Lack of advice for formula feeding mums?

[chubbyhotchoc]

Is it me or is there a lack of advice for formula feeding mums? I've googled a few times typing in ' growth spurts', 'newborn sleep' etc and everything is geared to bf babies like this article

www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/ask-heidi/baby-growth-spurts.aspx
Is formula now such a dirty word that it can't even be mentioned or is it because formula feeding is seen as so much easier that no advice is needed?

OP, you are absolutely right. When breastfeeding didn't work for me after trying for two months it took me a long while to find relist info. The midwifes kept telling me that they weren't allowed to advise me!
Get the book Guilt free bottle feeding, by Madeleine Norris. All the info you might want is in there. Good luck on your feeding journey!

Unicef baby friendly standards for mothers who choose to bottle feed state that they should be advised about what milks to use, where to get unbiased info about milks, how to make up feeds safely, sterilise etc and how to bottle feed responsively including holding baby close, limiting who gives feeds, inviting info around technique and paced feeding and signs baby has had enough.

Women should be getting this information and support, because we want babies to be fed safely.

@OakleyStreetisnotinChelsea this is so true. My dh and I have had countless arguments about the safest way to make up bottles, how long a bottle is good for etc because the formula company's info is different from the nhs info. Formula fed babies need to be fed safely and with as much comfort and closeness as we can possibly give.

@Justkillmenow

OP, you are absolutely right. When breastfeeding didn't work for me after trying for two months it took me a long while to find relist info. The midwifes kept telling me that they weren't allowed to advise me! Get the book Guilt free bottle feeding, by Madeleine Norris. All the info you might want is in there. Good luck on your feeding journey!

I will take a look at that book definitely. Thank you. This is actually one of the rare occasions I'm glad I started a thread on here

I was the the same position as you, with my first born. I do think there is less info out there solely directed at FF parents, but if you were desperate to BF (like I was) and it didn't work out, it's natural to be a bit more sensitive to acknowledgments of BF'ing.
I remember the actimil follow on milk advert used to make me angry every time I saw it, because of the bit at the bottom "breastfeeding is best". It made me feel shit and I hated it.
Be kind to yourself, you're doing what was/is best for you both. X

I’m pretty sure it’s not the case that midwives can’t advise on formula feeding. That wouldn’t be right at all.

Nicu had to give me a booklet on formula feeding because I didn't know how to do it.

My eldest was bf from birth but my milk didn't come in with dd until she was a week old.

I have FF both my babies from birth and have had zero advice. Not even a leaflet. If it wasnt for the fact that I have family who have FF their kids that could answer my questions I would have been very freaked out. All my midwifes ever asked was 'is she pooping and peeing?'. When I asked for a bottle in the hospital they gave me one with the largest old rubber test with the fastest flow I have ever seen. My DD basically choked and half drowned. I swear it was to put me off FF. That doesnt even touch on the shame I am supposed to feel because I chose to FF.

What advice can they give? I suppose how to clean and prepare formula, teat size, storage of milk. As previously said, is that info not on the products themselves?

I Bf but bought formula in the first few days as I was struggling. All the info was on the box including how much to feed and how often.

Stuff about colic etc. Isn’t especially specific to either BF or FF babies is it?

I'd guess most info is about bf advice because they want bf to appear like the norm so more women do it?

I disagree that you should receive advice on what milk to use, the EU standards are highly regulated and they'd basically promoting a company rather than what's in the milk which would be wrong as this can easily lead to corruption aka formula companies paying hospitals to only promote their formula.

Every formula you can buy in the UK is safe to use. If there are adverse reactions, you should contact your GP who would prescribe specialist formula after investigation as to what could cause this.

I posted too soon! I don't agree this should be the case. I ff ds1 and felt enormous guilt and inadequacy as a mum. I felt like everyone was looking at me when I was feeding him and found the John Lewis bottle and bf separate rooms to be so upsetting(i understand why they have them though!) My ds (now 6) and i have the closest bond, I know that was created by my love and care, not by how I fed him.

That's really interesting, I always found the opposite. BF and always found advice omitted the detail on how to navigate specific situations whilst still BF. I assumed it was a sensitivity issue which I got but it meant it didn't help. That particular article in your OP as American which might be why?

I'm just trying to recall.... it was a lot of stuff about how many ounces they drank. That sort of thing.

I did notice. In order to protect breastfeeding not even doctors can comment or recommend a particular formula. There was no information whatsoever when we were trying to find if not the best the least worse option for a baby with multiple health problems.

I ff dc1, I tried bf but just didn't work out for various reasons. Some people make you feel that this is the 'easy' option, but you still have all the challenges of a newborn. I agree with formula being a dirty word, you are made to feel like you are going to have an ill child, with no immunity and that you will never have the bond that a mother who breastfeeds could have. (Which is a load of crap!)
I now have dc2 who took to bf and has done so for nearly 7 months. It's just worked out that way for her and I've gone along with that. I do agree that most advice is geared towards bf babies and ff is the 2nd option.

It depends on who you ask. In SCBU trhe nurses dind,t really know about BF, except the very good ward sister. (Thankyou sister Wong.). Yet my sister found she had no info on formula feeding. I basically think the information is poor for everyone.

Idk if it's just DD but weaning advice for geared to FF, for food an hour after a milk feed... right when DD always wanted another feed, constantly hearing about how long FF babies could go between feeds was really irritating (being needed every hour on the hour when others could go a few hours easily). Dropping bottles? Not really, she might go slightly longer without milk occasionally but because a feed isn't just food for her it hasn't really worked like that at all. Same for volume of milk, I've no idea.

"Offer less milk and more food" when she was older and not eating much, how do you do that when you've not had to offer a feed since she was tiny because she was perfectly capable of "asking" and you know the milk is part of my body. My child not eating was because I was around and alternative/preferable food source

[quote chubbyhotchoc]@sleepingstandingup
I'm aware of that thanks. I meant when you google anything else related to babies, like reflux, colic or night feeds, the advice is always raising it as a given you're breastfeeding. [/quote]
I’m finding the opposite. DS is 12 months old and I’m still breastfeeding and I’m really struggling to find proper information on nutrition, development and centiles and even IVF. Everything and everyone assumes I’m formula feeding and then when I ask about bf nobody bloody knows the answer.