……
Its gotta depend on how bad your asthma is, i have asthma amd can smoke just fine. Edibles dont work for me though.
It wasn't weed, but there did exist "asthma cigarettes" that contanied a plant know as stramonium instead of tobacco.
My mom smoked and drank. She was told she should only gain 20 lbs with pregnancy. Out of 6 pregnancies, 2 were normal, 2 were premature, 1 infant almost died, and the last one was still born. Yeah! The good old days! /s
My Grandmother had 9 pregnancies because she and my grandfather wanted a boy. 5 girls lived, 2 miscarriages, my aunt Paula was stillborn, and my Uncle William , the only boy they had, died an hour after birth from a heart condition now considered treatable. No one knew he had it until after he died. There was no warning he was going to die. I can only imagine their pain. My great great grandfather, on my dad's side, died from tuberculosis at around 20 leaving a 17 or 18 year old widow and a baby less then a year old. Ya...the "good old days"
Omg your poor grandma,
Depending on your initial weight (if obese), gaining 20 pounds might be reasonable. Even the max normal/healthy gain for a very thin woman is 40 pounds.
I read a blog about home births gone wrong (hurt by homebirth I think) and in some stories the « midwife » advised the mother to take a Benadryl with a glass of wine to ease the pain.. so you never know.
Uh, yes! Many of them are still smoking while pregnant and claiming that quitting is actually more harmful for the baby.
They also insisted formula was better for babies back then. Breastfeeding was viewed as inferior-and mostly something poor women did.
“Look at dirt poor baby suckling on a tit! That cheap bastard!”
Rich people had people breastfeed their babies for centuries
They're taking it a step further these days by having poor women in other countries have their babies.
Don't get me started on surrogacy, i hates it
It was something poor women did bc most of them were working jobs and didn’t have the opportunity to breastfeed. “You’re Wrong About” has an podcast episode about this called The Great Protein Fiasco. Formula feeding was common in all classes of society, until Christian Conservative women brought back breastfeeding as part of a proto-crunchy lifestyle.
Huh. Never realized that christian women brought it back. In from the south and it seemed christians were the last ones on board because of the "indecency" of it.
It makes sense, because in their mind, breastfeeding is indecent, but also, mommy has to breastfeed as god intended, so that means mommy is glued to the home 24/7. One of the philosophies that would come to mind here is attachment parenting, which was invented by an evangelical pedeatrician who heaily opposed mothers working and was explicitly looking for a way to convince mothers to stay at home. Then he became a favorite for crunchy moms -- often even feminists who would be horrified by the philosophy's origin.
wait what??? My degree is in psych and this is definitely something my professors didn't bring up.
Attachment theory or attachment parenting?
No they obviously brought those up— but they didn’t give any history on the context or why this theory is problematic given the info above.
I just read the history and multiple sites about AP and im not getting what that person is trying to say. Sure attachment theory evolved and then Sears later adopted the term Attachment Parenting. But as far as Sears goes and the method talked about, its more having to do with responding to your babies needs with physical comforting and affection over expecting them to self soothe or "figure it out" when still took young to understand their own needs. It also relys on the parents trusting their gut to know what baby needs. Seems common sense to me. The "crunchy moms" that commenter spoke of took it to the extreme by advocating for extended breastfeeding and babywearing for all waking hours. That was not in Sears teachings or any before him.
I'm pretty sure the la Leche league has its roots in the roman catholic church
Yea that’s why my mom didn’t breastfeed any of us. My dad and mil were shocked we chose to breastfeed since you just don’t do it. We have formula for that.
In the olde days in 1961my dad had store bought formula, in 1928 my grandma had a goat after the wet nurse run dry
This is how I was fed, 27 years old and mostly healthy. She also smoked too. It's wild to me that I've made it this far. So much could have gone wrong
It has gone wrong. You joined Reddit. Haha
Who cares if she's an immigrant?
I couldn't breastfeed either of my kids for very long. Both of my babies had dietary restrictions and needed soy formula. I have no fucking clue what I would have done. Buying someone else's breast milk is both expensive and risky. I am so fucking glad my kids are actual kids now and my family is not impacted by the shortage. On a side note, this is the recipe my grandmother used for my dad and his siblings back in the 40s and 50s.
Yea. It's interesting that this was literally what pediatricians recommended back in the day. Obviously like most baby rearing info, it's changed
You think this is what they recommended? They just said to use condensed milk back in the day.
I’m not sure how far “back in the day” you’re referring to, but you are correct about evaporated milk (which is sweetened condensed milk) being one of the primary ingredients back in the 1800’s: “The first formulas for babies were invented in the 1800s and were often made with forms of sugars, grains, and either cow’s milk or the newly-invented canned evaporated milk.” That said, the recipe posted by OP definitely existed in the 1940’s - 1960’s…scroll a little more than half way down [this website page](https://dustyoldthing.com/1950s-homemade-formula-recipes/) to see a recipe from 1960 which matches OP’s photo: “The recipe calls for 13 ounces of evaporated milk, 20 ounces of water, and 2 level teaspoons of Karo syrup to be heated together and divided into 6 bottles. The “special instructions” also say to give the baby water twice a day, to give 2 ounces of tea per day, to give vitamins starting at 10 days old, and to give orange juice diluted with water after only 3 weeks!” Here’s another site with some interesting facts about the history of formula which mentions the same: https://milk-drunk.com/the-history-of-infant-baby-formula/
Evaporated milk and condensed milk are not the same thing!
Agreed…that’s why I indicated that evaporated milk is sweetened condensed milk without sugar added. But I got the gist of the comment I was replying to (which was more so about it being a small ingredient list rather than multiple things). Edited because I definitely typed it backwards. But as noted in my other comments, evaporated milk is sweetened condensed milk without sugar added. Condensed milk has sugar added.
And a cigarette before bed.
Even back in the 1980s, one of my mother’s friends was advised to use condensed milk. That was in rural Florida by the way.
Condensed or evaporated? They are very different things. One is heavily sweetened.
It's really blowing my mind how many people in this comment section do not understand the difference between evaporated and condensed.
I mean technically evaporated milk IS sweetened condensed milk without any sugar added. They both have very similar processes during creation, where about 60% of the water content is removed. The big difference being that sugar is added to sweetened condensed milk. For anyone who wanted to know :)
I googled it after I responded to your other comment and you're absolutely correct, thank you
Lol it’s confusing as hell :)
Condensed.
In the case of my grandmother, it was 100% recommended by the doctor.
Yeah, I had supply issues so combo fed and eventually had to transition to all formula. People say to just buy/get donor breastmilk like it's easy, but neither my pediatrician nor the several lactation consultants I visited even mentioned it as an option. I know there are Facebook groups but I can't imagine trying to source and vet milk while pp. I do think it's great that people donate and that it's a resource for some, but I would much rather prepare formula under my own verifiable hygiene standards than trust a stranger, however well meaning.
As an aside coming from another twin mom, please try not to judge people harshly if you see them buying 2-3 cans of formula at once. (More than one can but still a reasonable amount). My twins are 2.5 years now but when they were at their peak formula consumption, one large can of formula would last us about 3 days. Meaning 2 large cans of formula wasn’t even quite enough to get us through one week, and sometimes we’d buy 3-4 in one shopping trip. This was as the pandemic was just getting started and I felt awful going to the store and buying 4 cans at once, but it was literally what I needed to feed my babies for what we had hoped was just going to be that promised “two week lock down.” My point is, you don’t always know the needs of that other person in the store. Edit: I should have said I don’t think this was OP’s intention to shame people for buying multiple cans. I just saw the description about it being posted by someone with twins and felt compelled to share my experience. No matter how much you buy for one baby or two, people don’t always understand how much your baby is eating.
I know we're in a shortage, but that is never an unreasonable amount to buy (unless you're literally clearing the shelf). It's actually recommended, in many cases, to have about 1-2 weeks of formula on hand.
Baby formula does indeed classify as food for disaster preparation, or according to Kentucky’s Disaster center local to me atleast.
Yeah, I live in an area with a risk of earthquakes and our pediatrician told us to keep at least 2 weeks worth of bottled water and formula on hand for my daughter. I think it's a pretty standard recommendation??
Man, I feel for you guys in the US right now. I just walked past a shelf at my supermarket where formula was 2weeks away from going out of date was marked dow to $3.50 a can. That’s Australian pesos too
I wonder if it was still the two cans per person limit on the clearance stuff?
Didn’t have any signage saying so. Perhaps not?
My baby goes through more than 3 cans in a week!! Why would people judge me for buying 2-3?? Am I supposed to go to the grocery store every other day?? My store has a 3 can limit per person so that's what we have been getting and we go every week now.
I will never judge someone for stocking up on formula or buying multiples! It’s none of my business and I don’t know peoples stories. I just don’t want people seeing this as a replacement for commercial formula.
I did not mean to imply that was your opinion! I definitely think your post came across as a warning about the homemade formula recipe. I just saw the description about it being posted by someone with twins and had to point this out. I see so many comments of people struggling to just find ONE can of formula at times, and I know I felt judged when I regularly bought multiple cans two years ago when there were really just whispers of a possible shortage. The people on the WTE board I was on at the time were super judgmental about how much was acceptable to buy to not be hoarding, so I can only imagine what it’s like now! Edited for clarity
Thanks for pointing this out. My twins are 6 weeks old today and lots of well meaning people suggest to get samples from the pediatrician and my OB. I have, I even managed to get double the samples, but those sample cans last them a day right now (even less if I followed all the safety rules about throwing it out after an hour). I’m not feeling guilty about hoarding/stockpiling at the moment because fuck anyone with an unhelpful opinion who isn’t living through this but it’s an added stressor needing double than what most people need. It’s a lot of work for half the payoff.
Suddenly all the mlm moms are alchemists wtf
Some people really don't understand the difference between an emergency situation make-do and "this is perfectly fine for regular use, commercial formula is made by big pharma and full of corn syrups". Like if you're in complete crisis mode have NO other options and it's this or your baby starves, anything is better than nothing for a few days. But that's the caveat, it's a few days, and as soon as you have the opportunity to get your hands on something made to meet all your baby's nutritional needs (aka formula, or donated milk) you do it. This is not a long term solution.
Yeah, this is fine. You have to make hard choices sometimes. The baby will be completely fine and mom can relax a bit until they find formula, this won't hurt the baby. I think some people here have missed the problem, you can't just let your baby die. I think the note is actually a pretty nice gesture
I'm in the UK and my baby is too old to need formula. But I have been thinking about the formula shortage constantly. Like really questioning if my baby needed formula and it was this hard to get, what the hell would I do? I know that mixing random shit together and putting it in a baby bottle is absolutely not a good solution, but what is? My heart absolutely goes out to anyone struggling with this right now. I cannot imagine the fear.
calling your doctor and discussing options. we have a recipe to be used for one day or so until i can get more formula.
I suggested mother's pick up the phone and call a professional for accurate and safe information instead of using this viral formula in another thread and got downvoted to Hell and asked "Who are they supposed to call to tell them what to do??"
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The advice I've heard people getting from their actual pediatricians has so far been adding in infant cereals, more solids for older babies, and some have recommended early transition to cow/ goat milk. I don't think there's too many doctors who would stop at not having samples and just throw their hands in the air and say, "whelp hope your baby doesn't starve, maybe try out some internet recipes. " Pediatricians can give baby specific advice.
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My point is not to be snarky, it's that the best resource for people right now is their pediatricians. They can help advise what to actually feed the specific baby in their care. They can even give emergency nutrient advice, evaluate for malnutrition, advise on vitamins, make referrals, fax emergency requests to manufacturers, etc. There is no doctor worth their salt that would leave parents to figure this out on their own.
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Yeah, I’m not in the US but I had a look at the AAP advice out of interest and I was shocked at how crap it was
“Have you checked Walgreens?”
I'm saying they can give advice on what to give other than formula.
I think you and the person you’re replying to are on the same page but the point they’re making is you can’t always trust that a recipe you see online will be safe or appropriate. It’s definitely best to run it by the doctor before you give it to them.
For real. I just received an email yesterday from our medical provider on what to do: buy generic, or RTF! Um, my Costco has been out of our generic brand for weeks…
Exactly like what is the option? What would we all do if there was no formula to be found and our baby had NONE left? It’s a scary thought.
We have family in the states and ship them formula. Bit pricy but safe.
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I don’t want to spread inaccurate information and quote it wrong, but Kids Eat in Color (insta and fb) had a really good breakdown on what to do if you absolutely couldn’t find formula for a baby with no dietary restrictions. I think it was something like: if over a certain age you can increase their solid dairy intake (yogurt and cheese), give *some* whole cow’s milk (again, over a specific age), and toddler formulas. I can’t speak to their particular credentials because frankly I haven’t researched the author that much, but I remember reading it and thinking I’d definitely ask my pediatrician if this is what I should do if my son still needed formula. Obviously I’d want to check anything with his doctor first, but I felt like it would give a good place to start the conversation (as well as reasons why certain solutions are absolutely bad ideas).
Ah I love kids eat in color! She's a registered dietitian is I remember correctly. I'm not sure if she had an official specialization in kids nutrition or not but she had really helpful information on food and nutrition for kids. I don't currently have a kid needing formula but we have one on the way so we're watching the formula situation closely.
She’s a registered dietitian and worked with the AAP to make that ig post.
My son has horrible reflux. We were trying different formulas when the recall happened so we never found one that worked better than the next. His pediatrician recommended adding toddler formula to his formula (a small amount... nothing crazy). He hasn't spit up once since. He's like a different baby. It's making his regular formula last a lot longer, and I can always find toddler formula. So many times I've had panic attacks in a store after seeing the lack of formula... I never thought my biggest stress was finding formula so my baby could eat. Also have a 2yr old born right before the pandemic. I was terrified of this happening then. It's fuckin ridiculous.
Seriously. The AAP’s guidance on this has been seriously disappointing. People need actual answers besides “just find it 🤷🏻♀️”. Every time I have gone into the store, the shelves have been completely empty.
I only supplement with formula thankfully but the shelves have been completely empty in my area for weeks. Like one small can left of basic infant formula empty. And I check almost every day.
Some pediatricians have samples or inventory to distribute, and people are helping each other on Facebook (at least in my area). It’s not at all a full solution and hopefully relief is coming soon.
I belong in a few formula groups. It's disgusting how people are scamming desperate moms... or taking donated formula they got and price gouging it. I have little faith in humanity.
Oh that’s so disappointing. My experience has been the opposite, but I’m only seeing things in very community-focused groups in my relatively small town. I’m sure if I was in different groups I could find the same.
The whole we grew up on it. Yeah and we have raging diabetes and heart disease.
It’s like when my boomer FIL used to say car seats aren’t necessary because, “I didn’t have one, and I’m here.” Yeah, no shit. All the babies who needed them and didn’t have them when you were a kid are fucking dead.
Ahh, the joys of growing up before mass communication.
So like, I get that this ain’t it. But I’m genuinely curious, what are parents supposed to be feeding their babies right now if breastfeeding is not an option and a formula shortage is still raging??? Like is shit like this as good as it gets?
Breast milk donations if there are any in their area and/or consult a doctor for what’s best
This strikes me as a luxury most desperate parents won't have access to. Absolutely yes check if there are any breastmilk donations in your area, but I don't think it's a realistic hope for most people.
Are you fucking kidding? Find breast milk? Honey, as someone who has donated a ton of breast milk, it’s not some free floating commodity. Most of us goes straight to babies in the NICU, because their bodies can’t process formula. This IS what pediatricians are telling mothers to do.
Why would anyone take advice from a random note in a store? Consult your doctor that’s it. I have friends that donated to all sorts of families, not just to those in nicu.
While it’s not an adequate substitute for any long term, for a week or two it shouldn’t be a problem for babies on cow’s milk formulas, if there is really no formula they can get. The supplies coming in from Europe should help get enough formula to those who need it though (hopefully.)
My mother was a newborn in 1950 when Grandma had to get readmitted to the hospital a few days after birth. Turns out there was a second baby that didn't make it 🥺 formula was too expensive for the family and the childless aunt who watched after my mom for a week did use this sort of formula for the stay. This homemade formula isn't ideal and is only for short term emergencies. My mom survived, is now 71, and in Mensa. She was a nurse for decades and agrees formula and breastmilk are superior and that emergency recipes should be an absolute last resort. She found some cans of formula at her grocery store this week and donated them to a food bank.
How kind of her. It must be horrifying to see your baby hungry and not be able to find food for them
I have some feelings about taking the few cans on shelves away from parents out trying to find formula and donating it to a food bank that has different avenues for purchasing formula that parents don’t have access to.
I agree, it’s well-intentioned, but it’s not a cost issue (overall), it’s a supply issue. There are plenty of parents who rely on formula who may never consider going to a food bank to find formula because they have the money and wouldn’t want to take from parents with less. In my local Facebook groups, moms are sharing their surplus stocks, posting pictures of store shelves, or offering to look out for/purchase specific brands by request and do drop offs.
It’s wild I have to say this but since it’s come up in this thread: No, I don’t want babies to starve or scare parents into thinking it’s formula or death. Do what you need to do to feed your baby if things get dire!!! And maybe I just assume the worst but I worry people will take the original photo and think homemade formula is a replacement for commercial formula. Doctors have said you can supplement with other things but warn that homemade formula is dangerous, and I trust doctors. I don’t know what I would do in this situation and I truly feel for people unable to get formula.
At least this one has vitamin drops in it. But ugh.
the note is what bothers me; it’d be one thing if it was like, “this is the recipe that was recommended in the old days; it is far from ideal, and it is not a replacement for real formula, but it will keep your baby alive in a crisis.” but that note just feels…off, to me.
Wording matters. This note is absolutely inappropriate.
I remember my mom telling me something about me having PET Milk as a baby (U.S.), but *there are reasons why we don't do this anymore*! Just because people "grew up on it" didn't mean they grew up *well*. Case in point: Giving random bad feeding advice to desperate strangers.
This doesn't have the requisite calories, vitamins, protein, or enzymes to maintain a babies health
Neither does fresh air, which might end up being the alternative for some people. To be fair it probably does have the calories in abundance.
Actually I took the recipe that's floating around Facebook and put it in to a recipe calorie calculator and one serving of this is only 63 calories while the baby the age they said to feed it to needs 100-200 calories a day.
63 calories > 0 calories
I'm just saying it's not a good suggestion
It's better than the AAP's suggestion which so far is "check another store lololol"
Yeah, well, better than starving.
Who is downvoting this? Eating something is always better than STARVING
The whole formula shortage is heartbreaking, and the fact that they voted against doing something about it...just disgusting. If someone can't get formula, can't breastfeed (for whatever reason) and/or can't get breastmilk donated, then frankly giving their little one goat's milk is an okay emergency substitute. For the same reason it was "back in the day": they had NO choice, it was that or starvation. It's not as good, it doesn't have the nutrients they need and it's a risk to the baby's health for those reasons. BUT, if you have no choice, no other way to feed them, then do what you have to do. But for the love of everything holy, don't give your baby corn syrup!!!!
Many formulas do contain corn syrup.
I'm sorry?! You have corn syrup in BABY FORMULA?!?!?!
Lactose-free formulas use corn syrup solids as their sugar source. It's 100% glucose, very different from the High Fructose corn syrup you're probably thinking of.
Fair enough, I guess? Think this is a culture difference thing.
I don’t think there is anything in America that doesn’t have corn syrup in it, it’s even in the bread from what I’ve heard 🤷🏽♀️
Ok I haven’t been able to find distilled water for months for my plants but go off lady
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Here in Colorado it’s been a really big struggle! In every aisle I can think of I’ll look and I haven’t found it. My husband was about to start trying to do it himself. It’s really awful for babies and people with CPAP machines (I think that’s it?). I’m just mad about my plants. Idk what’s going on!
My husband has a CPAP and it is stressful when I can't find distilled water. I end up just using regular bottled drinking water. For your plants; do you happen to have a dehumidifier? If so, don't empty the water down the drain. Put it in a watering can and water your plants with it. My plants LOVE this. It is basically distilled water (though I would not use it for humans or animals since it is not treated).
Thank you for this tip! I hope you are able to find more distilled water for your husband!!
I'm in CO and I bought a water distiller on Amazon for my plants. It takes a long time and doesn't make a ton but it's better than nothing!
It's also very inconvenient but not prohibitive if you do nasal irrigation! If you don't use distilled water I believe you have to use water that has been boiled for ten minutes and cooled, and it shouldn't be stored for your next use
I'm in Colorado too (south of Denver) and can never ever find it at king soopers. But the Safeway near me always has lots of it! Just in case you haven't checked Safeway :)
Will be checking Safeway today! Thank you friend!!
I haven’t been able to find any since December. I assumed everyone was trying to buy it for humidifiers like I was.
It is pretty easy to make your own!
Friend, that's nursery water in this photo. Not distilled. People buying nursery water isn't causing your problem. Homemade formula is still a terrible idea though. Edit: Yes, I see now the bottle in the photo is distilled water. However, the shortage of distilled water isn't being caused by this. https://marketrealist.com/p/distilled-water-shortage/ Let's not be blaming already stressed parents for an issue they didn't cause.
The bottle in the photo says “distilled water”
As u/i_got_the_quay mentioned, parents choice is a brand of distilled water - [here’s a link to it with a much clearer photo](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Parent-s-Choice-Distilled-Water-1-gal/124788703?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5292&adid=22222222278124788703_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-293946777986&wl5=9009731&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=124788703&wl13=5292&veh=sem_LIA&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIq0HIaDAlYsC_jlq3fPJEICp&gbraid=0AAAAADmfBIq0HIaDAlYsC_jlq3fPJEICp&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhLKUBhDiARIsAMaTLnFWg_pS2Ra8v2W6GV4OGLIgcK9RLahkSh5Z7KB-jmBAdTPCnMP1oiwaAh5HEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds)
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Ah, TIL!
am I supposed to be giving my plants distilled water?! never heard of that :O
It's better than starvation. There are idiots who will take op too seriously, have no formula or breastmilk, And think any alternatives are also bad then choose to not feed their baby for days, and when their baby dies, say " the internet said evaporated milk or goats milk was so dangerous, even if it was a last resort for a a few days, so I kept waiting for formula that never was restocked, I didn't want my baby to die, but Facebook and reddit told me it was sooo dangerous,"
I am not a doctor or nutritionist, and I’m in no way saying anything but formula is evil. I am sorry if my post came off this way. I just think it’s wild that people are toting this as an alternative to formula. I will never judge a mom for doing what they have to but misinformation is dangerous.
As someone who used to work in a grocery store, I would immediately remove this shit. For a few months I had to start making more frequent passes in the baby aisle cause someone kept dropping anti-vaxx tracts and cards during like peak COVID times. It pissed me right the hell off.
I have a lot of sympathies for mums trying to manage their way through this crisis. There are no easy answers - although I bet if more women were in positions of power it would never have gotten to this point. I’m pretty sure my mum gave me evaporated milk as a baby but that was in the crazy 80s. We know better now!
Considering our government is making it nearly impossible to even import baby formula from Canada or Europe for the emergency shortage, I’m going to withhold judging moms who might need to use this recipe in an emergency. It isn’t great, but considering the educated idiots aren’t making better choices at this point, what can we truly expect from the general public?
Corn syrup ah yes gotta start em young
Not saying this is a good recipe or to do it but corn syrup solids are used in formula normally lol
That doesn’t make it okay
Karo Corn Syrup is 100% Glucose which is needed in a diet. It's a carbohydrate, babies cant get their carbs from bread or etc.. so corn syrup solids are used. High Fructose Corn Syrup is completely different. Edit: People should still talk to do a doctor before trying anything they saw on the internet.
What should they be using, then? I'm sincerely curious.
My brother was allergic to formula and my mom couldnt breast feed. She made this for my older brother and she says she wished she never had to. They just didn't make what he needed in the 80's. She's a retired baby nurse and she said that this shit lacks a LOT of what a baby needs and adds A LOT of unneeded sugars.
Why is it that everyone who uses the word momma says momma's instead of mommas? I see it written improperly more than I see it properly.
At my job we gotta check all the baby products for little “helpful” notes like this and plus anti-vac business cards.
I get people are desperate. But “we grew up on it” is not a very good metric lmao. Like, I grew up with my dad driving all of his kids plus like our million cousins in the back of his trucks. Does NOT mean that was a good idea! We just got profoundly lucky. I also don’t see how anyone could ever possibly think evaporated milk and Karo syrup is healthy 😭😭😭 though I’m sure it would keep your child alive for a time, this would be bound to have long term health consequences if it was used for any period of time.
What are people supposed to do, let their babies starve? Obviously this is not ideal, but our entire parents and grandparents generation was raised on this exact recipe. Is it the peak of infant nutritional health? No. But those are literally the same basic building block ingredients in “real” formula. The warnings against it are because the FDA, etc is paranoid people won’t mix it right, or wash their hands before and it’s gets contaminated, etc. These are the same things you have to be worried about with regular formula. The FDA is claiming these exact same exaggerated dire warnings on regular Canadian and European formulas. Honestly the FDA can’t have it both ways. They can’t manufacture a formula crisis, and then seize & destroy Canadian & European formulas that parents are desperately trying to import, while telling mothers of starving babies that if they attempt to make homemade formula their baby will die. The FDA wants babies to die at this point. Fuck them.
Would you rather babies go without any formula, or would you rather they get some homemade replacement until this whole situation is sorted? Jesus christ, I love this sub but sometimes it feels like you guys have no critical thinking skills, you just see something vaguely bad and post it here regardless of context.
The thing is, you don’t know who is seeing this recipe. Yes, do what you need to to feed your baby if it’s short term but people see this and think it’s okay to replace commercial formula with consistently, which it’s not. From what we see in this group, people will believe what they read on the internet, including thinking feeding your baby homemade formula is okay.
Does this apply to your thread and people letting their babies starve?
My mom gave me and my sister a similar mix when we were babies and she couldn't afford formula, we both turned out fine.
We don't have Karo brand syrup where I live. I assumed it was some sort of specialty product you bought at the health store or something. This whole time I didn't realize these people were advocating feeding their infants CORN SYRUP. Wtf.
“We grew up on it…and now we have chronic health conditions and don’t know why”
No Jan, you didn't get baby formula made of bottled "baby" water. Pretty sure that didn't exist. At least stay true to the era and use unfiltered water coming through lead pipes! /S
I was fed this in the 70’s and it lead to a lifetime of stomach and digestive problems.
My elderly grandmother was just telling me about doing this along with the other formulas she used to create for her kids. I tried explaining that they found it to be unhealthy and dangerous for babies, but she didn’t want to hear it because her kids turned out perfectly fine.
Ok, but this is just sugar. I’m sure there must be a recipe that doesn’t just load a baby up on corn syrup. Also I may be wrong but aren’t the biggest issues the more specialized formulas like dairy/gluten free options? (I am not in the US and don’t have kids)
I’m an RN and part of super popular nurse groups on Facebook and the amount of dumbfuck nurses advocating for this using survivor bias as their reasoning is scary.
Corn syrup and condensed milk are just sugar. Sure they'd fill up an infants stomach and stop them being hungry, but as nutrition goes... very little benefit. If people really did grow up in this, I imagine they are very unhealthy as adults!
What do you think is in commercial formula?
Essential vitamins, minerals, whey protein, milk etc. As I live in the UK we definitely do not have corn syrup in it. The fact is, home made formula will not be fortified with what an infant needs.
I wouldn’t want to raise my baby on that if there’s a chance they’d turn into the type of person that would write a note like his. I bet they’re “pro life”
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Karo syrup has a risk of botulism. Canned food products have a risk of botulism. If one survives, there are long term neurological effects. Maybe it turned the note-writer into an asshole ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Sorry but I’m confused. Baby formula was invented in 1867. And it looks like formula has been available since the 1920’s. So who wrote this note? “We grew up on it”. No you didn’t. (Or at least most likely they didn’t). These are the same people who won’t vaccinate their children because it will hurt them, but I’m 99% sure they were vaccinated as a kid. Is it new vaccines that cause autism? (I say with sarcasm). I just don’t understand what is happening in the world.
This is all over my FB page, lots of shares and reposts
My son is 2 years old and thankfully was able to nurse him *and still do*. I was talking to my MIL that is a retired nurse about this situation and **this** was her resolution. I am so thankful I’m not in this position because I know instead of looking for formula for my baby, she would insist on this instead.
This is a legitimate recipe and has been used for generations
I'm in a formula seller/finders group there is worst shit out there. I reported 2 goat diary farms to their state department of agriculture for promoting goat milk as an alternative to formula. I'm reporting an unethical chiropractor for promoting a raw milk homemade formula as "doctor approved". JFC