So does anyone else find the term 'artificial feeding' in relation to the use of formula milk a bit irritating?

[bangandthedirtisgone]

Or is it just me?

It is artificial though, in that it is a man made, non-naturally occurring substance that is consumed via a mechanism made to mimic a naturally occuring phenomena.

Don't be getting sensitive about accurate language use, as well as everything else.

ok not ivf i meant IUI

I'm surprised to hear that anyone used this as a way to describe the way they fed their own baby!

I don't think it is a great way to describe formula feeding (which would be the term I prefer), but then I think I have only seen it referred to as such in a medical context, and medical terms are often fairly blunt (eg 'spontaneous abortion' for early miscariage).

Whenever hcp asked me about feeding they would usually say 'are you b'feeding or f'feeding?'

no. for one thing, that's the first time i've heard it!

Whilst it is a correct term, I do know what you mean. I think if someone asked me whether I was feeding my baby artifically I would be a bit because the connotations are that it is somehow not "real".

So does anyone else find the term 'artificial feeding' in relation to the use of formula milk a bit irritating?

YES

The problem is 'artifial' wrt a newborn baby is emotive, particularly in a culture where we synonimse 'artificial' with 'not natural' and therefore 'bad', which can make a mother who is not bfing feel like they are not doing the best for their baby.

because baby formula is the most natural substance in the world! NOT trying to make anyone feel bad by the way, I'm sure every mum does the best for her baby that she can with the resources she has.

Nobody attaches this kind of guilt to using disposable nappies and they're not exactly natural either.

medical people use it as the alternative to breastfeeding. They wouldn't use 'bottlefeeding' as there could be anything in the bottle (breast milk, formula, coca cola).
I don't know why they don't use formula though, it's just another word for the same thing though isn't it.

But whether you put you lo in disposable nappies over re-usables surely isn't as emotive a subject. Wearing disposables doesn't affect your lo's immune system, iq, proneness to allergies etc.

Some people on MN must consciously choose to use that term rather than ff though. Next time I spot it I am going to ask why.

In a non confrontational way of course (seriously though, would like to know)

Hazey - I've got a feeling I read somewhere that using disposables on baby boys can affect their future fertility. But please dont quote me! I can't remember where I heard that.

yes i find it irritating - it's got an aura of implied judgment about it. Nothing wrong with the word formula. Formula feeding mothers are not imbeciles. They know it's not breastmilk.

It's accurate so it doesn't annoy me but it's a very emotive subject so people can get very upset. "Artifical" is often seen as bad.

SMA stands for "Synthetic Milk Adaptation" but it would never be marketed like that else no-one would buy it.

Well, it is artificial, like others have said. Formula is man made. So it's artificial.

However, I can see that calling formula feeding "artificial feeding" could come across as a bit judgy. If you were the sensitive type you could read all sorts of critisisms into it

There are lots of concerns about disposable nappies and the gels used in them, it's just they are not as widely reported.

I use disposable nappies by the way. I got fed up of cloth

How on earth does it have an implied judgement in it? Some people will find judgement anywhere, I think you are inferring rather than finding something implied!

Do we have to be so sensitive to the "feel attacked even though they are in the large majority and have massive cultural support" FF brigade that we can't even use accurate language anymore? What would you like to call it? Formula is pretty meaningless as a term, which likely only became popular terminology as it was meant to sound scientific and advanced.

Artificial feeding to me sounds like a medical term for a baby that perhaps can't have milk and has to have a feeding tube or similar. I've never heard it used for formula feeding before. I don't think it's a pleasant term to use. Why not just stick to saying 'formula fed'. Artificial feeding DOES feel like it would be used to score points/force a point home. I say this as someone who has breastfed so I'm not taking it personally.

I don't like the sound of it. but tbh, I find all of these kinds of conversations difficult because I am still so upset that I had to start FF my DS.

What I find more irritating is that feeding your kids crap ie food containing flavourings,fillers,colours,etc isn't called the same.

Some bfeeders seem to think 6 months of breast milk makes their babies into some kind of super baby. They they then wean them onto a diet which includes plenty of artificial food. Apparently 6 months of 'artificial feeding' a baby food (which is pretty damn pure in comparison to some of the crap shoveled into kids)is a big no no but letting your kids eat a lifetime diet which contains an abundance of artificial food -oh that's ok.

Now if I was to raise my eyebrow and accuse said mums of artificial feeding whilst feeding my dc pureed organic veg I'd be called a sanctimonious loon which is what I would of course be.

Seems double standards to me.

Most kids are artificially fed at some point,it would be nice though if new sensitive mothers could be spared such an emotive title at such a vulnerable time.

Its a horrible term.

Ok, sorry, I know that disposables have chemicals in them and related effects on health, but i suppose, personally, when I stopped using cloth and started using disposables it was a far less emotional thing for me than when i finally gave up trying to b'feed after struggling for weeks.

I am fine with it being used as a medical term, but if someone actually said to me , 'Ah so you feed dd artificially', then it would upset me, because the way you feed your baby is an emotional issue as well as a purely practical, 'lets make sure we use accurate terminology' issue.