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?

Sorry , posted to soon.

It was almost like they had never been around someone breastfeeding.

@MondeoFan can't even be bothered to try to feed themselves

How utterly offensive. As much as @sqirrelfriends has fought with me she has never ever sunk this low!

You need to learn how to keep your awful opinions to yourself

The friends I know that fall into the 'can't even be bothered' category don't give a shit, have no regrets and just got on with bringing up their baby

I ff from day one. Not guilty but incredibly proud of my healthy and happy DC’s.

@Parker231 as you should be, as I said before infant feeding is just one of many ways you'll impact on a child's life and is definitely not the be-all and end-all.

I actually think that some mothers who breastfeed develop some kind of crazed god complex and that's were people like the op are coming from. Someone on my Facebook who I had to delete in the end was always posting photos of her breastfeeding all four of her children, one on each breast and then another photo of the next two. each to their own but then she went and started posting photos of herself in a t shirt emblazoned with 'I make milk. What's your super power?'. Totally ridiculous and insensitive. Like wearing a t shirt with 'I bore a child, what's your super power?'. The reality is breastfeeding is not a super power and you can't force everyone to see it as such. It's a normal positive thing that a woman can choose to do or not do, or in some cases won't be able to do. Just like some women choose to have babies, some choose not to and some can't. Don't interfere with other women's bodies and babies.

@MondeoFan you are incredibly rude. Can't be bothered? No I just did not want to.

@Cherryblossomsnow is that all you can think of to say? Slang talk.
I'm entitled to my opinion no? Don't be so blindsided to think that everyone who doesn't breastfeed can't, it is true that some can't be bothered. I think it's incredibly selfish. How can you not want the best for your child

@MondeoFan that's all you deserve

Don't be so blindsided to think that everyone who doesn't breastfeed can't, it is true that some can't be bothered

And some just don’t want to. Nothing about being bothered, they just don’t want to. For whatever reason.
I breastfed all three of mine for a year each. Actively disliked every feed. Wish now I hadn’t let myself be pressured into it.

@MondeoFan the same way some women don't want children. Would you say they can't be bothered to have them?
Same way people don't pay to send their children to the same school does that mean they can't be bothered

You can fuck right off with those awful awful statements

@daisydaisydoodle even I agree with you there. One of the reasons I stopped going to toddler LLL meetings, most of us were just struggling to find support but there were one or two angry types, to be fair to them I think you have to develop a thick skin to breastfeed for as long as they did and it just showed as bolshy.

The friends I know that fall into the 'can't even be bothered' category don't give a shit, have no regrets and just got on with bringing up their baby

That’s pretty much everyone I know.

It’s strange to be so obsessive about bf especially when the women that are tend to have young babies themselves and must be really busy. Something is not quite right usually.

@EveryLifeHasASoundtrack tbh when I had a little one i was exhausted and didn't know what was going on, I'm more passionate about breastfeeding now that I've gone through it because I know how wonderful it can be when it's going well.

@sqirrelfriends oh good. Nobody ever agrees with me on this site lol

Oh do fuck off OP. You're basically shaming someone for bottle feeding their kid, but it's been disguised in a long rambling post. It's people like you who give mothers post natal depression.

Can one of the breastfeeding brigade on here tell me the biggest benefit of breastfeeding, and actually quantify it? Ta

**

I found it very awkward having to breastfeed my baby around certain friends because they couldn't help but comment or tell me that formula was the same anyway, how they were fine, their DC were fine etc. I agreed with them because obviously I wouldn't want to upset them but I never prompted any conversation on the subject

I’d say these people are not your friends.

I'm more passionate about breastfeeding now that I've gone through it because I know how wonderful it can be when it's going well.

In my experience the passionate ones have been bordering on bullying. I’m not saying you are. I find describing breastfeeding as wonderful as strange but my children are wonderful though.

@Wolfgirrl

Can one of the breastfeeding brigade on here tell me the biggest benefit of breastfeeding, and actually quantify it? Ta

The colostrum for the baby.
Convenience.
Also, helping the uterus get back into place. I was thrilled to be back in my normal clothes within 10 days.

@Shmithecat2 I FF and was back in my clothes after a week...

@grumpyorange

Good for you I guess 🤷🏻‍♀️.