Mumsnet Talk

I am a new mum and have only recently come across the breastfeeding/formula feeding debate.

I breastfeed my DS because it is free and he is growing well and it is easy I don't think we would leave the house if i had to think about bringing steralised bottles and milk with me

I like other people's babies but I can't say I have an opinion on how other women feed their babies, so long as the baby is fed it is really nothing to do with me.

Why do some people care so much about what a baby eats? There are so many things in the world to get angry about, starving children, children with freezing homes, abuse horrid horrid things but so many people seem to get het up about well loved children drinking formula.

Am I missing something?

because it gives them a holier than thou attitude and a way to try and make people feel inferior..

^ as above. I bfed my two. Who wants to touch me?

They're bored? Have no life?

I don't really understand either. I've done both FF and BF. Am I hated or am I ok?

I kinda wonder about this too. I breastfed ds but wasn't breastfed myself and I'm pretty sure I'm ok. Does seem to get lots of knickers in lots of twists...

Since joining MN I have always wanted to ask this but didnt dare!
I bf and ff so I am with McKays on this. am I hated or am I ok?

Yanbu, I can't understand it either. I wish other people and their babies long and happy lives but couldn't care less how they feed them. I have enough business of my own to mind!

I breastfed mine because I am primarily quite a lazy made and didn't fancy fart arsing around with making up bottles, sterilising, the/cost but no, I have no idea why anyone else would give a rats arise about how anyone else feeds their kid as long as they do feed them.

Some people are very passionate about breast feeding and its benefits (which can't be denied) and have and it their mission to spread the word. It's a very emotive topic, people can be defensive when made to feel that they've done something wrong. Some people get quite offensive and can't seem to promote one option without belittling the other.

Rats ARSE even. The breast v bottle debate bores me to death tbh.

at a population level it is a public health issue with implications for health of mothers and their children

but at a personal, individual level? what works for each family works for each family, IYSWIM

I couldn't give a shiny shit what people do

I don't mind how people feed their babies - their babies, their choice. I do care about multi-national corporations that make big bucks misleading people when they are making important decisions at a vulnerable time in the lives. I think those corporations should be honest and open, especially on something as fundamental as the sole nutrition available to the new baby.

I care especially about despicable sales tactics that rely upon duping mothers in countries where formula manufacturers know their products are downright dangerous - Nestle dressing up their salesforce in nursing uniforms in developing countries for instance.

Basically what BALD said moments before me far more concisely!

<hi five edam>

I don't think the benefits are that spectacular but no doubt someone will be along in a minute with some long winded and tedious research to prove me wrong.
Perhaps I should change my opinion to "formula is a very adequate alternative if you can't or don't want to BF."

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

yanbu. in rl people are not so judgemental. but on mn they like to make themselves feel better by putting others down.
never got it myself.

I don't get it either. I made a few innocent comments on a bf:ff thread a while back and was amazed by the responses. Its quite sad really as people post looking for help, support, advice, whatever and get some quite unexpected replies.

I've never come across the BF & FF debate. Does it really happen?

Because there is societal health benefit to all babies being bf. so it is the general push for the healthy option rather than anyone's specific child.

I don't get it either - I bf both of mine because I'm too lazy to do bottles I had buckets of milk and found it really easy. I have friends who really struggled and changed to ff and felt really judged about it, which was .

I think bf should be promoted, but only hand in hand with major investment in support for bf mums - as in, people you can speak to within 24 hours who really know what they're talking about and are properly trained. It's so pot luck at the moment - I had a fabulous midwife who really got bf and showed me how to manage my overactive let-down and my DD1's Dyson suck. Without her, I might have given up. Everyone should have that service available, and then we can talk about 'nudging' people to choose bf. But it should be a nudge only - we have to trust women to choose what is best for them and their babies, and then we have to make that choice work for them.

What Edam said. And BALD!

I can't stand any sort of holier than thou attitude and sadly the BF/FF debate does seem to bring out the very worst aspects of that mindset.

The only reason I think bf is good is because for me it was easy and meant I could get out and about and didn't have that initial faff of sterilising stuff and could immediately pacify my dc when needed. What others choose to do has never bothered me in the least. Especially as I ate all sorts of things and often had more than one glass of wine while bf.

Both my DC have been ff too as I've had to return to work and there was no way I was going to express milk in a hectic secondary school environment!

I think this whole debate is fuelled by a few very fervant people who should just enjoy their motherhood experience and not use their choices as a weapon of superiority over others.

People are not as passionate about other social health issues like the amount of alcohol the population drink or the high use of cars instead of walking. When you have a new baby it is such a lovely time but I think lots of women feel really delicate I think it's sad that women are judged at such a time when they could do with support.