Enterobacter sakazakii

Restless about the bacteria-contaminated formula milk, Jagad’s mom had a plan to change the Jagad’s formula milk. Yet I told her that do not let everything bother her before the government especially the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) or the Indonesian Customers Agency (YLKI) give us an official statement.

Jagad’s mom has chosen S26 milk formula produced by PT Wyeth Indonesia as her breast milk didn’t flow fluently. But, praise be to God, she is able to breast feed Jagad right now beside give him milk powder. After knowing S26 as one of some bacteria-contaminated formula milk brands from short message sent by her friend, she worried about the impacts of it to Jagad’s health. She is also afraid of the effects of long-term consumption of the contaminated formula. Moreover the price of this milk formula is too expensive. We always buy a tin of milk formula for Rp 82,000. Jagad consumes at least 3 tins of formula a month. I think it will be somewhat crazy if we pay at high price for something endangers the future of my son. Yet until now, there is no official statement for clearing this conflicting issue. The government has not disclosed the brand names contaminated.

So, based on the Ignatian principle of choosing, we should not change our old choices in the blurry situation. Not long afterward, as a new daddy, I have to search right information about this dangerous bacteria as much as possible.

Enterobacter sakazakii is a Gram-negative rodshaped pathogenic bacterium associated with infant formula. A microbiologist of the University of Indonesia’s school of medicine said that these bacteria usually cause illnesses in infants born weighing too little, in ailing infants or those who have just had surgery because the have very weak immune systems. But the bacteria can’t cause ilness in healthy babies.

On a national media, a mother of a-2-year-old girl lives in Bekasi told readers those issue were so confusing. To minimize the impacts of bacteria, she pays more attention to the cleanliness of the milk bottle. She always boils before using it. To prepare the milk, she uses hot water with a temperature of at least 70C. And her daughter is still healthy. What has been done by her also did by Jagad’s mom. But could I use her experience to judge the milk formula is clean from the pathogenic bacteria right now? I don’t think so!

It is not only Jagad’s mom and other mother demanding the government to make clearness, but also Seto Mulyadi, the chairman of the National Commisioan for the Protection of Children (Komnas-PA). I agree with his statement on the online national news website. He said, “I know the government is examining samples of formula milk, I hope they will take all the products off the market during the investigation. It’s about our children, our future generation.” He also asked mothers not rely on formula. Breastfeeding infants is safer.

Jagad’s mom tries to breastfeed as long as possible. To encourage her breast milk, she disciplines herself to eat nutritious meals and keep her heart peaceful. We hope it will be clearer as we see Jagad’s doctor next week.

Jagad is our son. He is our future!