Quote - Spare a thought for those of us who have had no choice but to formula feed (my milk ran out after 4 weeks) and so had to swap to bottle feeding rather than starve my DS. I hate the fact that I couldn't continue to feed him myself and worry all the time that I am not doing the best for his health but what choice did I have ? - End Quote
Big hugs to you as sounds very similar to my situation with DS1. When I later discovered apart from in rare cases such as retained placenta or severe thyroid conditions for example milk can't just run out I was really angry at the lack of information and support I had received. There is nothing at all a new mum can do in this situation and I stopped blaming myself or carrying any guilt whatsoever when I realised the HP's are the ones who let me down and who should feel guilty. I (and many others)were/are new mums but they're the experienced people paid to help us.
Quote - Perhaps the breastfeeding campaigns should be more focused on mothers who want to BF but are experiencing problems rather than saying just "breast is best" and forgetting about providing breastfeeding support? - End Quote
Couldn't agree with this more! I had 9 months of "breast is best" but not once did anyone tell me what to expect, what a growth spurt was, how sore nipples could be avoided etc etc. Promoting something without the support to actually do it is totally pointless IMHO. UK breastfeeding rates are brilliant at birth, by 6 weeks theyre terrible.
Quote - It's not even necessarily what is said - it's the language they use (e.g. substandard - as you pointed out) which is clearly used to evoke a response. - End Quote
I'm sorry you feel this way, my language isn't used to provoke a reponse because to me factually that is how it stands and saying yes breast IS best would be lying - my post was also in reply to someone stating breast was best but formula was a good alternative. My point was its the ONLY alternative and I used the words substandard when demonstrating that point. Not to rile anyone nor casually thrown into a conversation but in the context of a specific reply.
Emotions, history and personal "baggage aside" If I held 2 white bottles infront of you and said one is "free" and contains a substance your baby is designed to be fed, the other contains a substance you pay for; it contains no live pro-biotics, hormones, anti cancer fighting properties or cells whatsoever and in addition you pay for this, from the information we have shows it may double a childs risk of childhood cancer, plus a whole other heap of other long and short term illnesses and diseases... which one would YOU say was substandard ??
I think its FAB if mums can be happy with their choices but IMHO many aren't and until mums receive the true information and support from HP's on which to make these choices emotions will always run high and mums will always feel guilt, something which I think is very wrong.
Perhaps \link{http://www.bobrow.net/kimberly/birth/BFLanguage.html\the language of breastfeeding} explains it better?