I saw mentioned on another thread about the risks associated with ff, I didn't know there were any, can someone please elaborate for me.

[insertwittynicknameHERE]

I bf DD for 7.5 months and after many struggles and useless gp, mw and hv, I ended up giving up. I was devastated and hated the thought I could no longer feed her myself.

I however did not worry about any adverse affects to putting her on formula as I didn't know there could be IYSWIM.

Please someone enlighten me.

(Please don't let this thread to turn into a FF v's BF debate though.)

There are risks associated with ff, but (I think I'm right but happy to be corrected) they apply up to 6mo, when milk is the only source of food. Once the baby is eating and having milk as part of the diet, then the effect is much lessened. Did you mean 7.5 months btw - never heard anyone talk about giving up after that long!
The "risks" of ff are just the "benefits" of bf, in reverse. Saying bf has benefits normalises ff, so that wording is just an attempt to make bf the norm.

I think what was meant was that the fact the breastfeeding has benefits could also be expressed as formula feeding having 'risks' as in a lack of benefits. But I think if you have done so well and bf'd to 7.5 she'll have had much of the benefit anyway. does that make sense?

All the time that people talk about the benefits of breastfeeding, they should actually be talking about the risks of formula feeding.

For instance: your baby is less likely to get gastroenteritis if you breastfeed. This should actually be expressed as your baby is more at risk of gastroenteritis if you formula feed.

It is like saying about smoking: if you don't smoke, you are less likely to die of cancer. What you hear said though is that if you smoke, you are more likely to die of cancer.

Not smoking is the biological norm. Therefore smoking is associated with risk.

Breastfeeding is the biological norm, therefore formula feeding (not breastfeeding) is associated with risk.

So you can look at any list of breastfeeding "benefits" and reword them as they should be worded to see the risks.

There is an excellent article on this subject by Diane Weissinger. I can't find the link at the moment, but will come back later with it.

Sorry when I said never heard anyone talk about giving up after that long I meant the terminology, not that I didn't believe you! I think a tiny proportion of babies have any breastmilk at 6 months- so you have done reallywell

Oh and there are risks of incorrectly mixing formula etc - but you are past that!

FOund the article here

Oh okay I see, yes I bf DD until she was 7.5 mo and I so desperately wanted to carry on until she was at least a year old but I just couldn't.

I had recurring mastitis which I could cope with but then I kept getting thrush and my GP would no treat me or DD as DD was over 6mo I was in pure agony, and I didn't have the energy to fight with my GP.

My HV doesn't know one end of a baby from the other and we have no local NCT etc here. I did contact LLL and they said it sounded like thrush and to contact GP, I was going round in circles.

I am so determined to BF this lo for much longer and our maternity home have a dedicated team of MWs and HVs all supporting women who BF.

at your GP not treating you because LO was over 6mo!
Presumably you were just expected to stop and problem solved?
I'd complain about that

I think the best way of expaining it is to say that breastfeeding is the normal, physiological way to feed, and when it's said 'breastfeeding has benefits' or 'breastfeeding protects against x y and z' or 'breastfed babies have less risk of a,b, and c' it's actually more correct to say 'formula feeding has risks' and 'formula fed babies do not have protections against x, y and z' and 'formula fed babies have a higher risk of a,b and c'

However, in your case, after bf for 7.5 mths, any risks of formula feeding are really reduced - though you deserve to be angry with your healtcare professionals if they were unable to support you continuing for longer.

Hope this helps.

Stealth - 15 per cent of babies are breastfed at 9 mths (the longest the major set of UK stats go up to), so it's far from a 'tiny' proportion of babies who are breastfed at 6 mths. I think you are getting confused with exclusive bf.

Probably. Sorry

Oh I understand it now, I suppose I am just getting myself all wound up for another 'battle' with my gp etc over breastfeeding should I have any problems again. I saw on another thread about associated risks and got myself worried in case I do have probs and need to ff again IYSWIM.

we are lucky that in this country , with our good nhs system, and good water supply , we do have a safe choice of feeding methods.

however breastfeeding is the real thing, formula is artificical.
so to combat the negative impact of bottle feeding, it should copy breastfeeding in method.

there is still the risk of tummy upsets ,(which does increase chance of hosptial stay for infants during first 6 mmonths) as there is no health benifits passed on from mother.

there is also a good effect on mothers health, with a lower chance of breast cancer, which is something we should take in to consideration. breast cancer is high in this country.

Sometimes its not the cows milk that is the problem , its the bottles and teats themselves and how they are used.

glue ear is more likely for the bottle fed, for those that spend a great deal of time, flat on back, in cot, pushchair with bottle.

a bottle fed infant has no control over milk flow, and HAS to drink milk from a propped up bottle , or from lying flat on back, and drinks quickly . this puts pressure on ears, and also increases tummy aches, and over eating. It doesnt give an infant time to adjust if they are full, and pause, stop, breathe, with a bottle.

if a infant is given bottles on the floor ( as many crawling infants are) and/or left alone in cot or pushchair , they are missing out on adults chatter, and conversation.

Poor speach /delay can happen.

bottle feeding is not a bad choice, as with all things its the way its approached that makes the difference.