'Breast is Best'

[OddSocksandRainbowDocs]

It's National Breastfeeding Week and I've seen the phrase 'Breast is Best' banded about quite a few times.

Whilst I agree breastfeeding is scientifically better, some mothers (myself included) physically could not breastfeed so chose to formula feed instead. I was made to feel like a failure by a midwife for choosing to do so.

My little one is now one and a half. She is happy, she is healthy.

I don't know who needs to hear this but 'Breast is Best' isn't always the case. 'Fed is Best' is most definitely the case. It doesn't matter how you feed your baby, as long as the baby is fed, that is all that matters

They monitored him closely and wouldn’t discharge him until he was drinking a certain ( quite large amount) of milk. My milk hadn’t come in yet.

I had some similar issues when my first wouldn’t latch - wasn’t discharged until we’d demonstrated we were feeding “enough” - huge amounts of formula that he was often vomiting straight back up. In relation to breastfeeding you’re told the baby’s stomach is the size of a walnut or something, yet they expect them to drink cups and cups of formula from day 1?

And they would give me a pump as they said it would be “pointless”.

Then they wonder why breastfeeding went so badly.

It doesn’t though, because it implies that being fed is the optimal, and that’s not true.

What a nasty, goady thread OP. Hope you are pleased with yourself
yep. I'm going to hide it now. You wonder sometimes why the formula companies need to spend the big bucks on their marketing when there are women happy to do their work for free.

WBW2022 will focus on strengthening the capacity of actors that have to protect, promote and support breastfeeding across different levels of society. These actors make up the
warm chain of support for breastfeeding. Target audiences including governments, health systems, workplaces and communities will be informed, educated and empowered to strengthen their capacity to provide and sustain breastfeeding-friendly environments for families in the post pandemic world.

wished this was more listened and many of the self frustration would be reduced.

happy breastfeeding week to all mums. It doesn’t matter whether you did it for a minute , an hour , a day , a week , a month , a year , 2 years , 5 or 7 or whether you combo mixed.

well done for doing for going through something so difficult and that many times is underestimated and that makes you feel you have to hide it to the society. Don’t feel ashamed. You’ve done a great job.

in case nobody told you today.

OP the reason so many people including me have "misread" or misunderstood you, and the reason you have nearly filled a thread is because you have had to go round in circles defending, clarifying and back- pedalling because none of what you have said makes sense.

So you didn't struggle to breastfeed? That is good. But many mothers do.

I have empathy, but you said 'for mums who have struggled to breastfeed but kept going as it’s the best thing for their babies it’s utterly heartbreaking for people to say that formula would have been just as good.', that is heartbreaking for those mothers who HAD to formula feed because they had no choice. THAT was the best thing for THEIR baby.

The majority of nasty posters I have seen have been the BFing mothers with regards to mothers who choose to FF. That's bullying, that is nasty. Maybe they should have some empathy and wonder WHY FF mothers are led to believe they are failing? They feel that because 'Breast is Best' leads them to believe that is the only thing that is suitable for babies and nothing else will do.

@Pumperthepumper But to the mother at that time, it was the most optimal thing for them, otherwise their baby would starve.

I haven’t said this since about 2008 but LMAO.

Nasty? Goady? Really? We’re grown women capable of having what we perceive to be tough or uncomfortable discussions, not a bunch of wallflowers offended at the slightest thing and desperate to shut down anyone who doesn’t agree with them. Or are we 🙄

But the campaign isn’t aimed at what’s optimal for the mother.

Plus I find it telling that so many posters seem the think women can’t have their own different opinions without being secret agents for Cow & Gate. I mean, we may be female but we can think for ourselves, we’re not a hive mind and variation in opinion is healthy.

No of course, I was just saying that I agree with you and if that is what the OP had posted then she wouldn’t have had such a hard time. But from subsequent posts, it does seem like her aim wasn’t constructive debate but to start a bunfight.

Yes but it is good to acknowledge the impact marketing from formula companies has had. Otherwise you aren’t ‘thinking for yourself’ you have simply fallen for propaganda

When you say you 'completely agree', do you agree that the government should actively spend money on something that is (a) worse for babies' health, and (b) puts public money into the pockets of multinational corporations with proven track records in activities in the developing world that have resulted in the deaths of thousands of babies?

Unless the mother has a disease that can be transferred to her baby through her milk then breast is most definately best. Not only is it the an opium food for babies in terms of general nutrition & temperature it contains exactly the right ammount of protein & fat. Humans tend to consume far too much protein & fat. Milk derived from cows ( & other mammals) contains much too much protein & fat leading to overweight infants who are then much more likely to become overweight/ obese adults. The research is out there if you look for it.

Who cares what anyone else thinks. I formula fed and my son is fine. I don't care who breast feeds or formula feeds. I have friends who did both and we don't judge either.

What do you mean it’s not “valid”?
do you mean breast milk and breast feeding is best isn’t a valid argument?

It was the last resort
it wasn’t and isn’t the best way to feed a human baby

Probably the healthiest post on here tbh

The government should fund formula. They already have for decades for those on low incomes with Healthy Start (in England, Wales & NI) and Best Start (Scotland).

It started as just formula and milk, then expanded to fruit, vegetables, and pulses along with vitamins.

Maybe it's the area I live in, but Healthy Start is well advertised here in many shops and through HCPs & baby clinics which happily discuss which formulas can be bought. 'Fed is best' is already well established here.

We've even had researchers try to see if funding for breastfeeding support and supplies would help boost our numbers and reduce the stigma as it's pretty bad around here. That got torn apart on here for being mean to formula feeders and the mothers who took part were torn apart for only breastfeeding for the vouchers and didn't really care. Some people will always find a way to be nasty, whatever you do.

Come off it you know that this thread is goady
tne fact you’ve spent umpteen pages reframing what you claim you didn’t mean is proof of that alone without the rest of us wading in

I think in real life this is the case
i am a big supporter of breastfeeding
I’m an extended breast feeder having breastfed two of my children to school.

I have loads of friends that formula feed
not so many that breastfeed

we don’t hate each other !

I want the campaign to be 'Fed is Best'"

But why would that need to be a campaign? Nobody is saying that not feeding babies is a good idea 🤔

Exactly. Fed is a basic need.

When you say you 'completely agree', do you agree that the government should actively spend money on something that is (a) worse for babies' health, and (b) puts public money into the pockets of multinational corporations with proven track records in activities in the developing world that have resulted in the deaths of thousands of babies?

Formula might not be as good as breast milk but it's not unhealthy or bad for babies. Despite the efforts of some posters it's not comparable to junk food or smoking. Polarising it in that way isn't helpful.
I think women and families should be supported to feed their babies - be that breastfeeding or formula.
I FF for a number of reasons (including a medical reason) and thankfully the cost of formula wasn't something I had to factor into that decision. Not every family is in the same situation.