To think formula is an amazing invention?

[IsoBordem]

As I was sitting and feeding my beautiful healthy, happy, and thriving baby I was suddenly so thankful for the existence of baby formula. It gets such a bad rap by some people but I would hate to think where she would be now if formula did not exist.

Seeing her in the hospital because she lost too much weight in her first week was heartbreaking. I will always be grateful that we live in an age where baby formula is available!

It’s an amazing invention & I was reading up about the history yesterday since I found out my great grandma FF my grandad.

Powdered formula is directly linked to the death of about 1.5 million babies annually

😂

What a crock of shit.

@Dinocan

And to the pp who asked, it’s not ‘just the water’ that makes formula unsafe. The product itself is basically a Petri dish. The water must, must MUST be at least 70c to kill the nasty’s (something that still seems to be ignored here sometimes) so if a family has no access to clean water plus kettle/stove and energy to heat it it’s a recipe for D&V, which as we know can be fatal in certain places.

Interestingly this isn’t the advice on how to make formula here (I’m not in the UK). We are told to sterilise the water, let it cool to room temperature and then add in the formula. This is how the hospital showed us how to do it and what the government info pages show.

It's fine as a last resort if all attempts at breast feeding fail so a baby thrives but it's no substitute. It should never be a first choice.

Interestingly this isn’t the advice on how to make formula here (I’m not in the UK). We are told to sterilise the water, let it cool to room temperature and then add in the formula. This is how the hospital showed us how to do it and what the government info pages show.

That exactly what I mean. It’s basic food hygiene but for some reason when it comes to food for babies all basic science goes out the window and we chose to believe what a money making company tells us. Lots of countries don’t have that strict a ‘code’ when it comes to hcps being ‘educated’ by Formula Companies and even in the U.K. its often blurred (ie. Lots of trusts having ‘training days’ for hcps run by the industry). Formula is not sterile, in fact it often leaves the factory contaminated with nasty bacteria. Once opened, in the home environment it’s a breeding ground. There’s a reason for cooking food. We wouldn’t eat something undercooked that we thought might contain harmful bacteria, why the hell would you risk it for your baby? I’d bet good money that the reason ff babies have more gastro illness is largely down to people not making it up correctly.

Of course it benefits manufacturers to tell people it’s ok to make up formula with cool water, I think in lots of eu countries they even make it up straight with tap water, because making it up correctly is actually a massive faff and rather hard to time if you are feeding on demand and don’t know when baby will be hungry. And no, perfect prep machines are not the answer as they aren’t recommended either. When independently tested they weren’t hot enough. But I 100% agree that there should be a lot more open discussion about formula, how to safely use it and also how it’s really not necessary to buy the most expensive brands. The nhs are failing parents and babies by not having those discussions and not training staff properly to have them and give out safe info backed up by proper science.

Out of interest, around the 80's apparently FF was heavily promoted and I have seen on here numerous stories of mother in laws wondering why baby is NOT formula fed? Was there a decade or so when it was the norm?

What I needed was 'permission' to stop. I wish my midwives and health visitors were allowed to say it's ok to formula feed. I wish they had been allowed to tell me about making up bottles so I wasn't googling or crying in the formula aisle feeling useless!

I must be older than you as Google didn't exist when I wanted that advice. My health visitor refused to give me any advice about how to switch from breastfeeding to formula or about how best to make up formula.

I got a a flat out refusal - despite her knowing I hated breastfeeding, that my son at 3 months old still wanted to be fed every hour or so day and night and that I was going back to work full time.

Yes I agree OP.
Breast milk is the best, but there are many cases where this does not work well, and formula is great! It has saved many lifes I am sure.

@Marmitecrackers - formula can be the first choice, as it was for me. You don’t have to try to bf if you decide not to. This thread is about how brilliant formula is.

@Dinocan - there is nothing wrong with perfect prep. You just need to follow the instructions properly. They are the best present for new parents.

The rules on formula feeding are different in countries where they don't have kettles. In the US, Canada, France etc they say to make up with cold water. In the UK , the advice is to make up with water that is 70c to kill all the bacteria.

The Perfect Prep machine is great, if you are worried about the temperature for killing the bacteria, use a larger hot shot than the scoops of formula, stop the cold shot when it is the right amount of water and cool the bottle under the tap/in a bowl of cold water until it is the right temperature. It is still quicker than using the kettle, I used that method all the time. I found the perfect prep great for mixed feeding, ironically as it made formula feeding so easy that I had time to breastfeed too.

Regarding better formula brands, I have read that Kendamil (the only British formula brand, based in Cumbria) make Sainsbury's Little Ones formula. Another option is Hipp Organic, they are a bit cheaper than Aptamil (brand of Danone, they also make Cow and Gate) and I don't think they are a large enough brand to have the same bad reputation?

[quote Parker231]@Dinocan - there is nothing wrong with perfect prep. You just need to follow the instructions properly. They are the best present for new parents.[/quote]
If they want to FF.

My standard present to new parents is a perfect prep - obviously I check first they are planning on ff! It’s a very popular present and well received.

@Parker231, do you work for Tommee tippee?

No. Wish I had shared in them ! And wish perfect prep had been around when my DC’s were born.

Sorry, that was meant as a joke but I realised after sending that it may have come across as really bitchy.

Tbf if I had FF I definitely would have had one, everyone I know who has one says they wouldn't be without it and none have had any issues with water temperature.

If it wasn’t for formula I would have killed myself, after being up for 3 days straight due to her sitting on me for 7 hours straight all 3 nights (she has upper lip tie, that the HV and GP were clueless about) and my nipples being shredded, I nearly squashed her as I passed out from tiredness feeding her. I swapped to bottles the next day, my Mum stayed overnight and had her for me and I finally got some sleep. I later found out (I was given no antenatal and zero help at hospital and by the visiting Midwives that she was latching wrong and I was feeding in a really awkward position.

@sqirrelfriends @Parker231 I have one! I breastfed dd1 but dd2 is formula fed and the perfect prep is a godsend. You need to make sure it’s well cleaned and you follow instructions but it’s so useful. Haven’t had any issues.

@FuckeryOmbudsman

Infants were generally wet nursed, given goats milk or given cows milk modified to make it more digestible (essentially formula, but home made)

Powdered formula is directly linked to the death of about 1.5 million babies annually

And not receiving breast milk is implicated in hundreds of thousands of deaths from other causes.

Of course it's a perfectly valid feeding choice, and is normally safe amongst the affluent. But I'm uneasy about praising it as a life saver when it's record shows that overall the picture is not so clear.

Powdered formula is directly linked to the death of about 1.5 million babies annually Utter NONSENSE!!!!!

I was formula-fed. My child was breast-fed.

Both are good safe options where I live. Both are encouraged by some and stigmatized by others. Both are nobody else’s business whatsoever.

Hard not to mock the deliberately vague faux-concern of some on this thread.....

@Clearthinking

Out of interest, around the 80's apparently FF was heavily promoted and I have seen on here numerous stories of mother in laws wondering why baby is NOT formula fed? Was there a decade or so when it was the norm?

Yes. In the 70s and 80s in particular, not only was FF heavy promoted, but breastfeeding and the supply and demand rule was not understood. New mothers were given faulty advice about BF that led to their supply being damaged and many were simply unable to continue.

@Marmitecrackers

It's fine as a last resort if all attempts at breast feeding fail so a baby thrives but it's no substitute. It should never be a first choice.

Utter bollocks. It was my first choice on all three occasions.

Why shouldn't it be? I wanted my body back after months of pregnancy and had no wish at all to breastfeed.

@Marmitecrackers

It's fine as a last resort if all attempts at breast feeding fail so a baby thrives but it's no substitute. It should never be a first choice.

No, it's a perfectly fine first option A mothers mental health and physical needs matter too you know BF simply isn't suited to all women for many reasons I'm GLAD I FF from the first 24hrs, it suited me best. I got to bond with dd, not feel like a cow who is nothing more than a milk bar. I didn't need to ruin myself mentally to try try and try again

@squeekums

“it suited me best. I got to bond with dd, not feel like a cow who is nothing more than a milk bar. “

The act of breastfeeding actually releases oxytocin, so I’m not sure what you mean by you got to bond because you were bottle feeding instead of breast feeding.

I’ve never felt like a cow or a milk bar. I love breastfeeding it is a very special time for you and your baby or child. I love the fact that breastfeeding is a source of comfort and security for them too. When they have hurt themselves or been unwell breastfeeding has got us through a lot of times like these. It’s just me and them. I would say it is actually quite magical and for you to reduce it to the function of a cow or a milk bar tells me something about it is difficult for you to deal with so you make assertions like this.

Furthermore once most women have got through the first few days and got used to cluster feeding then breastfeeding is very good for the mother

“ I didn't need to ruin myself mentally to try try and try again”

There has been research into breastfeeding and women’s postpartum mental health. There are some interesting articles on the subject. Women who breastfeed were found to be at lower risk of developing PND in the first place than women who do not breastfeed in one study. For women who do have PND, breastfeeding has been linked to fewer depressive symptoms. Regular breastfeeding at three months has also been attributed as one of the factors that can contribute to a greater decline in symptoms of PND.

Your body your choice but when I read comments like this it seems to mean your body your choice = validation through criticism or denigration of the opposite of your choice.

Notice not once have I said anything derogatory formula feeding.

Shouldn’t have to bring something else down if you are secure in what you decide.