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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

What to say to people who say "this formula is CLOSEST to breastmilk" -

405 replies

Lucy1977 · 05/11/2006 21:56

Hi

I don't want to cause offence to anyone, but in my mind an infant formula cannot be "closest" to breastmilk but I cant get my words together to explain this to people who say "I use "x" formula because it's supposed to be closest to breastmilk".

Anyone help?

Thanks
Lucy

OP posts:
MKG · 08/11/2006 21:57

Here they don't push that very much. As long as it's used within 24 hours it's fine.

foundintranslation · 08/11/2006 22:01

Your dh screamed at you?!

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:05

Yeah,

I think it's that whole not being in control over anything complex men can get. He couldn't physcially feed him himself, so telling me what do made him feel better about it or some crap like that. He's actually part of the reason why I don't want to attempt bfing #2.

WhizzBangCaligula · 08/11/2006 22:12

And you ran to the store to buy formula?

Jesus, no wonder you didn't want to breastfeed, with support like that from your mother and husband.

foundintranslation · 08/11/2006 22:14

Oh MKG. That's

You can get in contact with organisations such as La Leche League pre-birth, and talk through all these issues, if you want.

You say bf's not for you, but it is entirely possible to have very different bf experiences with different babies. I don't want to evangelise or try and change your mind, though.

3andnomore · 08/11/2006 22:16

,kg....that is just horrendous..you had no support...please. if you lan to bf next time, and mean it....really read all the good books....it does help to be informed and know the real n ewborn behaviiur, noy the ff induced one!

harpsichordcarrier · 08/11/2006 22:17

Christ MKG what a crappy unsupportive situation you were in

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:19

Yeah, dh had to go to work at 6 am and the store didn't open till 8am. who else was gonna go? It's funny how these details stay with you even though it's been over a year.

foundintranslation,
I am open to it, I do plan on checking a LLL meeting out. Right now my attitude is, if bfing works, great. if not, there's always formula. I don't have strong opinions either way. I just have to wait and see.

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:20

harpsichordcarrier,

I wouldn't call it unsupportive, I call it oversupportive to point of insanity.

Walnutshell · 08/11/2006 22:22

I won't even BEGIN on the choice words I would have had to say to DH if he had come out with such crap. Tbh, I would question his intelligence... can't stand such blatant ignorance.

Sometimes I wonder if women are looking for a way out of bfing because they are so pressured by what others think when actually, it's great! (If you don't do it, hey ho, but it is great and I'm never going to say otherwise.)

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:23

3andnomore,

I knew it was typical newborn behavior, but ds was a very sleepy baby. He would eat and go right back to sleep, and at 15 months he is the same way. So I knew there was something that wasn't right. Every other night I would nurse for an hour and give an ounce of formula as a top off (as the lactation consultant said to do). During that night I knew something wasn't right. The next day I didn't even leak anymore. I think too many top ups depleted my supply.

3andnomore · 08/11/2006 22:24

lol wns

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:24

Walnutshell,

I'm so jealous of people that say they had a great experience. I wish I knew what it was like to enjoy bfing, because when I tried I was just praying that it would be over asap.

Walnutshell · 08/11/2006 22:25

Sorry, I should add that I don't have a superiority complex about bfing, I just hate the backlash. MKG - you are doing what all sensible people do, your absolute best, be proud of yourself for this. xx

3andnomore · 08/11/2006 22:26

,kg.yo really have come across some crappy ptofessionls that should know better...feel sorry for you, because you never got a fair chance

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:27

Dh isn't ignorant; he's Mexican.

In his culture bfing is the norm. He actually showed me how his sisters did it, which is funny now, but at the time was very annoying. When I had trouble he just couldn't understand why, as he had watched 3 sisters and 8 sils do it without problems.

3andnomore · 08/11/2006 22:30

mkg...bf is about demand and supply...put your lil one, espcially in the early weeks , on whenever asking or awakle!
If lil one is sleepy...maybe jaundiced.... undress and nappy change with cold wet cottinwool regukarly to wake the baby and hopefully make them feed regularly!
screaming in the fist days/weeks is normal...afterall, the baby suddenly isn't as close and cuddled up as it was!

Walnutshell · 08/11/2006 22:30

MKG, sorry hon, I shouldn't stick my nose in at this late hour. Honestly, did not mean any judgement call.

Listen, the first several days (was it more, possibly, can't remember), I found that although no cracked nipples or soreness, the let down hurt! It's not simple, I would not ever want to be smug at all. Trust your own decision xx

PS flicking through thread - also had boob shoved in ds direction but so high on pethadine did not really care... not sure I would feel the same now.

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:31

3andnomore,

During my two day stay at the hospital I saw 5 different nurses who all gave me different advice. I only liked the last one. All the other's said that we had to wake ds up every 3-4 hours to eat. When he wouldn't wake up (he was two weeks early, and I think he just needed more time to finish cooking) they told us to put ice on his feet and terrible things. Finally one nurse, that looked like Mrs. Claus by the way, told us, "No one wakes you up to eat, why would you wake him up".

3andnomore · 08/11/2006 22:32

like you say for his sis it was the norm, they grew up around it...for you not being used to it, feeling ashamed and the need to cover up to complicate things...it was a learning process...typical to some extent in the western culture

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:33

Walnutshell,

I don't think that at all. It's only 5:30 pm here anyway.

3andnomore · 08/11/2006 22:34

hm...in general I would agree with mrs claus, lol...but if baby is prem or overtired/overwhelmed/overdrugged...then sometimes they need waking more often....most bf babys need feedin 1 1/1- 2 hourly!

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:35

"espcially in the early weeks , on whenever asking or awakle!"

lol What's "awakle"?

MKG · 08/11/2006 22:37

Yeah, ds was a sleepy guy, he slept through his circumcision (or so the pediatrician said)

Walnutshell · 08/11/2006 22:41

5.30pm? Grr, bet you're somewhere exotic. Whereas I am not and should be in bed. As dh in The Big Smoke overnight, strongly suspect that when ds wakes up (any time around midnight) I will be sleepwalking to his cot and bringing him to my bed for the rest of the night. (Lazy, you see).

3andnomore (really, no more? you sure!? ) - awakle is that state between sleep and awake, isn't it? x

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