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?

@MoonBaby1 Absolutely agree.

@bluebluezoo some babies/children have avoided it even though a parent had it. The same way some households managed to avoid it even though one of them had it.

As @RoosterPie said vitamin D seems absolutely essential if you look at reports coming out.

Vitamin D seems to be crucial in fighting covid. Breast milk doesn’t have enough of it

Only if the mother is deficient and the baby isn’t getting enough sunlight.

Modern living is responsible- not that breastmilk simply doesn’t have enough vit d.

@Micah all BF babies are supposed to have extra vitamin D drops added as breast milk does not contain enough

From NHS - It's recommended that babies who are being breastfed are given a daily vitamin D supplement from birth, whether or not you're taking a supplement containing vitamin D yourself.

Babies who are having more than 500ml (about a pint) of infant formula a day shouldn't be given vitamin supplements. This is because formula is fortified with vitamin D and other nutrients.

@Micah Yes I agree. And if lack of Vit D is a concern eg baby not getting much sunlight, mum can supplement with Vit D.

As a precautionary measure I have been taking a pregnancy multivitamin which contains VIt D and will continue to take as long as I'm bf'ing.

@Nicknamegoeshere @Micah

www.nhs.uk/start4life/baby/baby-vitamins/

Are we still talking about this bullshit?
Fed is best.... end of conversation

@grumpyorange

From Breastfeeding Network:
Vitamin D deficiency in the UK is a consequence of our weather and the latitude at which we live. The addition of vitamin D to formula milk does not make it better than breastmilk – it does not contain all the immunological properties that make breastmilk specific to cater for each baby’s needs.

The vitD issue is a complete non issue as the D drop rollout is widely known and encouraged by all HCPs. The uptake is above 80%.

@Grendlsmother Breastmilk is superior to formula milk. Fact. Not "bullshit." End of.

@Nicknamegoeshere oh sorry I thought NHS guidance was paramount? As you directed me to them when I brought up about breast milk offering no proven protection for Covid?

NHS states as you can see that ALL BF babies need extra vitamin D

Agreed @Nicknamegoeshere, this argument is going nowhere. Some people will never believe that the choices they made are not "best".

@MoonBaby1

The point is that breast milk is not nutritionally complete.

@sqirrelfriends - why do you think you have the right to criticise other people’s decisions ?

@sqirrelfriends because all choices made are made because they are best for the family at that point of time.

Whenever anyone has posted their reasons for not trying to breastfeed you've said well yes that's understandable etc therefore those women are doing what is best for their families and babies.

Best is not a simple answer it is dependent on all sorts of variables. You yourself have agreed this so why keep arguing?

@Parker231 it's an open discussion about breastfeeding, I'm stating my opinion.

You aren’t stating an opinion - you are telling everyone who ff that their decision is second rate.

@grumpyorange Yep, and that's easy to do. Really simple. Supplements.

I've just asked my mw for clarification on this.

@Wolfgirrl pull the other one, it is nutritionally complete, more so than formula anyway. We evolved spending more time outdoors without sunscreen which is why it's advisable to supplement with vitamin D.

@Nicknamegoeshere so if you have to add supplements then it's not nutritionally complete as you're having to add to it

@Parker231 I don't know how to answer that without upsetting you 🙊

Thankfully your opinion doesn’t mean anything to me (or anyone else) as I’ve 20 year old ff DT’s - perfectly healthy babies, children and young adults.

@grumpyorange It's more nutritionally complete than formula and has many, many more significant advantages. Unless formula can make specifically-tailored antibodies for my baby I think I'll stick with breastfeeding.

@Nicknamegoeshere but your original argument was about Covid. Reports suggest that vitamin D is crucial. Therefore BM is not the be all and end all in terms of Covid.