I'll probably get a lot of hate for this but I've been wondering recently whether breastfeeding is really as beneficial as we are led to believe. I've read all the NHS pamphlets, listened to all the midwives etc and did exclusively breastfeed my LO for the first 4 months of his life. I've found it super difficult, not just in terms of an inconvenience to me but also my baby was not gaining sufficient weight, crying constantly, getting coughs and colds on a weekly basis, he had jaundice for like two months and generally wasn't a very happy child.
We switched to formula two months ago and what a change - turns out baby has grown to be on 98th centile in length, chubbier (back on his centile from birth), happy, smiley, doesn't get any colds now, very sociable. Whinges here and there but nothing like before.
I was talking to my friend about breastfeeding the other day and she was very proud she's managed to exclusively breastfed her youngest up until she was six months, she "never had a drop of formula milk" while her firstborn was combination-fed. Then it struck me that she'd also complained previously that her daughter (now 6) is underweight and underperforming academically whereas her son is a bit of a golden child and succeeds at everything he sets his mind to. Obviously I don't dare to suggest this is just down to the feeding method in their early childhood, but just wonder.
Just wonder what are your experiences with this? Is it always "breast is best" for their long term development?
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Behaviour/development
Formula vs Breastfed babies in the long term
43 replies
shewhocannotbenamed · 25/04/2017 16:34
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