Podcast Episode 195: The Science & Shame of Infant Formula – Dr. Elieke Kearns

Disclosure: This episode is sponsored by Bobbie ® and we thank them for their sponsorship and support of the podcast.

The Science & Shame of Infant Formula

The nutritional complexities of infant formula are overwhelming to parents and deeply tied to feelings of guilt, shame, and disappointment. The CDC reports that seventy five percent of new parents will turn to formula within the first year of their newborn’s life. Yet two thirds of parents using formula report feeling guilty about that. In addition, there is a growing number of parents who are buying European formulas despite the fact it’s technically illegal to import them into the U.S. Health care professionals who work with parents and newborns have a responsibility to help parents feel confident in their choices and their baby’s unique feeding journey.

Tune in to this episode to learn about:

• Statistics on breastfeeding and infant formula
• The guilt and shame factor associated with infant formula
• Survey insights about parents not being honest about their feeding choice
• The science and regulations behind infant formula
• The breakdown of macronutrients and micronutrients in infant formula compared to breastmilk
• The trend and risks of importing European formulas
• Elieke’s story and feeding journey with her son
• Melissa’s story and feeding journey with her son

Being a parent is really hard and we don’t need anyone else’s opinions on how we’re doing. Opinions on feeding only lead to judgment. And there’s no room for that.”

Elieke Kearns, PhD, RD

Elieke Kearns, PhD, RD is Bobbie’s Medical Affairs Lead. As a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Scientist, Elieke is on a mission to make food less confusing through her nutrition research expertise, Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) background, and deep appreciation for the complexities of food. Elieke received her doctoral degree from the University of California, Davis where she completed her Ph.D. in Nutritional Biology with an emphasis in both Immunology and Biotechnology. Born and raised in The Netherlands, Elieke now lives in Chicago with her husband, baby boy, and dog named Brussel Sprout. She previously worked at the National Dairy Council, RXBAR, and PepsiCo.

Infant feeding is a journey — whether parents are exclusively breastfeeding, exclusively using formula, or some combination of the two, they are doing an incredible job and should feel confident and supported in that choice.”