To think we don't need a formula feeding month

[LilacSky95]

I have seen a couple of mum 'influencers' on Instagram writing posts about how it's not fair we have breastfeeding month when so many mums can't/didn't breastfeed, and we should start a formula feeding month too.

AIBU to think this is totally unnecessary?

Disclaimer - Not looking to start a breast v bottle debate

If others think there is a need then why not?

Not looking to start a breast v bottle debate
Really??

There are days, weeks and months for pretty much everything imaginable now, it's all ignored by most people. So in some ways meh - who cares...

Except of course that formula feeding month sounds like an advertising and marketing gift to commercial, for profit companies.

It would need to walk the fine line between accepting that of course "fed is best" and formula is an acceptable way to feed a baby, without promoting formula and discouraging breastfeeding (eg. by allowing commercial companies to do formula give aways or in any way promote formula over breast milk.

I don’t think an entire month is necessary for either but I don’t see why there can’t be a campaign for better understanding and education of both.

A month promoting formula feeding is the very last thing we need, with breastfeeding rates in the toilet!

I mean like there is a burger month, vegan month etc so why not🤷🏻 There is a month or week or day for anything.

Nothing is stopping them to start on it with some company...

I am very pro breast feeding and will always encourage and support women, especially as it isn't always as easy as you might think.

But I have read too many threads on here from women who feel guilty about not having breast fed, that maybe something is needed? Not promoting formula feeding but saying it's ok? I was solely bottle fed and have one of the strongest immune systems of anyone I know, so it pains me to hear new Mums worrying that they haven't done the best for their babies.

Some of us didn't choose how to feed our babies - maybe we need a "how to feed your baby any old how so s/he doesn't die" month?

The bottle versus breast debate is very tedious and yet another example of trying to tell women what to do because they're too stupid to make decisions for themselves.

NOT for promotion purposes of brands though but I don’t see how that’s avoidable in all honesty. It would probably just turn into an opportunity for free advertising, and the formula companies already peddle unnecessary ‘follow on’ to get around the restrictions.

I'm against the idea of a 'formula feeding month'. Formula feeding is something that's absolutely everywhere in our society already. The majority of mums in this country do it, it's advertised everywhere and it's in every shop.

I'm breastfeeding and have only ever breastfed but have experienced a lot of pressure throughout my journey to bottle feed from many different angles. Formula feeding month really would be the icing on the cake.

Breastfeeding month is necessary - too many people still see it as somehow sexual/disgusting/shameful for women to breastfeed in public and so breastfeeding mums can feel pressure to stay at home. More needs to be done to normalise it and make it so it's an unremarkable act - as unremarkable as a woman giving a baby a bottle when out and about.

I don't think formula feeding families have that issue, so a national formula month isn't needed. Also like others said it would be a gift for marketing. Can't see Amy positives to it really.

I am one of those, I feel awful about it. Even though I'm confident she'll be OK.

The other day was afternoon tea day, so we really have these things for everything. How about a 'fed is best ' day ?

I'm sick of feeling like I'm adding to a terrible statistic similar to obesity and alcoholism. My husband was formula fed and he is brighter and fitter than my siblings and me who were bottle fed, it was really helpful to me hearing that.

I think it is a good idea. Maybe not a whole month, but some positivity around bottle feeding would be great, and would’ve helped me when I had newborns and was torturing myself about my inability to breastfeed. Admittedly I was drowning in pnd, but I remember being completely ashamed when I bottle fed in public (I have twins so feeding two at once always attracted stares which I know now is because there was two rather than because I was using a bottle). This shame wasn’t helped by some HCP I encountered. They’re 4 now so obviously it’s not such a big deal, but anything that would help a new mum not feel how I felt I think is a positive.

*my family were breast fed I mean

i boob fed one and ff the other and not really interested in either ‘month’ so I say crack on, but it’s not really needed.

same as I ignore vegan month and all that. 1. I can’t keep up 2. I’m not interested in being vegan

Honestly anyone who gets angered by either way of feeding their child clearly has
Issues in general.

I don't care how anyone feeds their baby, and just because people do one way doesn't mean they have to defend it because another way exists!

Live your like and spend some of your wasted efforts spent on here into loving your children.

Ps OP you are absolutely starting a debate.. very silly to say otherwise!

Everyone knows formula feeding is OK. Any residing guilt anyone feels about not breastfeeding is not going to vanish with a formula feeding month, is it?

I ebf both my children for extending periods and YABU some babies would die without access to formula and I know of one case in my mother's group where a baby became seriously ill because their Mum was so resistant to giving formula when she couldn't feed enough herself, because of fear of judgment. IF FF month stops that then all good

Sounds like a formula feed manufacturer’s marketing idea!
agree no need at all and I formula fed both my kids and feel zero guilt about it

Breastfeeding companies market things too like creams and pumps. Also I was shamed for bottle feeding my first at baby massage so it does happen. There is a lot of judgement for formula feeding which is ridiculous because not everybody can breastfeed and what matters ultimately is that the mum and baby are happy and healthy. Also it’s easy to get formula feeding wrong with unsuitable bottles, not sterilising or preparing bottles properly, dealing with colic. So I don’t see how helping mums out with formula feeding can be bad.

Of course there should be far more support for breastfeeding than formula but ultimately supporting new parents is what’s important, and it’s not like breastfeeding month is going to make you switch from formula to breastfeeding once it’s already being done. So whilst doing everything we can to support breastfeeding, why not support both.

Also OP your ‘not trying to start a breastfeeding/bottle feeding debate’ was a load of rubbish.

Not looking to start a breast v bottle debate

You clearly are though aren’t you!

In the last infant feeding survey in 2010, 12%(!!!!!) of babies were exclusively breastfed at 4 months. I imagine there will be a few anomalies where babies are incorrectly given cows milk (or early weaned), but this means a huge amount of babies are having formula. Given that the main beneficiaries of a formula feeding month will be the formula companies, it seems an absolutely absurd idea.

Yeah I think it's nonsense. We know formula feeding is already more common in breastfeeding in lots of areas so it's not like people need encouraged to do so, and it doesn't have the same difficulties in getting established or emotional/physical impact etc that breastfeeding does. I'm not sure why anyone needs support or raising awareness of putting powder and hot water in a bottle and then in baby's mouth 🤷‍♀️

Well for a start you shouldn’t be putting hot water straight into a baby’s mouth, so… 🤣

Will it affect you, personally, in some adverse way?

if not, what’s the problem? It could be extremely helpful to other people.