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Infant feeding

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

fascinating info on the history of formula and artificial feeding..

12 replies

zippitippitoes · 29/07/2006 12:02

....for those who think that everyone did use to breastfeed successfully, this is interesting reading if you keep clicking forward to the next article you will find out more baby bottle museum

and before milk was considered the primary alternative to breast milk pap was popular

" The term "pap," allegedly derived from the Scandinavian for the sound made when a baby opens his mouth for nourishment, was probably introduced before its first recordings in literature in the mid 18th century. Recipes for pap usually called for bread, flour and water. A more nourishing mixture, "panada," was a pap base with added butter and milk, or cooked in broth as a milk substitute. Variations on the ingredients included Lisbon sugar, beer, wine, raw meat juices and Castile soap. Drugs were sometimes added to "soothe the baby."

The "pap boat" was designed to feed the mixture to babies and invalids. Resembling a sauce boat (or sometimes a small bed-pan), they were made of wood, silver, pewter, bone, porcelain, or glass. They ranged from very plain, for poor families or foundling homes, to highly decorated pieces for wealthier clients. Although intended as a supplemental invalid or post-weaning food, this "dry" form of artificial feeding, often inadequate, became very popular, significantly contributing to the infant mortality of the period. "

OP posts:
cori · 29/07/2006 22:24

Very interesting article, though
at the statistic for infant mortality in victorian times.

MrsBadcrumble · 29/07/2006 22:29

"Cow teats preserved in spirit were also used, being tied onto the glass nipple."

Interesting article. Anyone would think nowadays that we and our parents were the only lazy, ignorant infant junk-food peddlers around. [deeply sarcastic]

mummydear · 29/07/2006 22:41

Shocked too at the infant mortality rate !!

hunkermunker · 29/07/2006 22:45

MrsBC (nice namechange ), I have a vague recollection of reading something that says a bottle with a teat tied on it like that "only needed changing once a fortnight".

It's a bloody marvel anyone's still alive to argue about tits and teats now, really!

MrsBadcrumble · 29/07/2006 22:48

I just had the evil thought that maybe what some people object to with formula-feeding is that actually, it's really rather good in comparison to how it used to be, so not exhibiting any eugenic effect.

aitch71 · 29/07/2006 23:03

zippi,
i LOVE that website. Am going to forward it to a friend who is currently breaking her heart over a breast-refusing son...

aitch71 · 29/07/2006 23:04

although is it wrong of me to be slightly creeped out that it is run by a bloke called Michael?

liquidclocks · 29/07/2006 23:20

Thank you zippitippitoes. I can now go to bed knowing I could've done much worse damage than feeding my son peddled junk food.

expatinscotland · 29/07/2006 23:34

I fed it to DD1. I feed it to DD2 now.

Gave DD2 Haagan Daaz ice cream last night, too.

MMmmmm. DD1 ate off a street vendor today. Like mother, like daughter.

zippitippitoes · 30/07/2006 07:26

Just noticed that you did actually find it interesting in the end!

OP posts:
charliegirl25 · 30/07/2006 08:02

Message withdrawn

saadia · 30/07/2006 08:10

That's fascinating. I'm always interested in the practicalities of how people looked after babies both in the past, and in other cultures.

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