To suggest that ff babies are generally more content than breastfed babies?

[mrsb26]

...because they are fuller for longer?

Following on from an article I read recently regarding a study that suggested that of its recipients, the ff babies were generally deemed to be more calm, easy to settle to sleep etc than breastfed babies.

I know this is bound to be a taboo subject, but I must say, as a breastfeeding mother myself to a 4 month old dd, I have considered whether she'd be more satisfied on formula. She's not the easiest of babies and, to me, seems fussier and more demanding than her formula fed peers.

For example, she is really hard to settle to sleep for naps. She will sometimes feed to sleep, but not always (I know this is a debate on itself). I have never been to the shops or out for a walk for half an hour without her fussing (even if it's just for a little bit). She will sit on my knee or go to someone else for five minutes tops before fussing and starting to cry.

I'm not doubting the benefits of the quality of breastmilk, obviously. I guess I just feel like I'm filling up a tank that's emptying as quick as it's filling^^ and that she's never fully satisfied. I know breastmilk is digested quicker, but still.

She has no issues re: reflux, tongue tie or anything either.

Of course there are behavioural differences amongst all babies, but as a general rule, what is your opinion? Interested to hear from anyone who has perhaps breastfed one baby and formula fed another.

We're not in an impoverished country though we have access to clean safe water.

Exactly. We have a perfectly safe alternative.

I do believe bf is better but the way some of you are talking formula is poison.

The health benefits are there but there are lots of other contributing factors too.

I also agree bf is better for immunity, but I don't agree it has many long term benefits like higher IQ.

I also think women who breastfeed are usually middle class, take lots of time off work and are educated which will have an impact

It's not as though there are loads of people hobbling around dying because they were ff. You can't even tell.

Yes there are health benefits but are we all the perfect weight? Do we all eat only natural food? Do we avoid any prescription medication? What about pollution?

Exactly pyjama

Pyjama - it's not 'just another choice'

Infant formula or breastmilk is all a baby may consume for an entire 6 months during their period of fastest development. It's also a decision - well the decision to ff - where there is likely to be no chance to change our minds on. We really can't treat it as though it's nothing more than a lifestyle choice dominated by the considerations of adults, and the interests of babies very much at the margins.

Where else does that happen in our child's life? With education, housing, weaning diet, there is always the chance to reconsider and most of these things are multi-faceted.

The only choice I can think of off the top of my head which is also irrevocable is the decision to immunize. In relation to this the vast majority choose to follow the recommendations of health professionals. It's only in relation to infant feeding that people ignore the recommendations en-masse, and they do so for reasons which are largely cultural. (If anyone wants to argue with feeding decisions being driven by culture rather than by biology etc, the very strong influence on initiation and continuing of breastfeeding in the uk by age, social class, nationality, education and ethnicity suggests otherwise).

If you want to start removing women's choices which some of you seem to be implying then you will have to also enforce women being the ideal weight upon becoming pregnant, the ideal age, in perfect health...

Ah, I see, the bunfighting has commenced - I don't know whether to post or

The main thing in this recurring debate that is have problems with is the use of the word 'choice': I utterly agree it is every woman's/family's choice to decide which way to feed their children, I just don't believe that there is a truly free and informed choice, support and equally valid. There just isn't - it varies hugely of course, depending on lots factors, education and where one lives being two of them, but BFing has become the 'other', the conscious choice a women has to make and then all to often 'defend', rather than the expected, the normal, the default-option. That is what bothers me - not anybody individual way of how they ended up feeding their children, but the assertion that there is in all cases a 'choice'.

Fwiw, I have BF, FF and mix-fed the 4 of mine - can't say that I can tell the difference between them IQ/eczema or otherwise.
IMO if everybody were entirely happy with their way of feeding their DCs, then these debates would not get so heated and personal.
I am quite sure that we all strive to do the best we can for our DCs under the given circumstances

Ahem, having reread that, just for the record, I can keep my DCs apart, but no by the way they had been fed when they were infants

Mini I have spoken earlier in the thread about our culture in the uk not being geared towards breastfeeding.

I am very pro breastfeeding despite not having done it for long myself. I do a walk once a year with a group from the children's centre to ask businesses to display posters saying breastfeeding welcome.

I see little point in snide comments on an Internet forum which some have done.

How many of you who have come on here saying that basically women who don't bf are selfish, don't care and are detached from their babies, how many have done anything to help another breastfeeding woman?

PDog
I agree that breastfeeding needs to be normalised. It isn't right that women feel they have to hide away or cover their child when feeding. My mum breastfed my DB and l remember her hiding away upstairs when we had visitors. And that was in her own home!

I chose to bottle feed. For me that was the right decision and nobody can tell me I'm wrong because they don't have my reasons, they haven't lived my life. And yes people can call me selfish but I have my reasons and yes they are about me and how I feel. So I suppose I am selfish but with perfectly legitimate reasons.

I said earlier I reluctantly stopped but not one hcp ever asked me what could have helped me carry on.

Just a big X in the failed box.

It's all those little things that contribute to women not continuing.

I can remember needing to express milk to give my nipples a break and visitors turning up and me thinking "will you all just fuck off".

I don't think I've said anything horrible about mothers who don't breastfeed, but I do my best to help people who are struggling. I wanted to train to be a breastfeeding counsellor but dropped out quite early on because I couldn't handle the hatred.

Also mini don't something like 87% of women start breastfeeding? So a minority who don't bf from the offset.

Not really a lifestyle choice more something going wrong between starting and giving up.

Clearly the guilt trips and formula bashing aren't changing things.

pyjama that's pretty shit, if they don't know why people stop how can they support people who want to carry on?

I din't realise many demand fed ff babies. I thought there were guidelines on roughly how much a baby was supposed to have a day, usually spaced out because it's possible to overfeed a ff baby.

bam I have no idea how it's possible to over feed a baby. If my baby isn't hungry he won't take it. I imagine that's the same for bf and ff

Except bf comfort feed a little. I meant that if the baby doesn't want it it won't take the breast or bottle

From my experience baby's even ff ones are pretty good at regulating themselves. If they're not hungry they won't have it.

bam the overfeeding thing comes from people apparently forcing babies to finish their bottle. How they would do this I do not know as if my baby isnt hungry he refuses to feed.