Is breast really best?

[sneakypanda90]

Hello all,

About to become a first time mum. For many reasons I've pretty much decided I'll be formula feeding however baby isn't here till the end of September and I still have a pretty open mind to how she's fed changing.

However, in doing some more research just now I've discovered that breastfed babies need vitamin D drops??
Soooo, if 'breast is best' and give the baby everything they need, surely you wouldn't need to supplement?
Do you see my point? I find the information on breast feeding wildly exaggerated and how a little contradictory which just adds to my thoughts of 'whatever' when someone's going on at me about breastfeeding.

Yes breast is best. But formula feeding your baby is fine too. I wad similar to you, but my friend was breastfeeding so i thought I'd give it a go. And it just felt right, I had a couple of episodes of mastitis but mostly it was fine. And those baby eyes looking up at you as they feed, one of my favourite memories of babyhood, they looked so happy and contented.

I try and stay away from BF/FF posts because I have zero interest in how anyone else feeds their baby but I couldn't let this comment go. There are very valid reasons why FF may be better for a woman's health - my midwife and the psychiatrist I saw gently encouraged me to stop BF for the sake of my mental health. BF can be tough and if you're deep in PND (or indeed have other mental health issues), it can be impossible without significant impact on you. I BF for a short time but it made me suicidal.

YES.

Both provide nutrition.

However breastmilk also provides:
Immune support - your body picks up on bugs in your baby and secretes immune cells
HMOs that feed good bacteria in the baby's gut
Breast cancer risk reduction for mother and lower risk of pnd
A range of flavours - formula is always the same whereas breastmilk is flavoured by what you've been eating, which helps with weaning later
Lower risk of obesity and other diseases for child
The composition changes as the baby grows, and through the day, and through a feed so eg a feed starts with watery milk and changes to creamier milk at the end, feeds at night contain stuff that helps you both sleep
And it's free and less faff and it gives you an oxytocin rush that is really quite nice

It can be hard and the stress can outweigh benefits but hands down it's a better start for a baby. If companies could make breastmilk they would be selling it as a miracle food.

I’m not really sure why you’d start this thread tbh. You’ve already decided you’re going to formula feed, which is your choice to make. Why try and poke holes in breastfeeding?

Personally I like the analogy of breastfeeding being like having use of your own leg and formula feeding is like having use of an artificial leg. The artificial leg gets you around and might have some cool features but really having a fully functioning original leg would be better. Some people don’t have have the option of using their own leg and so it’s great that artificial legs are there for them to use. It’s an analogy I heard once that stuck with me.

Don’t underestimate how much the science is only just beginning to understand how amazing breastmilk is. This is wrapped up with so much misogyny. For decades women were told that their milk was no good and we simply didn’t understand how breastfeeding worked.

Yes. Breastfeeding is best.

But it’s the maternal immunity gained from breast milk that’s important. Passing on antibodies to help protect your baby from all the infectious diseases they get exposed to whilst their immune system is still immature. Formula doesn’t do that.

I literally said in my post that while I'm leaning more towards formula I'm open to that changing..... which is why I'm still looking into breastfeeding, which is how I came across information about giving vitamin D drops.

The only unhealthy feeding method is one that doesn’t work for the baby.
Being rabid about one method over another is unacceptable.

You can do whatever works for you. It’s exactly like choosing your lunch. Some people get a meal deal, some bring something from home, it only impacts the people involved.

Breast milk is perfectly designed for your baby and it contains antibodies which cannot be replicated in formula milk. I recall breastfeeding my youngest when the whole family had the flu - I've rarely felt so ill in my life - and my baby was the only one out of the five of us who did not become ill. The doctor (who recommended I still feed her through the illness) told me she'd be getting the antibodies I was making through my milk. Incredible stuff!

Breast is absolutely best for baby, but obviously you can choose to formula feed if you want to.

How am I winding anyone up?

I'm just genuinely surprised this is the first time I'd come across the need to potentially supplement if breastfeeding. In deciding how to feed I've looked into both options and it's just the first time I've heard this. I would have thought if you're breastfeeding the baby gets everything from you so I'm just pretty surprised there would be a need for extra vit D

Ohh I like that, bespoke v generic 😂

To add to my earlier post, I exclusively breastfed 3 children and never had to supplement with anything. Nor did I ever hear this recommended or used by any other breastfeeding mothers. If the mother eats a healthy diet that should certainly be enough.

Formula is a manufacturered product which is an adequate substitute for the real thing if that's your preference.

It can't duplicate the health benefits for mum or baby. Like lung development , transfer of antibodies, reduced risk of multiple health risk for baby or reduced risk of breast cancer for mum.

It's also expensive and a complete faff to make up bottles.

So yes breast is best. But formula is an adequate substitute if you can't or don't want to breastfed.

I've pretty much decided I'll be formula feeding is how you started and then comes across that finding out that supplementing with vitamin D made you think what’s the point in breastfeeding anyway.

If someone says they’ve pretty much decided they’re going to formula feed before baby is even here I see little point in trying to change their mind. Information about breastmilk isn’t exactly hard to access. It’s an emotive topic especially on a forum like this.

Thanks that's really useful 😊

The NHS says all children up to 4 should take daily vitamin d supplements. Babies who drink formula don't need to as it's just added to the formula.

Breast milk is better than formula, but I don't think that always means that breastfeeding is better - sometimes it just isn't because of personal circumstances (preference, health etc). Breastfeeding should be looked at as a whole, rather than just the fact that breast milk is a better food.

I don't know anyone who has ever supplemented breast milk with anything. There is no need. Obviously breast milk from the mother is better than formula. Formula is fine! But not as good.

I think the official NHS advice is to give vit D drops, mothers diet doesn’t matter. I’ve BF three and never quite got round to it though.

See how you go, if you're open to it why not see if baby takes to the breast? I tried with my first, she didn't take to it well and she was formula fed. Tried again with my second who latched before we had left the delivery room (c-section) and pretty much stayed latched for 3 months 🤣. However, we did give her some formula while waiting for my milk to properly come in.

With both of them, I hand expressed colostrum into syringes from 37 weeks and was so glad my first daughter was able to have the colostrum alongside the formula.

There's no pressure, just do what works for you 😊

I'd just like to clarify for those that are getting up my arse, I'm not saying either type of feeding is best, I was using the 'breast is best' slogan that's out there as the post topic.

I've also said while I'm leaning more towards formula I'm still open to possibly bf. If 'breast is best' is true it seemed strange to me you'd be getting recommended to give vitamin D drops. Best in my eyes would be that it gives everything without the need to supplement

Just because people didn't know the advice is to supplement with vitamin D (for good reason) doesn't mean it's not necessary!

Because of covid medics have learnt a lot about Vit D. Perhaps that's why vit D supplements are suggested?

I didn't supplement my children with anything. And I BF for quite a while

If you're put off BFeeding because of having to supplement vit d, don't supplement vit d 🙂

Using your own reasoning of breast fed babies needing supplements, formula is fortified so it’s not really any different in that way.

Breast milk is the ideal. Babies will also be perfectly fine if given formula.

Personally I think it’s weird that humans of any age drink other animals milk.