Bottle feeding culture in the UK

[TeenyQueen]

This morning I saw a Facebook photo of my former colleague's newborn baby being bottle fed by her older sister (toddler). I suppose it was a cute photo, but I fundamentally disagree with the idea that anyone should be able to bottle feed a baby. What I mean is not just the baby's parents but all sorts of friends and relatives. Isn't infant feeding part of bonding? When did it become a 'thing' for siblings to feed a newborn?

I have three issues with this. 1. Breastfeeding mums are still being told that breastfeeding in public is undesirable and photos of breastfeeding are censored on social media (but it's ok to have pictures of bottle feeding).

1. We seem to be moving away from this idea that feeding a baby is part of social interaction and bonding between the baby and parent.
2. We're teaching young children that bottle feeding is the normal and usual thing to do and breastfeeding is not.

FYI the baby was in a completely wrong position for feeding anyway and didn't look very comfortable.

Any thoughts?

@Parker231 But that doesn't mean you can attribute that allergy to being breastfed.

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1758780/pdf/v056p00192.pdf

@Parker231 that's anecdotal and doesn't mean anything, it's like me saying that my brother who likes blueberries is tall and I don't like them so I'm short. It's too small a group to make any conclusion from.

@grumpyorange how large is the study, does it look at other variables?

First problem I have identified is sample size: n=1246...

@RainMinusBow @sqirrelfriends this is the problem. No one including me has said that breast feeding doesn't have benefits but it also has drawbacks as has been discussed in terms of maternal MH and various studies relating to asthma, allergies etc.

As I said sample sizes are normally limited and rely on mothers recalling what they count as a reaction, infection etc.

There is no right or wrong way to feed each mother should make the best choice for her and her family. Their choice should be respected by their families, friends and wider communities. What works for one mum may not work for another.

The NHS should support women equally and be there if they need help whether that be information to make up a bottle or help with babies latch.

Like anything - something could happen - doesn’t mean it will.

Have a read of this

@Parker231 Absolutely. Sonetimes it's just random bad luck.
But if I can lower the risks of certain medical conditions occurring by breastfeeding - for both myself and baby - then I will take that solid research evidence into account.

@sqirrelfriends @RainMinusBow also with the link posted from yourselves the limitations mentioned are huge and as stated below had a high level of bias.

@grumpyorange plenty of people on this thread have said that BF doesn't have benefits. All I'm trying to point out is that it is the healthiest option, if people want to still FF that's up to them but I don't think the spread of misinformation is helpful to anyone.

@sqirrelfriends but it isn't the healthiest option for all babies.

This is the point people are trying to make.

It is and should be assessed on a baby by baby basis

@grumpyorange There are limitations and bias to some extent in every piece of research.

@RainMinusBow I'd say the 4 mentioned were pretty massive limitations. Also they only took research witch followed a similar pattern they didn't use all the evidence that was presented to them

@grumpyorange sure, if you think millennia of evolution can be trumped by some died cows milk, vegetable oil and sugar then go ahead thinking that. I won't convince you otherwise.

@sqirrelfriends - it’s not necessarily the healthiest option. Many mothers are unable to breastfeed and many suffer from from PND as a consequence of the pressure on them to do so. The “evidence” for all the alleged benefits is likely to be attributable to correlation between the type of people who breastfeed. Sibling studies show no casual link.

We should not ignore the effect intolerance of mothers who don’t breastfeed has on women. Women and their well being matters.

@sqirrelfriends if a baby wasn't gaining any weight would BF still be best?
If a mum was contemplating suicide due to BF struggles would that still be best?
If baby had a cleft lip and couldn't get a good latch would that still be best?
If baby wasn't receiving any milk would that still be best?
If baby became very ill due to a mothers essential medication would that still be best?

@CayrolBaaaskin sure, ok. There are no benefits, formula is just as good as breastmilk and we should all just get on with it because anyone who breastfeeds is just rubbing it into everyone else's faces.

More fool me putting up with raw bleeding nipples for months, I thought I was giving my baby the best start, guess I was wrong.

Also tbh I think “millions of years of evolution” probably can be trumped by modern medicine. Breastfeed if you like but leave the rest of us alone. You are not morally superior

@RainMinusBow - the risk was so low for me that it didn’t form a part of my decision making process to ff.

@grumpyorange I think it fair to say we will never agree on this one! I will continue to hold the opinion, based on the current huge amount of evidence available (supported by medical bodies such as the NHS and WHO among many others), that breastfeeding is definitely best for both myself and my baby.

Absolutely everybody has the right to formula feed, but I am sure lots of women do so whilst still being able to accept/acknowledge that breastfeeding is ultimately the most beneficial of the two options.

@grumpyorange no, clearly not.

As I've said before, there are valid reasons to want or need to FF. my confusion lies in the society where breastfeeding is not the norm.

Well my twins needed specialised high calorie formula, medically prescribed and yes, that did “trump” breast milk in their case.

Breastfeeding is best as a rule of thumb, sure I won’t and haven’t disputed this, but not every case will be the same, just as not every mother and baby are the same - not every birth experience is the same, I could go on.

Therefore, what grumpyorange said is correct - breastfeeding is not always the healthiest option for a baby depending on each individual case.

@CayrolBaaaskin forkulla is not modern medicine.

Formula even