Infant Formula with DHA/ARA reportedly unsafe!

As a parent, you try so hard to protect your children from dangers seen and unseen. You clean toys with bleach solutions, you sterilize bottles and utensils, you wipe their hands constantly, you watch what they put in their mouths . . . BUT drug companies and other companies marketing products created for our babies don't do the same and despite our very best efforts, our children are put in harms way EVERY DAY!

First, Gerber had to recall baby food because of maggots in some of the bottles, then Earth's Best recalled baby food because of botulism (a bacteria that could kill an infant), popular toys were recalled because of excessive lead and now . . . INFANT FORMULA isn't safe either! Yesterday I received an article that not only states that infant formula that contains DHA/ARA (the newest best thing since breast milk as we are told) causes possible death, seizures, severe dehydration. excessive vomiting and diarrhea but also that reports have said the ALL infant formula is unhealthy for infants. HOW crazy is that.

Here is the link to the article. http://messageboards.ivillage.com/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=iv-praug08n&msg=2952.1You can read it for yourself but in sum what it says is that the FDA has never been convinced about the effects of the DHA/ARA additive. In fact, the FDA initially said that it is uncertain whether the additive is safe. Even the company that manufactures DHA/ARA for all infant formulas stated that "Even if [DHA/ARA] has no benefit, we think it would be widely incorporated into formulas, as a marketing tool and to allow companies to promote their formula as "closest to human milk."" ARE YOU SERIOUS!!??!?!? They are willing to put our children's health at risk for marketing purposes!!????!!?

For those of us with older infants who are exclusively formula feed or who supplement, please be informed and consider switching to a formula without DHA/ARA. For those expecting mothers, please seriously consider breastfeeding. Yes it is hard, for some, initially. But with patience and support, it is a great experience for mother and child and clearly the healthiest! There are a lot of resources you can review to prepare yourself. La Leche League is a very popular group you can view their website for more information http://www.llli.org/
Please be informed. We can't make good decisions for our children unless we are informed!