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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

aibu to love this blog post about why formula feeding is brilliant?!

822 replies

girlwithasecretsmile · 26/09/2017 20:42

I think it's great to have a post talking about good things about formula for once but part of me feels bad for laughing so much.

passmethebottleblog.wordpress.com/

OP posts:
minifingerz · 27/09/2017 20:47

If people can't breastfeed or express then donated breastmilk should be available to all babies able to have it.

DrKrogersfavouritepatient · 27/09/2017 20:47

omg don't actually mention anything positive about babies receiving human milk ffs! How dare you.

minifingerz · 27/09/2017 20:47

Preterm babies at risk of NEC that it's.

HelloSquirrels · 27/09/2017 20:47

Can you understand that reading that formula basically killed prem babies might be upsetting to some?

Yes breast milk helps and is recommended but formula is not responsible for the death of prem babies which is what is being insinuated.

IroningMountain · 27/09/2017 20:47

The benefits aren't worth the sheer stress and upset many go through. They just aren't.

There are more health benefits in how babies are weaned,the exercise they do and amount of screen time they don't have. None get rammed down parents throats as obsessively. It is ridiculous and doesn't work.

DixieNormas · 27/09/2017 20:48

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

jackiethebacky · 27/09/2017 20:49

On the one hand I think people should choose which ever method suits best but I think from a public health point of view it's only right to promote breastfeeding as it has many benefits.

And then comes the golden question: how do you encourage or promote breastfeeding without pressurising?

DixieNormas · 27/09/2017 20:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DrKrogersfavouritepatient · 27/09/2017 20:50

If people can't breastfeed or express then donated breastmilk should be available to all babies able to have it.
this is so important.
Milk banks are great

Headofthehive55 · 27/09/2017 20:50

You can only do what you can do.
Mine didn't have formula in nicu. dixie so you know one now.

minifingerz · 27/09/2017 20:50

"if it hurts you're doing it wrong!"

If you tell people it's fine and normal for breastfeeding to hurt a lot women won't seek help with severe latching problems until their nipples are completely lacerated and raw. All midwives have seen this.

It's terrible advice to say 'don't worry if it hurts'.

The advice should be - if it hurts her someone who knows what they're doing to have a look. There could be a problem. There often is!

HelloSquirrels · 27/09/2017 20:51

I've just read up about NEC very briefly and the bliss website says babies are usually born with it and it's noticed in hospital?

DrKrogersfavouritepatient · 27/09/2017 20:51

Well maybe it should but I don't know anyone who was offered it.
That is such a shame. I worked in neonatal intensive care units 20 years ago and it was commonly available and offered to preterm babies.

DixieNormas · 27/09/2017 20:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

IroningMountain · 27/09/2017 20:52

Why no pressure re sugar,red meat,lack lack of fruit/veg, of exercise,too much screen time,not enough language exposure......?

nodogsallowedta · 27/09/2017 20:54

A 2014 study by Kenneth Herrmann and Katherine Carroll found 3x as likely, not ‘6 - 10 x more likely’

Criticisms of the study highlighted how you couldn’t isolate the feeding as a factor as the prem babies were more at risk of infections by default of being prem

Prem babies are at much higher risk generally as they haven’t had the boosts to the immune system late pregnancy gives. To suggest that not providing breast milk is solely responsible for their deaths is vile. Often hospitals choose to give specially formulated formula to prem babies as it contains a specific blend of nutrients that the baby needs.

minifingerz · 27/09/2017 20:55

"Well maybe it should but I don't know anyone who was offered it"

And they probably didn't know to ask for it because the only time anyone had talked about breastmilk or breastfeeding in front of them it was to say things like 'the most important thing is that you're happy' and 'modern formulas are much closer to breastmilk than ever before' etc.

It's politically incorrect to mention that sometimes babies die from a lack of human milk. Even in the UK.

That level of ignorance of which the tiniest babies are the victims, is a disgrace.

SummerSun1234 · 27/09/2017 20:55

Cannot believe women are still arguing over this. Some women and babies breastfeed easily and find it convenient. Some don't and find formula more convenient. Just feed your baby with whichever works for you and stop writing angry blogs about it.

JassyRadlett · 27/09/2017 20:56

It's terrible advice to say 'don't worry if it hurts'.

I agree. But there is a subtle, important difference between 'if it hurts, seek help' and 'it shouldn't hurt, unless you're doing it wrong' (ie you are fucking up/failing)

The advice should be - if it hurts her someone who knows what they're doing to have a look. There could be a problem. There often is!

I agree. The problem is that the NHS default seems to be to tell you you're doing it wrong if it hurts, but then do fuck all to help with that. They seem to be a bit short on people who know what they're doing.

minifingerz · 27/09/2017 20:58

There are plenty of studies and they all find much higher rates of NEC in ff babies.

Which is the reason for the existence of milk banks.

Jesus Christ - some people are so desperate to minimise the risks of not breastfeeding.

I can't believe you'd take this stance on any other aspect of infant nutrition or health.

HelloSquirrels · 27/09/2017 20:58

*And they probably didn't know to ask for it because the only time anyone had talked about breastmilk or breastfeeding in front of them it was to say things like 'the most important thing is that you're happy' and 'modern formulas are much closer to breastmilk than ever before' etc.

It's politically incorrect to mention that sometimes babies die from a lack of human milk. Even in the UK.

That level of ignorance of which the tiniest babies are the victims, is a disgrace*

This is potentially the most ignorant response on this thread.

The formula is not responsible for killing prem babies, using baby loss as am argument for your cause is frankly revolting.

Oh and anyone who's been to one single midwife appointment will have been told the benefits of breast milk. Certainly under the branch of the NHS I was cared for under. I was inundated with information as are most pregnant women.

DrKrogersfavouritepatient · 27/09/2017 20:58

And then comes the golden question: how do you encourage or promote breastfeeding without pressurising?
Well, it takes time to turn things around. Formula has been sold so successfully that any challenge to the status quo is met with hostility.

HelloSquirrels · 27/09/2017 20:59

But as i said NEC can occur in New born babies so it isn't CAUSED by the formula, is it?

Headofthehive55 · 27/09/2017 21:00

ironing
There is pressure for other things.

It is right that we let people know about the benefits of breast milk. Imagine if I wasn't told about the benefits if giving my DD expressed milk? In case I might be upset if I couldn't manage it? If they behaved as if both choices were equal for my DD? I might have said ff and risked problems.

CaptWentworth · 27/09/2017 21:00

I had no idea my nipples would bleed, or that it would feel like having lit matches pressed against them every time for the first few days. Nobody ever told me that. Even when reading about BF, the 'initial discomfort' mentioned doesn't really prepare you for the reality!

I had great support as we were in hospital for a week post birth. There was always someone coming in, having a nosey and checking the latch etc. I don't know how I would have got on if I'd been at home, even with daily MW/HV visits.

We're 6 months down the line now, still EBF. It's much easier now. I'm so grateful for the encouragement I received in hospital.