5. Certain components in formula milk are either unnecessarily high in quantity or hard to absorb by the body.  This means that the body has to deal with the 'excesses' and leads to strain put on organs such as the liver and kidneys.  E.g. Although breastmilk has lower iron content than iron-fortified formula milk, the iron is of better 'bioavailability' and thus easily absorbed by the body.

6. The main ingredients in formula milk include skimmed cow's milk (which is the by-product of butter making) and whey (which is the by-product of cheese making), and vegetable oil such as palm and coconut oil.  The reason for using these ingredients is not so much because they are good, or they are similar to breastmilk component.  Goats milk, for instance, is a closer match to human milk than cow's milk.  The main reason for using these ingredients is because they are easily available and they are cheap; so instead of throwing away the by products, why not make full use of them?

See this for more information on the ingredients of formula milk: http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_about_formula.html

7. Formula  milk has far less than what breastmilk can offer.  Whatever good things formula milk has, breastmilk has them in the correct form and proportion.  On the other hand, there are loads of things that breastmilk has but formula milk does not have.  As I said earlier, giving your baby formula is not giving him all that 'wonderful ingredients' that the formula companies claim that the formula milk has.  It is actually depriving your baby of all the rest of the wonderful things that breastmilk has but formula milk does not have.

8. There is actually a Code of Ethics on the Sale of Infant Formula Products in Singapore.  Under the Code,

• All information on breastfeeding can only be distributed through or conducted by healthcare professionals.
• Infant food companies, or their representatives may not pay for or conduct mothercraft-like services (eg. home care programmes, hotlines, soliciting mothers, baby clubs, newsletters, talks on infant care).
• In hospitals, infant formula cannot be distributed as routine, and discharge packets cannot contain infant foods.
• Product samples of infant food is not allowed.
• Product advertising and promotion of infant food including point-of-sale promotions; baby shows; display of samples, pamphlets and posters at polyclinics, maternity wards, paediatric clinics and family doctors' practices are not allowed.

Stretching the Rules 2001 - Formula Milk

There are so much more information on formula milk and the websites listed in the following link provide some good information:

http://www.kellymom.com/nutrition/infant-formula.html