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

Infant feeding

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

why do people bottle feed?

406 replies

stitch · 28/02/2005 14:28

first of all, i dont want this to become a slanging match. i am honestly curious about the reasons.
im asking about those women who do not even try breastfeeding. the ones who think that it is an equal choice between breast and formula. i dont want to judge anyone, i just want to know how these women can justify denying their babies species specific milk.
my eldest was mainly bottlefed, my younger two were exclusively breastfed till they were weaned. and moved to formula around the eight month mark.

OP posts:
aloha · 10/03/2005 10:56

Misdee, it's an amazing feeling, isn't it? I literally couldn't wait to feed her! And ditto about the random sucking! Dh always laughs because she goes at me like at excited terrier

bundle · 10/03/2005 10:58

stitch, i only just caught up wtih it and am intrigued..i know these threads usually end up incinerating but feel curious about expectantmum's research. (declaration of interest: i'm an enthusiastic breastfeeder but was bottle fed)

tiktok · 10/03/2005 11:21

moondog - thatnks for your support but you are not looking at it the same way as me! I think there should be a special case for feeding issues - mothers who do not breastfeed for whatever reason probably are more likely to feel 'got at' when seeing a poster romanticising breastfeeding, more than they are when they see something urging them to buy some commercialised tat.

Expectantmum - I understand from what you are saying that the research you read appeared heavily weighted towards breastfeeding, and this affected your feelings so you felt under pressure? I am not sure why this should be objectionable. Of course the formula manufacturers directed you to a breastfeeding statement about the superiority of breastmilk. This is the law, in order to protect infant health from commercial pressures. Any information on infant feeding should tell you that the decision on breast or formula has health implications for you and your baby. If it doesn't, it isn't doing its job as information.

If you research anything else with health implications, you would expect to see this.

Let's take toddler diets. You research this, and you find that it's good to limit the amount of sugar in your child's diet for the sake of his teeth. You also see a poster in your dentist's advising a range of healthy, teeth-friendly foods with a big red cross through the picture of chocolate and sweets. Do you say you feel you can't make a choice to give your child the occasional sweetie or choc bar, and demand your dentist take the poster down because it makes you feel bad?

No, you don't. I do think it is different for breast or formula because of the emotional content of the decision, and therefore posters and slogans should be carefully selected, but I do not think anyone has a leg to stand on when they complain the information they read, when they are deliberately researching the topic, tells them formula has risks...if you don't want to be informed, then don't seek out the information!

moondog · 10/03/2005 11:27

Yes, tiktok, no that the analogy is a shaky one, but you know what I'm like, sometimes can't stop myself..
The essence of what I am saying however is still intact. In our culture of personal choices/no blame/self esteem blah blah blah, it is easy for people to recoil in horror and anger when given facts, which is, I believe what you have been saying.

Expectant mum, do you believe that the formula companies would direct you to the breastfeeding is best statement, unless as tiktok states,they had to??
I personally am angered by how small this is on most boxes of formula. Blink and you miss it.

moondog · 10/03/2005 11:29

God, know that doesn't work either does it??
I recoil in anger and horror at what I am told about Macdonalds and Disney, but they sure as hell ain't facts.

I blame my fuzzy logic on too much Claret last night...

flamesparrow · 10/03/2005 12:01

Well done stitch for providing such a discussion - I've been thoroughly enjoying it regardless of who I agree with or disagree with.. just soem nice healthy debate!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread