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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Stranger horrified by bottle-feeding

24 replies

Ruththetooth · 25/10/2013 08:50

The other day a woman I had never met before came and sat next to me in the doctor's waiting room and was very friendly to start with. She was asking how old my baby was (8 weeks) and if I have any other children. The questions soon got more personal - was I planning to have anymore children, and then, was I breast-feeding? I was so taken aback by this interrogation that I answered her and said I was bottle-feeding. She was horrified and told me that 8 weeks is far too young and then went on to ask me if that's how I'd been feeding her from birth. I kept my composure until she couldn't see me then sobbed all the way home.

Has anyone else had a similar experience?

OP posts:
Gileswithachainsaw · 25/10/2013 08:53

No but what a bitch. Most people would find a baby not being fed at all an actual real problem. Sorry you encountered such an opinionated interfering bitch.

Phone around, find the village that's lost its idiot and send her back :o

Congrats on the baby :) Thanks

BurberryFucker · 25/10/2013 08:56

ignorant old cow - ignore ignore ignore!!

elQuintoConyo · 25/10/2013 09:05

Go to your bathroom, stand in front of the mirror, grin really widely and say 'fuck.off'.

Repeat until it becomes your natural for these situations.

I'm sad and outraged you have had to experience this, hopefully it won't happen again. We ff DS who.is now 2 and never had anyone say anything - fingers crossex you've met your quota of wankers and won't have the misfortune to meet anyone like that again. Stranger or family/friend.

Thanks
howmuchwouldyoutake · 25/10/2013 09:15

What a cow -I thought people like that only existed on here!!

It's got nothing to do with anyone else how you feed YOUR baby. I had a similar experience (the woman was pg with her FIRST. I explained that i had bf at first after being pressured into it but that it hadn't worked out. She smugly told me that she planned to bf until 2 and that nothing would stop her. Didn't know where to put herself when i told her that meds i was on had almost killed DS because i bf him. Smug bitch.

rockyroadahead · 25/10/2013 16:46

I bottle fed ds1 from birth ... I did have a stranger asking why I bottle fed and I explained that ds wouldn't bf after 24 hours of no feed the midwife gave him formula and then we carried on trying also had help at home, I expressed and he wouldn't drink it. I tried very hard with lots of support but gave up after 2 weeks, she looked down her nose at me then going on to brag that she bf 3 kids until they were all 2 yrs and implying that I bottle fed because I didn't want to bf not because I couldn't ....
I was so offended weather u cant or don't want to its your choice there are pro's and cons to both breast and bottle and its what suits you .

I am now bf'ing dd2 and do not regret bottle feeding ds1 at all it was right for me and him at that time .

the silly cow doesn't know what she is talking about she is probably the sort of person goes through the day just pissing people off !!

hold your head up and say I bottle feed !! and what ?? !

HootShoot · 25/10/2013 16:51

I had the two oldish ladies as me how I was feeding my dd. I found it really rude, I was bf but remember thinking how upset some of friends would have been who tried really hard to establish bf.

Onesleeptillwembley · 25/10/2013 16:57

Stupid old bint. Shame you didn't tell her to fuck off. If I'd heard that exchange I would have had a few choice words for her.

bigkidsdidit · 25/10/2013 17:03

This has happened to me. I bf ds1 and tried very hard with ds2 but horrendous cracked nipples and dreadful mastitis meant I stopped. Lots and lots of tears were shed about it! Then a superior woman at the gp surgery said similar. I went home and cried too :(

spanky2 · 25/10/2013 17:05

I bottle fed both my ds. They were both healthy babies . There is nothing wrong with bottle feeding .

spanky2 · 25/10/2013 17:07

I didn't want to breast feed. They were bottle fed from birth . Tbh that woman should mind her own business .

ditavonteesed · 25/10/2013 17:11

a total stranger gives a tiny rats ass how you feed your baby, she clearly has issues, you do not. Shocking. I would have had words if I had heard the exchange, ignore and be glad that you know all about boundaries. Smile

Pootles2010 · 25/10/2013 17:11

Oh ffs. What an awful cow - sorry you had to deal with that op. I hate the way people seem to judge women for anything we bloody do Angry

absentmindeddooooodles · 25/10/2013 17:13

I had this too. I bf ds from birth.....but after 3 months had to give up as he was allergic to my milk. So he went o to soya formula. Just like you I was sat in the doctore when some old busy body came over and said...

" its always young mothers like you ( I was 21) who stick their babies on tje bottle. Breasts are not for sex. They are for feeding your precious baby....this is what heppwns when children have children. Do you wven know who the father is??? "Then lectured me about contraception.

I got to the point where I was just sat there in tears ( very poorly and sleep deprived otherwise I would have stood up for myself)

No-one helped me. As soon as my name was called I just rushed away.

Stupid bitch didnt know how much that affected me that day.

Ignor ignore ignore. You know whats best for you and your baby.

Gileswithachainsaw · 25/10/2013 17:16

I'm Shock at the reactions some of you have had. How dare anyone start asking about fathers and feeding methods. I hope they aren't like tht to their own kids or grand kids. After all they re the ones picking her nursing homes.

Cheeky mares

AntoinetteCosway · 25/10/2013 17:16

No one ever said it to me but I was convinced everyone was thinking it all the time.

With a little bit of hindsight and having got through the anxiety and PTSD, I can see that the majority of people didn't give two hoots. It's unfortunate that some idiots do feel it's their place to spout such nastiness but I promise you that most people just like seeing little babies and it wouldn't even occur to them to care!

Minnieisthedevilmouse · 25/10/2013 17:24

Her coz ur the only person bottle feeding.... Weird woman.

I've had bizarre comments like that and I do bf. Done it too long etc (baby was 4mths....) you just can't win for trying tbh

Booboostoo · 25/10/2013 18:13

What a cow! Very rude and improper comments!

Don't let her get you down, unfortunately there are loads of idiots out there who will volunteer stupid parental advice - ignore them.

elliejjtiny · 25/10/2013 18:20

That's horrible. I'm bottlefeeding DS4, although I was desperate to breastfeed. Your baby, your choice. She doesn't know anything about you and your situation and even if she did, it's none of her business.

Coconutty · 25/10/2013 18:22

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SHRIIIEEEKFuckingBearBlood · 25/10/2013 18:24

She needs to get out more!
Poor you OP
(BTW what colour knickers do you have on?) :o

NoQueFucker · 25/10/2013 18:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

usualsuspect · 25/10/2013 18:43

Just ignore the daft woman.

But where did the OP say she was an 'old' woman?

Phineyj · 25/10/2013 18:48

A random woman at the Sainsbury's checkout told me off via DH for not bf as he was buying formula milk (I was not there). He was Hmm and Shock. Some people are nuts but I always try to feel sorry for them - it can't be fun being permanently consternated!

pombal · 25/10/2013 18:54

Whatever decisions you make regarding childcare someone always judges you.

Breast or bottle, SAHM or WOHM, private or state school etc. etc. etc.

I understand its more emotive with breast vs bottle.

Just remember that there is only one sheriff in baby town and that's you. You're the law and you don't have to take any shit from anyone else.

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