Dr. Lisa Thornton on Breaches in Ideal Infant Feeding

Lisa Thornton, M.D., is an assistant professor in the departments of Pediatrics and Surgery at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine. She has lectured to audiences nationwide and has provided health commentary on the Dr. Oz Show, Good Morning America, The Today Show, The CBS Early Show, CNN, and many others.

This video is being featured on PediatricsConsultant360.com, the website of Consultant for Pediatricians. The journal publishes peer-reviewed articles on key topics in pediatric practice.

A Pediatrician's Commentary on Formula Stretching

Infant formula is expensive and its high cost can contribute to breaches in ideal infant feeding. Many of us see this in our own practices.

Some parents decide to stop formula feeding before their babies reach the age of 12 months. Others start feeding their babies solid foods earlier than recommended, which can contribute to obesity. Still others try to "stretch" their formula by diluting it with extra water.

According to a study published in Clinical Pediatrics, two-thirds of families on WIC run out of WIC-supplied baby formula toward the end of most months. Among these families, 27 percent reported "formula-stretching" or reducing feedings, which can have serious health and developmental consequences for babies.

The study also found that only 24 percent of caregivers would even consider buying a Store Brand Infant Formula, which is a high quality, economically viable option. Fifty percent of them mistakenly believed that Store Brand Formulas and name-brand formulas are not nutritionally comparable.

The truth is, however, is that Store Brand Infant Formulas are nutritionally comparable to name brands like Enfamil® and Similac®, yet typically cost about half the price. This saves parents up to $600 a year.*

For more information, visit www.storebrandformula.com. For more information on the journal, visit PediatricsConsultant360.com.