Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Bottle feeding = 120 Mars bars by 8 months

257 replies

MrsDoolittle · 25/08/2006 20:46

OOoer

OP posts:
nearlythree · 26/08/2006 22:32

Aw, thank you! CAT me if you'd like to chat by e-mail.

yellowrose · 26/08/2006 22:35

koshka - to be fair I don't think "crap shit stupid mothers" is what the article is about.

pepperrabbit · 26/08/2006 22:48

No, that wasn't the point, but if you're feeling like a failure cos you can't bf (for whatever reason) then that's how it'll make you feel.

Mercy · 26/08/2006 22:50

getoberit??

sweetkitty · 26/08/2006 22:52

I read the article as not saying "If you don't BF you are a shit mother" but rather it was comparing the way a BF baby regulates it's own feeding it takes what it needs and that feed changes each time and during the feed. With bottle fed babies SOME people are intent on getting the whole bottle down the babies throat regardless of whether the baby actually wants it. I know people who feed babies like this.

I'm a 70s bottle fed, weaned at 6 weeks, cows milk at 4 months baby and as far as I'm aware it hasn't done me any harm. We all know breastmilk is best for babies but no one should beat themselves up if for whatever reason they cannot BF their baby. It's only a very short period of their lives they will be fed for. Something else will come along you will beat yourself up for soon enough. My DD1 was BF for a year, only given healthy homecooked food but now she's at a toddler group and they have a crap lolly at the end as a treat, she loves them, I know they are utter rubbish but I'm I going to say no you can be the only child who isn't having one, sit there and watch everyone else eat theirs? No I let her have one.

As mothers we all just muddle along and do the best we can.

nearlythree · 26/08/2006 22:57

I think it's the tone of the article. So OTT it made me laugh, but then I've put a bit of distance between my pain at not bf dd1 and where I am now - ffeeding ds, having bfed dd2 for 2 yrs. Makes not a scrap of difference IMO.

goldendelicious · 26/08/2006 23:14

Hi all....

DS is nearly 12 months now and was FF. I agree with sweetkitty in that they should only take what they need, not be force fed the rest. He wouldn't take any more than he wanted anyway. And to say he was FF(mars bars - WTF?!) he's the skinniest thing you've ever seen!! His friend who's 3 days older was BF and she's a michelin baby!!

Think the article is a load of crap and as a FF mother i've taken no notice whatsoever.

nearlythree · 26/08/2006 23:25

Must admit as someone who has ffed two babies I have no idea how anyone gets them to take more than they want. If they did, they'd only chuck it up again anyway.

goldendelicious · 26/08/2006 23:29

Agree nearlythree. On the odd occasion DS would take a bit more than I expected him to, and not long after - 'whoosh' he would give me it back!! Think this was to do with the fact that he was a very 'sucky' baby and took a lot of comfort from sucking - hence why he had a dummy as well.

nearlythree · 26/08/2006 23:33

Exactly, goldendelicious. The only time ds took too much was the night I changed over and he wanted to suck and I had no dummies.

yellowrose · 27/08/2006 08:12

A breastfed baby can not take in too much breastmilk. That is exactly the point. The sucking motion on the breast takes up quite alot of effort and energy and as hindmilk is very creamy and high in fat, they will stop sucking once they are full. Many breastfed babies do "passive sucking" even when full, again this is due to psychological factors. Babies have a natural instinct to suckle and if you offer them the breast, that is where they would like to do it.

I don't think the article is saying ALL bf babies are skinny and ALL formula fed ones are fat. My exclusivley bf DS looked massive at age 5 - 6 months. At age 2.3 he is quite short (like me !) but skinny. Other bf babies I have seen are much taller, some are heavier, but these may be due to genetics and food. The age of weaning off the breast and on to solids may also be important. There is huge variation in the number of months/years babies are breastfed and I am certan this can be a key to weight gain. Not all bf babies are exclusivley bf for the first 6 months.

In fact the research says that exclusively bf babies tend to gain weight much quicker in the first 6 months than ff babies. Again there is a scientific reason for this. There are psychological as well as physiological reasons why a bf baby may gain rapid weight in the first 6 months. After the first 6 months bf babies tend to go through a rapid tapering off in weight. This doesn't mean they all end up looking skinny. Genetics and the type of food offered will also play a part after the first 6 months.

yellowrose · 27/08/2006 08:24

have a look atthis

I think it is a bit more scientific than the Guardian article

nearlythree · 27/08/2006 12:19

Yes, but you can't make a ffed baby take more than they want.

kittywits · 27/08/2006 19:37

Just a lighthearted aside, my second ds was a very greedy newborn. He shot up loads of centile lines and was v. fat. I say he was greedy because he sucked from me until he was stuffed then he wanted more, he would throw up WHILST sucking. It was an interesting thing to watch, quite wet too. He's a pretty skinny 6 year old now

goldendelicious · 27/08/2006 20:45

I personally am of the opinion that weight/height etc are all genetic. Don't think it matters one bit whether FF or BF as a baby.

thekidsmum · 27/08/2006 21:01

Kosher you say you feel like a "Crap, shit,. stupid mother". Why would you feel this way ?
It is an artical brought up for discussion thats all. I have breastfed and formular fed it doesnt make me feel crap. I read the article, it gives information, which I feel makes me a more informed person. It is up to me whether I beleive it or act upon it or not.

harpsichordcarrier · 27/08/2006 21:04

golden delicious, don't you believe that diet has any part to play in height/weight?

kittywits · 27/08/2006 22:00

I would agree with Goldendelicious on this one. I only think food starts to make a difference to already predetirmed weight/height AFTER a solid diet is introduced. I don't see the point in having any arguments about bf and ff. If a mother can't/won't bf then what choice does she have fhs? It has to be formula or er, the baby won't live. No wet nurses nowdays.

aviatrix · 27/08/2006 22:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

kittywits · 27/08/2006 22:22

It was not my intention to make anyone angry ! But I think that articles that make women feel crap about ff are pointless. If you cannot bf what choice do you have?
I think babies and very young children are very good at regulating their intake. It is only when they are older that this regulation can fall by the wayside. By the time we are adults of course it has almost completley disappeared !!

harpsichordcarrier · 27/08/2006 22:30

kittywits I think it is a lot more complicated than that.
all the evidence suggests quite the opposite.
if women know that, then they can make informed choices.
and governments and health authorities can concentrate funds inthe right places to support increased bf rates and encourage bf where possible.

1Baby1Bump · 27/08/2006 22:35

~singing to 'conga' tune~

'...lets all bash the bottle... la, la, la , la, la-la....'

1Baby1Bump · 27/08/2006 22:36

kitty- i think if you cant breastfeed you should let the child starve.

harpsichordcarrier · 27/08/2006 22:41

1baby1bump who is bashing the bottle on this thread. who are you angry with?
who said anything about women who can't bf?
I am so sick of this. It is not possible to have any kind of reasoned discussion without get jumped on.

1Baby1Bump · 27/08/2006 22:44

it was not directed at anyone. it was the first thing that came into my head thats all.
and it makes a jolly nice change for me not to get jumped on! even tho i wasnt jumping on anyone.
i do believe i read a post about those unable in some way somewhere.
my deepest apologies if i am mistaken.

the was directed at the crap article.