The many, many costs of breastfeeding - VOX

[Helleofabore]

This has been rather eye opening to read..

www.vox.com/the-highlight/23076305/breastfeeding-costs-baby-formula-shortage

Following Strangio’s recent tweets as well, I am rather surprised to see this back lash against breastfeeding. Yes, it is hard. It is excruciatingly painful sometimes. I also don’t believe anyone should be shamed for their choices in this.

However, this could be said to be propaganda for formula companies surely? And not a woman to be seen. Just lactating parents!

@theemperorhasnoclothes so women who formula feed don’t have any closeness to their babies? You only get that from breastfeeding? Women feeding bottles aren’t relaxing with their child?

I agree and its started with "there's too much pressure to breastfeed" straw man.
No one in my family breastfed. Not my sisters, my mum, my aunties or my cousins.

Throughout me breastfeeding I was questioned, looked at disgustingly, told to just get a bottle when I would for somewhere to breastfeed outside and spoken to like I thought I was being precious and better than everyone else.

No one comments on people bottle feeding. It is the default and has been for many many years.

Companies that sell formula in the UK sell safe formula as legal guidance ensures this. Batches can have issues like any other food substance. At the basis of the guidance to mix with water above 70degrees is the risk that any powder is contaminated by cronobacter. This year did see a recall of some specialist formulas due to potential contamination with salmonella after several babies became ill and one died.

Incidences like this happen infrequently in the uk but the same manufactures do not apply the same high standards in all countries. Sickening but true.

Prem babies are more likely to get nec and if fed breast milk are much less likely to get it to die from this condition. This is why hospitals prioritise prem babies when it comes to accessing donor milk. Individual hospitals have vastly different rates of prem babies getting potentially life saving breast milk which is a scandal. It’s not bollocks it’s evidence. Formula is great food but it isn’t breast milk and the more vulnerable a baby the better it is for them.

My kids have had all formula, all bm, a mixture in different circumstances. That is fine - doesn’t change population level data or how Breast milk is an amazing fluid.

But lots of it is a load of crap. Breastfeeding doesn't need to cost alot, you don't need all that stuff, doesn't have to make you more tired, some people might get some of the issues they mention but they make it sound like you will get them all. It is quite obvious that it is very biased.

I agree totally. I got a private obstetrician for dd2 who cheerfully dismissed a lot of the “natural birth” rubbish I was told by NCT and NHS midwives. It’s really worrying that we are not getting the medical care we should be getting because of dogmatic policy that women should be giving birth naturally, breastfeeding, etc.

I think both breastfeeding and formula feeding mums should be supported and we should not be guilting women for c sections, pain relief, etc etc or formula feeding.

@Only4You while there are obviously advantages to being able to split babycare more, it doesn't change the argument about 'giving away time for free' at all - because as you said someone was still doing it, and presumably if your time shouldn't be valued at nothing nor should your partner's. I just think it's disingenuous to tot up hours breastfeeding as if that would be free time if you formula fed.

@ancientgran you don’t need all that stuff

wow thanks so much. It’s amazing how you can see into the future to when my baby arrives that I won’t need nursing bras or a pump or nipple cream or help from a lactation consultant. I really regret paying for an advance consult with a lactation consultant who told me my flat inverted nipples are going to make it much harder for me to breastfeed and how she will come out to help me. I’ll call her now and say some randomer on the internet says I don’t need her help! Hurrah! Money saved and a super easy breastfeeding journey ahead!

Wow! What a skewed misleading article. I Couldn’t relate to this at all, despite sitting here breastfeeding my third child as I read it. I feel sorry for the women who are dissuaded from attempting bf after being influenced by this negative messaging, I know I would certainly have been influenced if that was the info/narrative when I was a first time mum. I would have missed all the massive positives bf brings.

Because it is her experience so it is balance, making out it is so terrible is very one sided so perfectly reasonable to give another view.

Alot of those things aren't necessary but we are all suckers for marketing.

It’s not a lot of crap. It just didn’t happen to her. Doesn’t mean it’s a lot of crap. It does need to cost a lot for some women. That’s the point.

Well what a negative message she's given you. It hasn't made things easier for you. I also have inverted nipples, no one told me it was an issue so I just got on with it. Still she's created a bit of work for herself so all good.

Why do you assume you will need a pump? Oh I know the pump manufacturers told you. Advertising does pay.

With the usa’s incredibly short maternity leave, I’m astonished anyone manages to breastfeed. It must be really difficult.

Look at the expression on all those ‘birthing people’s’ faces! So utterly negative.

I love that I breastfed as a ‘full time job’ for years though 😆 with twins, I’d expect overtime too.

Saying it’s “a lot of crap” indicates that it’s, well a lot of crap rather than that was simply not her experience.

It’s not a lot of crap because lots of women do need those things and not just because they are too stupid to resist marketing. your experience is not everyone’s any more than @Svara experience is universal.

this issue is so fraught because women are made to feel like failures and bad mothers if they can’t breastfeed or can’t easily breastfeed. It’s a really upsetting experience for many women and to dismiss it because it’s not your experience is unacceptable.

I actually do think it's really unethical to tell a pregnant woman ahead of time that she'll definitely struggle to breastfeed and need your (expensive) services. I feel slightly dubious about lactation consultants in general, though.

Why does it cost alot? Women breast feed without any of the stuff they list, that is a fact. A well fitting bra will make you more comfortable so is nice to have, if you learn to express you don't need a pump, why would you need bottles if you are breastfeeding. It goes on and on. You might want some of the "stuff" you need very little of it.

They market stuff for breastfeeding, they market formula and stuff for formula feeding. It is business.

The cost presented here are laughable. After bf for more than 4 years of my life so far (3 kids) i have most definitely not spent anywhere that kind of money on bf related stuff. What a ridiculous twisted narrative. The motivation of the writer and published is definitely questionable.

one of my NCT mum friends has inverted nipples and the lactation consultant told her to exclusively pump. She bought about three or four pumps and spent months trying to get a trickle of milk. She was exhausted and devastated and eventually gave up.

in the US lots of women have to pump because they have to go back to work.

@ancientgran we are not stupid because we can’t breastfeed. Some women find it much easier than others and some find it impossible. It’s not because we are stupid or have been hoodwinked by the “formula companies” or breast pump manufacturers. Please stop being so offensive

Yep. Combined with a desperate desire to disassociate women with any physical elements of motherhood.

Every time I said how hard some aspect of parenting was I was told to just formula feed so I suppose that suggests to me that those who formula fed and were telling me to do it also thought that breastfeeding was harder/more time intensive.

We know that ff doesn't do anything to lower risks of ovarian and breast cancer so if you really want to look at costs we should factor in the cost to the economy of lost earnings whilst mothers have time off for cancer treatment/fathers have to care for the children.

I was told the opposite though (everyone can breastfeed, they all do in Finland etc) and it just made it so much harder when I couldn’t. Why don’t we just tell women the truth- that lots of women struggle to breastfeed and it’s ok to formula feed. Isn’t that the most ethical thing?

It is interesting to read through these comments and see the varying experiences from everyone. I think that that once again shows that based on your experiences and circumstances you have to make the decisions that are best for your family and quite possibly recieve backlash either way.

I think this article is meant to defend the mothers who have chose to FF for whatever reason (honestly they don't need a reason or to justify themselves but I understand why they feel the need to defend themselves since people can be quite judgey either way). While if you are able to stay home with your baby, breastfeeding can be a much cheaper alternative, thats not really the case for some moms who have to pump due to work, latch issues, supply issues, etc, it can become quite expensive at that point. I think the purpose of the article is not to shame moms that chose to BF but to help people have empathy for both sides and not just go off shouting about how BF is free and readily available becuase thats not neccesarily true in all cases. Though I will concede that it possibly does so a little garishly.

My milk never came in much, I spent pretty much my whole maternity leave pumping and trying to get my son to latch before my milk just completely dried up at 4 months even after going to the doctors and trying all the supplements, pumping regimens and etc. that they suggested. I dont know why but I just couldn't produce enough milk. My hospital in the US also refused to let us try formula while we were there even though my son had orange crystallized urine from being dehydrated and instead insisted I try to breastfeed him every hour since he was dehydrated. We had to be there longer than normal due to a complicated birth/labor that ended in an emergency c-section. And I saw a lactation consultant multiple times a day every day that I was there. (Which cost ALOT of money since my insurance only covered one meeting) After the first two days of being home sobbing that he wasn't getting enough milk, my mom gave me a hug and said it was ok to supplement or just give formula 100% if thats what I wanted to do. So from that point on I would breastfeed on both sides and then give him a bottle. And then pump after giving him a bottle to try to get my milk to come in more usually getting about an ounce in total. My whole life surrounded around feeding him as much breastmilk as I could. Then right after he turned 4 months I had a day where I fed him on both sides, fed him 3 oz of formula becuase I was out of my pumped milk and then pumped both sides at the same time for an hour and only got 1/4 an ounce in total from both sides. So I called my husband cried my eyes out and decided to give up. It was so hard to juggle working from home, a baby, and pumping constantly to only get 1/4 an ounce. I was so defeated and felt like I didn't deserve to be a mother since I failed so miserably at BF. (My own harsh thoughts toward myself not what others said... also not true.) So from that point forward we gave formula and my son is super healthy, hits his growth curve perfectly, has hit every developmental milestone, super happy, well adjusted baby who has a very strong bond with me and my husband. (Not to say those things can't also happen with BF if it works out for you.)

The point is that BF isn't always an option or doable for all moms. Formula is needed and the shortage is having real and devastating impacts on some families and BF isn't an option for those families for whatever reason.

Where did I say it was easy? Just that it didn't need to cost me much money. I did need nipple cream, that's why I bought it. DS had a tongue tie that meant he broke suction continuously which meant my nipples were sore and starting to bleed. I thought that was just how it was going to be, so bought a big tube when a small one would have done as it only lasted weeks. Cheap doesn't mean easy 🙄.

Why don’t we just tell women the truth- that lots of women struggle to breastfeed and it’s ok to formula feed. Isn’t that the most ethical thing?

Yes, absolutely agree (I might change 'lots' to 'some', but that's a minor tweak).

As I said upthread I have both breast and formula fed, and have no particular devotion to either. They both have pros and cons. I think the infographic in the OP is pretty terrible and misleading but I'd feel the same way if it had just been a list of all the downsides to formula.

I found breastfeeding really painful at first for my first baby. But once we got the hang of it (nhs free bf clinic), it was great. Free, portable and easy. And it was the most amazing bonding experience. Nothing bonds you to your baby than feeding them from your body. The fact that I made my slightly skinny babies grow into fat little Buddhas absolutely amazed me. I am proud of that and I'm not going to apologise for it.

Back to the article, I've come across this woman before and her 'breastfeeding people'.
It is no coincidence that she is publishing this at the same time that an article/paper/photo about a transwoman breastfeeding is also doing the rounds.

Yes, the main thing is that it's totally, totally one-sided. It's anti-woman. Misogynistic. Not even trying to give a balanced view.

I despair of the casual misogyny which is part of what is driving the loss of women's rights worldwide, and then women turn on each other.

However you feed your babies, it should be a woman's choice - this is about taking choice away from women including the words we use to describe ourselves.