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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Out of interest, how many of us have children that have never ever even tasted formula?

304 replies

welliemum · 27/04/2008 22:15

I'm interested because you hear so many people saying "I plan to breastfeed for X time and then introduce a bottle" as if it was an inevitable fact that all children need to graduate to formula sooner or later.

And then there are loads of people who breastfeed but give bottles from time to time.

The formula companies must be laughing all the way to the bank, because they're selling formula not only to people who can't breastfeed or choose not to, but also to (I suspect) the majority of breastfeeders.

So, how many 100% breastfed children are out there?

My dd1 (now 3) had some formula top-ups between about 8 and 10 weeks, so she doesn't "qualify".

dd2 (coming up for 2 years) has never had formula. Is this as unusual as I think it is?

OP posts:
Liz79 · 28/04/2008 16:24

DD 19 weeks today, has never and will never have formula unless I die before she can have cows milk.

sabire · 28/04/2008 16:36

"It seems a lot of you have managed to singlehandedly ALWAYS provide ALL the nutrition required for every single day of baby and toddlerhood, and that's great. I applaud you.

But a lot of women can't live up to that"

Amazing really that you can do all that and still generally manage to live a normal life - as the vast majority of mums around the world who can't afford formula do today, and of course as most women did in this country until the middle of the last century.

3madboys · 28/04/2008 16:46

ds1 had one bottle of formula aged two weeks, ds2, ds3 and ds4 have never had any at all, tho ds4 is only 6wks old, but i fed ds2 and ds3 until they were three and they never had any formula, am hoping/intending to do the same this time

stillstanding · 28/04/2008 16:46

DS had a couple of little cups in hospital because of a really nasty confidence-sapping nurse but otherwise none. Would have no idea how to mix up a bottle and used to worry in the early days that if something happened to me/my supply etc we would be in trouble!

Think it is a little odd tbh that so many bf-ing mums use formula too - such a faff and quite expensive. But of more concern to me is the fact that all the mums I know (in RL, that is - I am sure there are plenty on MN who have different experiences) who tried mixed feeding really struggled and most ended up stopping bf-ing before they wanted to ...

shubiedoo · 28/04/2008 17:02

Harpsi, ha ha, of course, food too...

littleducks · 28/04/2008 17:14

dd had no bottles and no formula, stopped bfing when pregnant, she was about 15 months
ds is 4 weeks old, no formula yet and no planning on giving any

i see this thread may irritate some people but it isnt judgey, there is such a different culture around bf/bottles etc. i have a friend who had baby around same time as me, her dd has formula at night to sleep and occassional 'top ups' sahe also has a dummy, my friend cant see how i will survive without doing this as ds grows. I just say dd never had formula and i dont plan to but she always asks if i have started formula yet, as if it is a progression.

FairyMum · 28/04/2008 17:20

Ds2 has never had ff. He has been offered, but took offense.

glaskham · 28/04/2008 17:28

neither of my 2 touched formula, i couldn't express with a pump so had to hand express whenever my mum had them for an hour or so. They never stayed overnight until just recently. stopped feeding both of them on their 1st bdays and started full cows milk.

cluckyagain · 28/04/2008 17:32

Ds had it from 8 1/2 months, but neither dds (2 of them) had it.

MrsTittleMouse · 28/04/2008 17:41

DD had formula when she was babysat (which wasn't that often to be honest) as I couldn't express enough for the little greedy guts and just trying exhausted me. I then moved her onto formula at 9.5 months on the advice of the GYN who was dealing with my awful episiotomy repair (lack of hormones was delaying healing) and also because the biting issue just couldn't be resolved (she was drawing blood ).

I do feel a bit defensive about it, because I know so many people who exclusively BF for a year (or more) and I know all about the virgin gut etc etc. They just didn't have the problems that I did. I certainly wasn't drawn in by the formula companies, just grateful that there was another option for times when I couldn't BF her.

geekgirl · 28/04/2008 17:45

dd1 & ds never had any formula

dd2 had formula for some time out of medical necessity - breast milk or ordinary formula would have killed her so am grateful the right stuff was available when she needed it.

Snarf02 · 28/04/2008 18:35

both no formula

dd bf til 19 mths self weaned when 4 mths pg
ds currently bf is 7 mths and am planning to bf up to 2 years but only have am and feed before bed when a year

Both never had a bottle tried once with dd and she would nto take a bottle of expressed milk and ds never tried

BumperliciousNeedsToSleep · 28/04/2008 19:26

No formula here (though she has had many bottles of ebm.

I cannot, however, vouch for what she may or may not have eaten off the carpet

morocco · 28/04/2008 22:58

ds1 formula on day 1 then from about 4 months
ds2 can't remember but perhaps the odd bottle from 6 months but mostly bf to 14 months
dd1 no formula at all and is now 13 months so I guess won't have any
so one in three in this family

RuthChan · 29/04/2008 06:14

My DD never had formular.
I breastfed her until 1.1 and then weaned her straight onto cows' milk.
Will do the same thing with number 2 when he/she's born at the end of this year.

I can understand that women who can't BF for medical/work/personal reasons would use formula, but I've never understood why people would choose to faff around with bottles, sterilising and getting hold of warm water etc, when BFing is so natural, so easy and always ready. The ultimate in convenience food!

yaz2 · 29/04/2008 06:49

I tried formula a couple of times at about 9 months to the disgust of my ds2 he is now 20 month old and still detests formula or cows milk but still bf at bedtime.

Ds1 was formula fed from very early on as he would not take the breast he was comlpetely clueless with it and very impatient and I had no idea what I was doing wrong either.

Wisknit · 29/04/2008 08:08

2 boys. No formula. Ever.

Most of my friends have exclusively BFtil at least a year so when they introduced Cows milk.

StealthPolarBear · 29/04/2008 08:17

not read full thread but my DS (one)

StealthPolarBear · 29/04/2008 08:35

has never had any I mean! I was answering the OP but my post seemed a bit abrupt

milou2 - no cheese and yoghurts don't count -or if they do I bet you can change a lot of the 'yes's on this thread to 'no', mine included!

Dottydot · 29/04/2008 08:38

both ds's were mix fed from 3 weeks old.

sarah293 · 29/04/2008 08:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Akiandme · 29/04/2008 09:19

My 15mo DD has never had formula. She still BF in the morning and happily drinks cows milk during the day.

thefortbuilder · 29/04/2008 09:37

ds 1 had some formula down a tube in SCBU then bf for 12 weeks before top ups as well

ds2 had formula again own a tube in SCBU and at 6 weeks is having a top up at every feed. also refusing to latch on so is having formula feeds more and more

Ludaloo · 29/04/2008 09:48

DD1 exclusively breast fed until 19 months
DS exclusively breast fed until 11 months
DD2 exclusively breast fed until 12 months

None of them had formula at all.

alexpolismum · 29/04/2008 09:49

My son, now 1 year old, has never had formula. He was exclusively breastfed until 6 months, and then I introduced solids, and breastfeeding has just been petering off recently.

Regarding cheese and yogurts - I didn't realise that there were special baby ones - he has just been having the same ones that I eat, except that I don't give him blue cheese. Is he not supposed to eat normal ones?