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.

Well said Dixie.
Blimey, being a mum can be hard in itself without being judged for the way you feed your baby! What's it to do with anyone else whether I bf or ff?! It's not bloody child abuse to ff your baby!
I assumed with my first child that I would bf. It was agony and I was miserable, so I ff on day 2. Looking back, I don't regret this decision for a second. The only thing I regret is letting myself feel like a failure from the bf gastapo.
I was not a failure. My children certainly aren't failures. Who the hell has the right to make another mum feel guilty for her choices?

I was pregnant at 16 and had DS1 at 17. I am the only one of my friends who didn't even attempt to bf and bf was normal to me. It's what I grew up seeing (my mum bf my DB, my auntie bf etc)

My decision to ff had nothing to do with my exposure to bf. I had lots of reasons. Some of which I've mentioned and some which is rather not get into.

That's exactly what I was trying to say earlier in the thread Dixie.
I have taught my children to eat healthily etc but that doesn't stop 15yr old ds from eating utter junk when he's with his mates! When I see the remnants of the crap that they eat, I really can't bring myself to get worked up as to whether he had breast milk or formula.
Ridiculous.

It's a.ways been very important to me - it was a huge important emotional part of my life, one of the nicest best parts of the last 30 years has been all those hours of breastfeeding. The need to feed, the let down reflex, the massive rush of beta endorphins. It's incredible and wonderful and I am so pleased my daughter is breastfeeding. My mother did too but not for as long as she wanted with me and her mother breastfed etc. etc

However in 1928 my father was fed cow's milk presumably because his family being a bit better off than my mother's could afford it. He had a special cow (a real cow in a field) set aside for his milk which was certified as tuberculosis free and was fed the milk of that one.

Totally agree DEO
I loved it

Bizarre that the argument is that no one cares
You don't care what you fed your baby on as they now live on junk food anyway

I can honestly say that I have never met a parent who doesn't care about their DC nutrition-in fact its the opposite, they care very much, whatever the DC age.

What I don't understand is why some bfers care that others don't bf. Because we aren't stopping them bf or saying it's wrong. So why does it matter?

It's the same as the natural birth brigade that go mad if someone wants a cesarean. Why? It doesn't affect you

Not one person has accused Formula of causing anything, they have simply pointed out the health benefits of BF.

I don't care that other FF but I do care that BF is being reduced to nothing/the same and we are called all the names under the sun for defending our choices.
its not the same

Well that's wonderful for you deo and cotto, but you only have to go on the sleep boards to see that bf isn't the wonderful experience for everyone. There are women exhausted after months of sleepless nights who would give anything for their husbands to take the baby and a bottle of milk.

You only have to read threads like this to see that some women have struggled a lot or just didn't want to.

Personally I think deo you were crazy to have gone back to work after two weeks and have missed out on a lot, I loved being with my babies for a year, but guess what, as you left your babies somewhere safe, as you wanted to go back to work you had every right to and I or no one else has any right to pass judgement.

You say that you are a feminist yet you don't believe that a woman should have rights over her own breasts and that formula should be a dirty little secret.

cotto other than the antibodies nothing has been proven, links have been posted several times.

Your post just says you want to be smug about breastfeeding and are annoyed when people point out there are little differences in the end

Cotto that isn't what has happened.

I think the back to work after 2 weeks is a but of a red herring, if I remember rightly Deo worked from home so just BF whenever it was needed.

It's not a red herring she did t always work from home but it's not even about her I'm using that as an example it's about different decisions we take.

For me actually being with the baby myself is more important than feeding method.

Why would I be annoyed? - it was a lovely experience , I slept loads and BF on demand.
I didn't resent or hate it so no idea where that has come from.

I haven't said you hate bf I said you hate that the differences between bf and ff are minimal.

I'm glad you enjoyed bf, and no one wants to say bf is bad. But some of us didn't enjoy it or found it difficult and so we didn't bf. Theres nothing wrong with that

'Bizarre that the argument is that no one cares
You don't care what you fed your baby on as they now live on junk food anyway'

Jeez. Try actually understanding what you read. My DS doesn't live on junk food. I said I have bought him up to eat healthily but when he's with his mates he eats junk with them. As do most teenagers in my experience.
I also didn't say that I didn't care what I fed my baby. I and another poster said that when they get to teenagers and are subjected to all manner of 'horrors', ff my beautiful baby yonks ago is not foremost in my mind!

I don't think she's saying that.

Cotto I'm genuinely glad bf worked out like that for you. It sounds idyllic. I'm very glad some women manage to find such fulfilment in their career.

There seems to be an inability though to understand that it's not like that for everyone. An inability to understand that we don't fit into boxes.

There's such tunnel vision going on here.

Well clearly I disagree that the differences are minimal!
That doesn't make me annoyed it makes me realistic- there are massive differences from the actual milk, the patterns of feeding to the emotional response, let alone the health benefits which you say are minimal but WHO report as significant.

That's the whole premise of this thread- a "content" baby is one who sleeps through the night and feeds less- this is not desirable or the expected pattern in BF babies who suckle regularly to stimulate the milk.
Applying the "sleeps through, content baby" to BF babies would decrease supply and reduce the chance of BF continuing.

Cotto well my ff baby still feeds little and often at 6 months he isn't the knocked out myth of a ff baby. He doesn't sleep through, he cosleeps.

In other words BF babies should be wanting to feed, hungry little pigs!
It doesn't make them unsettled or not content-it is what they need to do!

DS was actually called The Piglet for several months

I do understand that not everyone finds that desirable or wants to/is able to do it.

Ok Pyjama fair enough