Monday, January 31, 2011

What Formula Is Not


NOTE TO READERS: As always, these kind of posts stir many feelings in readers, particularly in those whom these issues have affected deeply. We all make the best decisions we can with the information we have at the time, but the issue of guilt always seems to arise with these kinds of articles. I urge you to move past the guilty feelings and really look at the valuable information contained within. As Maddy Reid said, “We cannot withhold facts for fear of offending, because the importance of the information outweighs people’s rights not to be challenged in their beliefs.”






Ah, the hot button issue. There has been a large kerfuffle of attention lately over the start-up of a new milk-sharing network on Facebook called Human Milk 4 Human Babies (Human Milk 4 Human Babies HERE). The brainchild of fierce Montreal lactivist Emma Kwasnica, Human Milk 4 Human Babies is a network run by merit of individual state, province, and country pages where moms or families who are having difficulty with milk supply can turn to other lactating mothers for donated milk to supplement or feed their children. Moms with oversupply provide the milk, and Human Milk 4 Human Babies provides the space. It is a good setup, with Human Milk 4 Human Babies administrators and creators putting emphasis on the need for informed choice. The FAQ on their page is thorough and provides information on flash-pasteurization, disease transmission, and obtaining medical history from potential donors. Soon after Human Milk 4 Human Babies emerged as a major player (and a major threat to the formula industry), many medical groups jumped to issue vehement statements to the media, with their focus being less about informed choice and more on fear-mongering. The response from Health Canada and the Canadian Paediatric Society has been extremely cautionary, focusing on the risks of breast-milk sharing and calling the practice "very dangerous".( See Story HERE) Health Canada states that “unprocessed human milk should not be shared.” (see Health Canada’s statement HERE)





Considering the rapid rise of popularity for informed milk sharing, it should come as no surprise that this spring Health Canada chose to revise and rewrite its existing infant feeding recommendations. What is shocking however, if that the new recommendations state that “Commercial infant formulas are the only acceptable alternative to breastmilk” (See full draft statement HERE). There is no mention of donor breastmilk, either through a milk bank or via less formal channels. In fact, not only is the option of donor breast milk completely ignored, but the make-up and risks of formula feeding are also completely absent. Instead a huge portion of the document focuses on what formula is, what it contains, what types are available, and how it should be prepared.





WHAT???





Not only are the risks of formula feeding skated over, but Health Canada spends more time discussing the benefits of bovine-based formula over soy-based formula than it does on the Ten Steps from the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, an Initiative that is essential to boost and maintain breastfeeding rates in maternity wards.





Come on Health Canada! Doctors receive little to no breastfeeding training during their time in med school. If you are lucky like me, you find a doctor who did his residency in a breastfeeding clinic (and still needs some of the finer points explained to him). Doctors and nurses in Canada turn to Health Canada for their information on infant nutrition, and aside from people in my lucky situation, most doctors still believe that formula is an equal alternative to mommy milk, and shoddy documents like this do nothing to inform them of risks and facts about formula, which can then be passed to new moms. So, in light of this ridiculous oversight of real formula facts, and the (very mild) explanation of what formula is, I will give you an exposition on what formula is NOT. Much of the credit for this list goes to several lovely ladies from the facebook page, “Hey Facebook, Breastfeeding Is Not Obscene!” (namely, Elizabeth Anthes, Stephanie Knapp Muir, Jo Slamen, Emma Locker, Karen Coffman, Murielle Bourbao, Jennifer Dunston Lane, Kasey-Louise Traynor, Nicky Lawrence, Cheryl Giovenco, Barbara Rail, Lucy Fensom, and the lovely Alison Kennedy. Thanks ladies!)



1. Formula is not sterile.



Have you heard E. Sakazakii? It’s a pathogen commonly found in infant formula that can cause major illness for the baby if formula is not prepared properly. It is essential that all bottles, nipples, and equipment be sterilized before every feed, and that boiling water is used to make the infant formula. It’s not enough that the water be “sterile”, like the companies who make those huge containers of sterile water would lead you to believe. The water needs to be hot enough at the time you prepare the bottle to kill off potential pathogens like E. Sakazakii. This leads us to point two.

(Reference: http://www.mramodels.org/esak/ and http://www.who.int/foodsafety/publications/micro/en/qa2.pdf)



2. Formula is not convenient



For those of us breastfeeding moms who have supplemented or used formula at any point, we fully understand the truth of this statement. It is a million times easier to NOT have to get up, walk to the kitchen, boil the water (to kill the E. Sakazakii), prepare the formula, and then rush back to the baby, while all the while he is shrieking at the top of his lungs to be fed. Nor is it easier to haul all the paraphernalia associated with formula-feeding. The bottles, the sterilizer, the container of powder (oh damn, it spilled AGAIN), not to mention where oh where in this stupid mall can I find a place to boil my water? Oh shoot, we’ve been here for 7 hours, and the pre-mixed formula I made is only good for 30 minutes at room temperature! I forgot my miniature cooler! (http://www.nestle.ca/en/FAQ/baby_nutrition_faqs.htm) It is so much easier, once the initial bumps of learning are past, to just roll over, pop out a breast, and go back to sleep, or to find a seat (or stand, if you are talented), lift your shirt slightly, and latch baby.



3. Formula is not cheap



Oh boy, is it ever not cheap! That fancy little can costs anywhere from $18 a week to $50 a week, if you need a special kind. Sometimes they come on sale, and lots of moms will stock up then. However, it is not widely known that you should not switch your baby from brand to brand unless it is medically indicated! Feeding a baby a new type of formula every week because there was a sale is not a medical reason. This is very hard on your baby’s gut. If you are formula feeding, you must pick a brand and stick to it, regardless of cost, unless baby becomes ill or rejects the brand and type you have chosen. With formula, bottles, nipples, and other gear, formula feeding can cost the average family around $3000 a year. Breastfeeding is cost-effective. It’s free. No, you don’t have to buy a pump. Have you heard of hand-expression? It works just as well (and in many cases, better than), and is entirely free.

(Reference: http://www.infactcanada.ca/security.htm)



4. Formula will not save you from “breastfeeding problems” like mastitis, engorgement, breast pain, and leaking



Regardless of whether you breastfeed or not, your milk will still come in, you will still get engorged, you may still get mastitis, and you will still need to buy breast pads and special bras. You will leak like mad. That milk has to go somewhere, and since the baby isn’t easing your pain, there will be several days to weeks of suffering while you wait for your milk to “dry up”. Just feed it to the baby. Breastfeeding can be rocky initially, after all, we are designed to learn breastfeeding by watching our mothers and other women breastfeed their children, and there have now been several generations where we lost that opportunity to formula feeding and “modesty” implements, like breastfeeding covers and super top secret nursing areas. (Please see Emma Kwasnica’s amazing note, Why SEEING Breastfeeding Is Important, My Personal Challenge To You) Breastfeeding should be easier, but it’s not. It’s now a learning curve. So let yourself learn, because after 3 months or so, it does become easy. Then formula feeding is not easier.

(No reference needed, engorgement is a mean beotch. Mastitis is a bugger, avoid it!)



5. Formula batches and ingredients are not approved by the FDA or Health Canada



Formula is not a standardized product. Health Canada and the FDA inspect the factories where the formula is made, but the formula itself is not regulated. No one inspects individual batches, no one even regulates the ingredients to ensure the same cocktail is made up for every can, or every batch. Rather, the formula companies use whatever ingredients are available and cheapest at the time. So from batch to batch, the actual % of vitamins and content is different. (Jack Newman and Teresa Pittman, 2009 - Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding - Toronto, Canada - HarperCollins Publishing) Health Canada and the FDA also leave it to consumers to report potential problems or dangers found in the formula can, such as the beetles found in Similac in 2009. Parents were reporting finding beetles for months before the FDA responded, and Similac issued a recall. Formula cans also contain bisphenol-A, or BPA, a controversial chemical that was declared toxic by Health Canada in October 2010. Despite the declaration, formula companies continue to line their cans with BPA. BPA can leech into the powdered formula and be absorbed by the infant in greater quantities than found in plastic bottles. (http://www.toxicnation.ca/node/142) For more information on formula ingredients not listed on the can, please see THIS GROUP.

(Reference: Jack Newman and Teresa Pittman, 2009 - Dr. Jack Newman's Guide to Breastfeeding - Toronto, Canada - HarperCollins Publishing and http://www.toxicnation.ca/node/142)



6. Formula Is Not A Biologically Normal Food For Babies To Eat



Formula has only existed for less than 200 years. Breast milk has been around since the dawn of humanity, and Nature has been working on perfecting the make-up of it since then.

(Reference: http://www.colic-baby-bootcamp.com/colicarticles/baby-formulas/the-history-of-baby-formula.html)


7. Formula Is Not Risk-Free



Formula is a risky business, not just for baby, but for mom too. There is a lot of information readily available on these risks, but I encourage readers to visit INFACT Canada for a good resource on the risks of formula feeding to mommy and baby.

(Reference provided above at infactcanada.com)


8. Formula Is Not Safe Or Easily-Available During Natural Disasters



As demonstrated by the earthquake in Haiti last year, or the recent flooding in Australia, natural disaster can hit quickly and without warning. When this happens, moms can be stuck trying to feed an infant. Without a safe water source or access to sterilizing equipment, formula feeding is not safe for babies and children.



“When there is an emergency, the biggest danger to babies is the risk of dying as a result of diarrhoeal illness. Babies who are breastfed have a secure and safe food supply, they are not exposed to disease causing bacteria and parasites that can contaminate water supplies and they receive antibodies and other disease fighting factors that help to prevent and treat illness. They are protected from the worst of the emergency conditions. However, babies who are not breastfed are at great risk. In an emergency, food supplies are disrupted, there may be no clean water, overcrowding is often a problem and the health care system is likely to be stretched beyond breaking point. Outbreaks of diarrhoea are very common and spread easily in these circumstances. Babies who are not breastfed are very likely to contract diarrhoea-causing illnesses from unclean water and, with a weakened immune system and limited treatment, many will die."

(Reference: http://www.ennonline.net/pool/files/generalpublic/ife-guide.pdf . Also see http://www.unicef.org/media/media_55775.html)



9. Formula Additives Like DHA and ARA Do Not Make Formula “Like Breast Milk”



This one is pretty contentious. Formula companies rip off millions of people every year with their claims that they are closer/closest/the closestestestest EVER to breast milk. DHA and ARA are complicated fats that occur naturally in breast milk and help to build brain tissue. The DHA and ARA added to formula are not naturally occurring. They are extracted with hexane from algae grown in a lab, and then added to the formula. Not only does this allow traces of the neurotoxin hexane into the formula, it also allows the companies to charge exponential amounts of money for a product that has never been proven to actually do what breast milk fatty acids do. Their claims of brain growth are unsubstantiated and unproven, guys. If you are formula feeding, please don’t be taken in and buy the $40 can for the unproven hexane-riddled algae fat. The non-DHA/ARA stuff will serve your baby the same, cost you less, and potentially save them from ingesting trace amounts of a neurotoxin.

(Reference: http://cornucopia.org/DHA/DHA-Update-2010.pdf )



10. Formula Is Not A Safe Way To Make A Baby Sleep Through The Night, Babies Should Not Sleep Through The Night



When a new mom is struggling with sleep deprivation, and trying to figure out ways to catch some extra Z’s, she will often hear the refrain “Top him up with some formula, so he will sleep through the night”. This is a formula-feeding myth that we hear often as new moms, and even during our pregnancy. The idea that formula will make your baby sleep through the night is not true. Ask any formula-feeding mom of a four month old how many times they wake to give the bottle to a baby at night. Ask a co-sleeping, breastfeeding mom. She won’t be able to tell you, because she doesn’t wake up. A recent study found that breastfeeding co-sleeping moms get the most sleep of any moms, and are most rested. Not what you expected to hear? The idea that babies should sleep through the night is a fallacy. There are some major myths that need to be addressed here. First, babies are NOT biologically designed to sleep through the night! Oh yes, you heard me right. All those advertisements about night-time formulas, and magical sleeping tools, and magical sleeping babies are presented to make you buy a product that does not work, and that you should not be using in the first place, because it can endanger your baby’s life. Formula is difficult for a baby’s system to digest. The animal proteins linger in the lining of the stomach and intestines, and the ill-absorbed iron causes it to sit like a lump in the baby’s stomach for much, much longer than breast milk. This throws a newborn baby’s whole biologically perfect sleep/wake system out of whack. They will initially sleep longer and deeper, although that effect generally fades after a few months. Contrary to the belief that sleeping through the night is a good and even necessary thing however, it puts your baby at risk for SIDS. Formula fed babies are at a much higher risk for SIDS death in the first year of life than breastfed babies. Breast milk exits the newborn’s system quickly, causing them to wake every few hours. If a mom is breastfeeding and sleeping with the baby nearby (at least in the same room), she will wake as the baby wakes, put the baby to her breast, and promptly go back to sleep. These kinds of feeding/sleeping arrangements provide the best sleep for moms, and the normal feeding/waking patterns that a baby needs to avoid SIDS.

(Reference: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/reprint/113/5/e435 and http://www.thebabybond.com/InfantDeaths.html )


11. Formula Is Not The Only Way Daddy Can Bond With His Baby



This one really bugs me. Babies are not dogs. They don’t automatically bond with whoever feeds them. They don’t ONLY bond with people who feed them. There are a million and a half ways for Daddy to bond with baby that doesn’t involve a bottle. Daddy can bathe, sing to, read to, wear, and cuddle his baby. Daddies who have breastfed babies are not any less close to their babies than dads who give bottles. Feeding can be a special time, and if you want to share that with Daddy while simultaneously breastfeeding, here is what I recommend. My husband and I would often sit together as I breastfed our daughter. He would sit in the corner of the couch with his legs spread out and his knees bent, and I would sit inside the circle of his arms and legs and feed Babe while he looked over my shoulder. She would gaze lovingly and adoringly into my eyes, and then switch her gaze to him and gaze just as lovingly and adoringly into his. At over a year old, Babe is a daddy’s girl. She is five minutes on the breast and off again like a shot. Books are brought to Daddy first to read (he does the character voices soooo much better than I do). Bath time is almost exclusively Daddy’s domain too, except when I take a bath with Babe. She is as closely bonded with her Daddy as I am, without having been bottle-fed by him. Breastfeeding together was a special time for the three of us, and he got to share in the experience without risking my milk supply, or feeding artificial milk.

(See Just One Bottle)

12. If Your Baby Has Food Allergies, Formula Will Not Solve Them



This one seems to come up a lot too. “My doctor said my baby was allergic to my milk.” “My baby is lactose-intolerant and needed special formula.” “My baby would throw up my breast milk after every feeding.” This one is fairly personal for me. If you have read my Birth and Breast story, you know Babe has a severe milk allergy. She spent many miserable hours, days, and nights screaming her little head off, writhing from side to side in pain, and panicking doctors and nurses with her poor weight gain. The first thing that medical professionals will inevitably prescribe (with the exception of a golden few who actually research these things) is highly specialized, highly expensive infant formula. These formulas still contain the allergens that your baby is reacting to in your milk. The proteins that are causing the reaction are hydrolyzed, which means they are broken down into minute size so they will not stick in the baby’s intestine and cause a reaction, or as great of a reaction. The first problem is, the process of hydrolization also breaks down many other essential proteins and nutrients that are needed by your baby for optimal growth. The second problem is, the allergens are still present, and still causing your baby’s immune system to overreact. This continual exposure can worsen the allergy, cause asthma, or create autoimmune disorders. Did you know “Seven to eight percent of babies are allergic to cow's milk formula; 50 percent of these babies also are allergic to soy formulas, [and that] use of cow's milk is not recommended until after the baby is one year old [?] (http://www.infantfeeding.info/RisksofAF.htm)” For a baby who has milk or other sensitivities, the best solution is not a $60 can of nutrient-deficient hydrolyzed formula, but instead an adjustment to mom’s diet. Dr. Jack Newman has some fabulous information on foreign proteins in momma’s milk at Colic In The Breastfed Baby.

(Reference: http://www.infantfeeding.info/RisksofAF.htm )

13. Formula Is Not Custom-Tailored For Your Baby And His Needs, It Is Not Living



There are hundreds of different types of formula, different brands, different flavours, age-specific formulas and so forth, but there is no ONE formula that is exactly made for your little baby. Formula is just that, a formula. It is a guess at what a baby might need at a certain age. Breast milk is tailored according to your baby’s age, health, needs, the time of day, and even the weather outside. It is tailored down to the minute in a feed, with certain fats appearing at certain times of the feed. It contains higher levels of immunities based on your child’s current state of health, and on how often they play in dirt on the floor. It is custom-tailored around their environment, with a higher water content on hot days, and higher fat content during cold days. The amount of fat in your breast milk depends on your baby’s gender, their genetic makeup, and their age. Formula is not that specific, and will never be able to gauge that level of specificity, because it is dead. Breast milk is a living thing.

(Reference: http://www.lpch.org/DiseaseHealthInfo/HealthLibrary/hrnewborn/bhrnb.html There are pretty much a million other articles about the custom-made nature of breast milk, but to add them would make this thing 8 pages instead of 7, and I just don't think my Toshiba laptop can handle it.)


14. Formula Is Not A Failure, Formula Does Not Mean You Can Never Breastfeed, Formula Is Not Your Only Option



Before making the switch to formula, please do your research. There is a lot of contradictory and wrong advice out there, and many of us make it worse by perpetuating myths about breastfeeding and formula feeding. Do your research ahead of time, don’t make the decision in the hospital delivery room. Attend meetings of your local breastfeeding support groups, read books by notable breastfeeding experts, explore your options. Understand that breastfeeding is a learning curve. Each baby is a new experience. You learn as your baby learns. It takes time, and more than time, it takes patience, namely with yourself. Know where your International Board Certified Lactation Consultants are (Find an IBCLC). Know what you will do in case of trouble. Learn, learn, learn. If you are on your second child, and couldn’t make breastfeeding work with your first, know that you aren’t a failure. Don’t be tripped up by your guilt and anger. Try again. Equip yourself. Don’t be afraid to read breastfeeding articles, don’t let yourself be restricted by guilt, anger or hurt. Forgive yourself. Forgive your body. You can try again. If you have given up on breastfeeding, and wish you hadn’t, you can relactate, if you wish to. If you feed a bottle of formula, there is going back. You can return to breastfeeding, if you so choose. Support is key. Here is a list of amazing internet resources that I turned to in times of breastfeeding trouble. I hope they help you as well. I also recommend calling your local La Leche League Leader, or IBCLC and asking for help if needed. You can do this. You are capable. Breathe in, breathe out. If it is done, if you are at the end of your breastfeeding journey, before you wanted to be at the end, make peace with yourself. You are loving and loved, regardless of how it all turns out.

(Reference: Life experience. Dude, there's no http at the front, but it is lot harder to obtain than by just clicking a mouse.)

La Leche League International

Dr. Jack Newman's website

KellyMom

NBCI.ca

Eats On Feets

Hey Facebook, Breastfeeding Is Not Obscene!

The Leaky B@@b

INFORMED CHOICE: BIRTH AND BEYOND/Eats on Feets GLOBAL








46 comments:

  1. Absolutely Brilliant!! I will be reposting with a link back on Informed Parenting!!!

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  2. Brilliant work of fiction. I wish I had the skill to pass off my creative writing as fact so confidently as you. The lack of references gave you away. It would have been so much better if you could learn how to cherry-pick studies. Then I'd have to go do my homework to know you are making it all up and what mom has the time to read studies?

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  3. Thanks Dani! I love your blog, such a treat to see mine up on there!

    NFBLL (No effing bull, hey? Apt.), thank you for reading. I've added my references (cherry-picked, haha) for your perusal, but since you are probably busy doing mom stuff like reading lactivist blogs, leaving scathing replies, and laundry, I will leave it to you. 2 comments! Yay!

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  4. A point occurs to me - you say that it's important to stick with one brand of formula, despite the cost; then you go on to say that the formula manufacturers change what goes into the formula - depending on cost! Wouldn't that negate the reasons for sticking to one brand? Just wondering...

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  5. Very interesting how stating fact can make you a lactivist... As a mother it is important to make informed decisions on the care of our children. What we don't know or decline to listen to for whatever personal reason can cause them harm. Breast is the absolute best feeding choice for all babes this is the undisputed fact. Human milk for Human babies, it only makes sense. These claims about breast being the best choice are not out there to offend people who by necessity need to feed (or choose to feed) formula to their children. These facts are there to allow women and their families to make the best and most informed decision for their individual case. All women should have support and information regarding whatever feeding choice they make. Unfortunately since our child rearing choices tend to hit close to home there will always be a challenge when giving information that may show one choice is superior to another. Check out the US Surgeon General's "Call to action" to support breastfeeding and the us breastfeeding coalition for excellent references regarding the benefits of breastfeeding and risks of formula feeding.. http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/breastfeeding/index.html Really enjoyed your quote in the disclaimer!

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  6. Wow, I love this! So much information, thank you for posting!

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  7. I'm quite impressed, not just by your article (complete with references hehe), but also by your response to "Not fooled by Lactivists' lies". You reacted much better than I would have.

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  8. great article and well written thx for sharing!

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  9. Excellent! It's so important for parents to really do their research and be informed so they can make real decisions BEFORE they are under pressure. Whichever way you choose to feed your child do it SAFELY!BFing is so much simpler in this respect but if you pump for your own child, milk share, or formula feed there are health and safety measures to be taken. How often do we see a mom at the mall or at church pull out a bottle full of cold 'sterilized' water, dump some formula in, shake it up and feed it to their child? Dangerous!

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  10. Great post! I have been utilizing the Eats on Feets community for several months now and my little guy is the proud, happy, healthy recipient of donor milk from 8 different women! I am so thankful for our Milk Mamas who are willing to so selflessly give their amazing gift of human milk to our family! Thanks for posting! :) I have a couple of different blogs detailing my experiences with milk sharing, if you're interested!

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  11. Ok i cant handle this anymore what about the women who dont lactate or have any milk not even a drop ever show up like myself i never got to breastfeed at all because i had no milk the doc and the breast feeding clinic and i tried everything we could think of so i could get milk in with both kids and not a single ounce i was depressed so i had to use formula.. as for gettin another womens milk that was unheard of to myself.. and even if it was i would want a full medical history on that women before i would put her breast milk into my child!!!!... i also find it funny how breastfeeding mothers think they are the only ones who have sleepless night and that formula fed kids sleep like rocks i can say both my kids were up at all hours of the night my 2.5 year old still gets up during the night so to say you "breastfeeding mothers" are the only sleepless ones out there ive ur head a shake....i have family and friends who have read this and think you all are nuts and rude and ignorant to the ones who have health issues causing them not to produce breastmilk

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  12. Great post! I love it!! Its funny how some ppl just cant handle the TRUTH!!!!! America is brainwashed into thinking formula is just as good as breastmilk..BS!!!!!! Its not, and never will be. I have a 6 month old adopted daughter who the birthmother graciously breastfed her for 3 days, and then she has been given donated breastmilk since. She has never had a drop of formula and never will!! As a mother and Registered Nurse, I believe it is in her best interest to feed her what mother nature intended. BREASTMILK!!!
    I wish (for all the babies out there), that more women were open to things such as donated milk, and I wish more women were made to feel that breastfeeding is the "norm", and crucial to do. Its sad for all the babies who have to unnecessarily go through the pain of digestive problems, diarrhea, sickness, etc.....................

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  13. I am sorry you couldn't produce breastmilk. You clearly were dedicated to trying to do so. However, I don't think the article is 'nuts and rude and ignorant' toward you or anyone in your situation.

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  14. Odd thing is My children Have no health issues at all and they were fed formula aswell because of not being able to breastfeed.... I have people who are against formula in my life and they are soo harsh to the ones who either cannot breastfeed due to no milk produced or due to usin formula cause there baby isnt getting enough.. at the end of the day it is THE MOTHERS choice to choose how their baby gets FED not anyone elses.. regardless of my opinion and how i raise my children that is my business nobody elses and others should feel the same because you should really mind ur own businness because you dont know why those mothers use formula it could be for numerous reasons not Just cause they are LAZY as ive heard numerous women say who believe strictly in breast feedin there are alot of reasons why... I had a friend whos baby was ALLERGIC to her breastmilk she thought it was weird but everytime she nursed her baby regardless what she ate or drank during the day the baby broke out in hives and vomited

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  15. Great post! I love it!! Its funny how some ppl just cant handle the TRUTH!!!!! America is brainwashed into thinking formula is just as good as breastmilk

    NUMBER ONE WHO SAYS people cant handle the truth what they cant handle is being put down and turned against because formula was there only choice after failed attempts to breastfeed!!! Harsh that you would assume said people are americans when they could be canadians i see it in both so pushing judgement straight to the americans like that is pure of ignorance and well you should really be ashamed of yourself how can you assume that poster was an american.. I am actually friends with the poster above and she is Canadian

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  16. I will say that my son who was formula fed was sick A LOT from 6 months onward....strep, ear infections, viruses, sinus issues, etc. However, my daughter was exclusively breast fed and has been sick twice in her 3 years of life. Seriously. She never even gets colds (and my son seems to always have one). My son also had serious tummy problems after going to formula at 2 months of age (would squirm after feeding and cry), and my daughter never had any tummy problems. Two kids in the same house with the same parents...the only difference is that one was formula fed and one was breast fed. I'm not against formula feeding (obviously it fed my son from 2-12 months), but I do believe that breast milk is best.

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  17. Great post, thanks!!

    To the anonymous poster who wasn't able to breastfeed: while most women who don't produce enough milk have simply gotten bad advice and poor support, there are some who physically cannot make enough milk. It's not common, but it happens. This post explicitly says that formula use isn't failing -- you didn't fail and no one thinks you did. There are many women in your shoes, who wanted to breastfeed but, for various reasons, couldn't. That's why supporting milk sharing is so important! Because just like you didn't even know it was an option, many other women don't either... and even if they've heard of it they don't know how to get donor milk or don't feel comfortable with it. That's why getting the info out there so women who find themselves in that situation can know ALL their options, and have all the facts about those options, so they can make a truly informed choice. Many moms who donate milk are willing to get a medical exam and provide that assurance for the mother who will be receiving their milk.

    Your comment really just highlights the purpose of the post. We all do the best we can for our babies, and the more we know and the more support we have, the better we can do!

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  18. Anonymous, I think it's more likely that your comments are reactions toward the people in your life who have made you feel bad about formula feeding, instead of actually being about this post. In your comments you bring up ideas that aren't in the post at all, and I didn't see them in other comments -- so it has to be coming from someplace else. I'm sorry people made you feel bad when you didn't feel you could make any other choice. Don't assume that all women who support and encourage breastfeeding are like that. If you couldn't breastfeed, you SHOULD have had access to other options before formula. Of course you didn't. That's something that has to change. I'm glad that your children were healthy and that you feel that formula feeding worked fine for you and you have no regrets about it! But that doesn't mean that other women should have to have their choices limited to Breastfeed or Formula Feed. Milk sharing is a viable and valuable option that shouldn't be seen as offensive or insulting to women who did use formula. It's not saying that formula was a wrong choice; moms make the best decisions they can for the children they love. That's WHY it's so very, very important to give moms everywhere all the information and all the options, so that they can make the best possible choices for their babies. For some, formula may very well be that best choice. If we're really going to talk about "How you feed your baby is a choice and every mom does what's best for her baby" then we have to make sure that those moms have access to all options, including milk sharing. Otherwise it's NOT a choice.

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  19. "Americans are brainwashed into thinking formula is just as good as breastmilk".... I was not referring to anyone in particular, especially on this page. I live in America, and that's the only reason I said what I said. I see it first hand everyday. I'm sure there are some of the same issues in other countries also, but I speak of what I see on a daily basis. And it's purely my opinion. It's sad that more women cannot open their minds and hearts and do what feels right. Not just do something because the Dr says to do it. I don't look down on anyone who formula feeds, but I do feel they are not giving their child the best start possible. I feel like if there are women who could not bf and resulted to formula, maybe they should educate themselves and open their minds to the idea of milk sharing. It's a phenomenal thing. Yes there are risks, but do you not think there are risks in feeding your child a man made chemical that was produced in a factory?! I feel the benefits of donor milk if the mother is not able to bf, much out weigh the risks. Most women who donate milk are willing to provide a health screening, and are also feeding their own babies the same milk. Until about a year ago, I had never heard of milk sharing. I now feel like if more women knew their choices, we would have healthier happier babies.!!

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  20. part 2

    With my last child, i am exclusively pumping, because of course breast milk is the best option and since i had the choice this time to choose, thats what i chose. But i dont sterilize my bottles etc every time. I pump straight into the bottle that i feed with, and in the night when baby is hungry, i go to the fridge and pull it out, feed him and 10 mins later go back to sleep. Did the same for formula. It was made ahead of time and stored in the fridge. it's called preplanning and not as complicated and a big deal as you have suggested. I pump before going to bed and when i get up, so no real complications there. I have enough milk stored for in the meantime.

    I also wanted to add about dad's bonding with baby: feeding your baby isnt the only time you bond with your baby. My relationship with my kids is NOT based by the method or what i fed them as babies. Its based how i love them and interact with them daily. Same goes for dad. His relationship with our kids is different from mine, and why would i expect it to be the same? I've never understood this whole concept of "BONDING" with them while feeding them. I personally found i never interacted with them when they ate anyway, because it distracted them and they wanted to play instead of eat. lol
    ...

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  21. part 3

    As for formula not being practical during natural disasters, i think you didn't do the proper research in that, because when they send aid to these 3rd world countries, they usually send LIQUID formula to avoid having to use tainted water, especially to the orphans who dont have moms to feed off of. Also in places like Haiti, being a third world country, wouldn't the mothers probably mostly breastfeed anyway because they probably couldn't afford formula to begin with. Anyway, if such a situation occured here, i would probably stock up on liquid formula over powder. But you could say the same for pumping as well, because what on earth am i going to do if i was in those circumstances and the battery in my pump ran out... how am i getting milk to my baby? I personally dont know how to hand express nor do i know anyone who does.

    Anyway, as i was reading I was wondering how someone who's never bottle fed their baby can make such points about a subject they dont really know much about, nor have experienced themselves, especially when it comes to the routine of bottle sterilization and nighttime feedings. and as for everything else... the points were quite obvious. And really, who goes to the mall for 7 hours??... especially with babies??

    it's pretty obvious that formula is not cheap and it's even more obvious that it's not the same as breastmilk. We get that. Thanks for pointing it out! And by the way, when i formula fed my baby it cost me about $1600 for the year. Not $3000 like you suggested. ;) thats including all the "gear".

    Also next time you eat yogurt or anything else with DHA... just remember where it came from :S

    Anyway, thanks again for the rather uninforming (duh we all know this already), Extemely opinionated "report" on the evils of formula. We had a good laugh and something to talk about at my parent group! :)

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  22. Part one... (sorry got missed!)

    How fortunate for you that you've been able to breastfeed your baby and never had to make the decision to either formula feed or have your baby starve. Thanks also for instilling fear and guilt into every parent that has either decided to formula feed or not been able to choose and have been forced to do so.

    Being a parent myself that has not only breastfed, but also formula fed and exclusively pumped (all for different kids and because for my second i had an accident and was unable to breastfeed), i have to say that i think you're alittle extreme and biaed in what you're saying and i think that you are mistaking your own speculations for fact.

    When it comes to formula feeding, i did NOT frantically sterilize everything everytime. I did it maybe once a week. Soap and warm water work just fine in the meantime. Yes, there may be !!!!GERMS!!!, OH NO, but i'm not a germaphobe and being exposed to a few germs didn't seem to do them any harm as all my kids are happy and healthy.

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  23. I like how my make a point to write that you know that you're going to offend people by what you are saying and that everyone shares different beliefs about this subject and how your now responsible for those feelings etc. I also find it funny that when people state an opposite opinion to your own, you know the people who think you're a bunch of crazy hippies.. that you suddenly get really angry and defensive. But it's ok for you to go and offend a truck load of people and they just have to deal with it! ... just saying the acceptance should go both ways!!

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  24. It always amuses me to see so many anonomous comments.
    Anyway, I loved this. Well thought out and researched.
    Perhaps people would feel less offended, if they didn't feel quite so defensive.

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  25. Oh my goodness, and I was thrilled with two comments. Thank you everyone for your feedback, positive and negative. I am glad the article is being read. There are several anonymous commenters, so it's difficult for me to address you all directly, without mixing things up. Let me just encourage people to also read "My Birth and Breast Story" which is also on the blog. I did formula feed, I supplemented my daughter with formula for months, before realizing how horribly allergic she was. It took a huge effort (and medication) to get my milk supply up enough to be able to exclusively breastfeed her. She wasn't exclusively breastfed until she was 4 and a half months old or so. I have a rare disorder where my body does not produce enough prolactin (a hormone that helps make milk) on its own. This means that I also suffer from major digestive issues. So I had to be on large quantities of domperidone in order to produce enough for my daughter, who is now 14 months old, and still breastfeeding. You see, she has anyphylactic allergies to dairy and soy, bad enough that she even reacts to the hydrolyzed formula. As I stated above, it's impossible to address this subject (or any subject really) without stirring up deep feelings in parents, whether pride, guilt, anger, hurt, or fear. What could be more personal to a parent than how they fed their child? There are few subjects that affect us the way breastfeeding/formula does. I do feel sorry that people feel hurt or attacked, it certainly isn't the point. I'm somewhat of a pacifist, and the idea of spending four hours writing a blog post for the sole purpose of offending people would be, well, a huge waste of four hours, not to mention mean. No, the point of the post is that there is a lot of misinformation out there about formula. Formula is not evil. It's just a product. However, the companies cut corners, and everyone (all of us) perpetuate falsehoods about the safety of formula. It's important that all parents, breastfeeding and formula-feeding, demand truth of our medical professionals and of the companies that make formula. It all comes down to the health of our children, after all. That is more important than any division or anger we may feel at ourselves or others.

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  26. I would like to address a few things that haven't been addressed by other commenters. :)

    To the last Anonymous (I think!)

    Part I: Ah, but I did have to choose between formula feeding and letting my daughter starve. As I mentioned above, my milk production was shaky at best, and made worse by poor medical advice. At 3 weeks my baby became jaundiced (for a second time, lack of milk transfer), and was hospitalized. We were told to supplement, and so I did. For months. This is one of the reasons the subject is so important to me. No one told me how to prepare the formula, even the can wasn't clear on it. I had never heard of E. Sakazakii, or knew about contaminants. I assumed, like most people, that the purpose of boiling water was to kill pathogens in the water, not the formula. Turns out it is for both. The water can contain cryptosporidium or e. coli, or the formula can contain E. Sakazakii, which is nearly as dangerous. Even in a first world country like Canada, cryptosporidium, E. Coli, and E. Sakazakii happen. As the daughter of a marine biologist, I did frantically sterilize everything, as I was supposed to. I've seen many moms fill a bottle with just tap water and then add the powdered formula. You certainly can do that, but it increases the risk of illness for the baby, and is not how formula is meant to be prepared.
    Part II: It is wonderful you are exclusively pumping. That is far more difficult than either breastfeeding or formula feeding. I always admire moms who go through that kind of effort to ensure their baby gets breast milk. Kudos! (For real!) I agree that the idea of dad not being able to bond with baby because he doesn't feed baby is ridiculous. But would you believe it's in nearly every one of those "Reasons to Formula Feed" pamphlets you get from formula companies? I hear the frequent refrain from moms that dad gives a bottle once a day so he and baby can have bonding time, and I wonder, what's he doing the other 23 and a half hours of the day, that he can only bond through feeding? Do bottlefed babies love their parents less than breastfeeding babies? No, not a chance. So why do companies insist on perpetuating this myth? Oh, here is the Marmet hand expression technique, in case you ever find yourself in a natural disaster where your pump battery dies (http://video.about.com/breastfeeding/Hand-Expression-Technique.htm). My daughter hid my AC adaptor somewhere, now my pump is dead, so I should be learning this too, until I can order a new one.
    Cont...

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  27. Part III: I did in fact do my research on this one. The problem is, many of the rescue groups that go into Haiti don't, and a lot of them call for powdered infant formula, when if formula is called for, it should be the premixed stuff. It might surprise you that even the premixed stuff can cause death for babies in places like Haiti. The way this happens is that Aid groups bring infant formula into countries like Haiti and distribute it (with the best of intentions!) to breastfeeding moms in the area. The moms may be struggling with milk supply because of stress, or lack of water, or severe malnutrition. Rather than assisting the mom in building milk supply, the mom receives the premixed formula. The labels on the formula are in English, which she perhaps doesn't speak. She begins to feed her baby the formula, and as she continues to do so, her milk supply dries up. A few months later, the Aid groups stop distributing the premixed formula to mom. She now has to try and purchase it from shops. She can't afford it. She begins to dilute it with water (perhaps tainted with bacteria). Her baby slowly begins to become malnourished. Maybe he gets a gastro disease from the water used to dilute it. We know for a fact that infant formula causes 1.5 million infant deaths worldwide every year. The problem of infant formula entering countries with Aid groups became so bad that UNICEF actually wrote out an emergency feeding policy. They reiterated it in January 2010, here: http://www.unicef.org/media/media_52555.html
    I definitely hit the mall for seven hours, haha, guilty as charged. We live in a small town outside a city, which makes trips in Loooong. Nestle on their website says that premixed formula at room temperature is only good for 30 minutes, but they also say that water should be boiling hot at the time that the powder is added. So that does make it difficult. I am glad formula was not as expensive for you. It's "up to" $3000. I would have been at the higher end, as I was one of those unlucky mommies that needed the special stuff for $55 a can. Yes, that fake DHA is in soooo many things now, with people having no idea where it comes from. Having a yogurt in it once a day at a body weight of say 130 lbs (ha, I wish!) would give the hexane traces small chance to build in my system. However, give DHA formula to a baby 8 to 12 times a day, with their body weight between 6 and 20 lbs, and those trace amounts suddenly can build up quite a bit. There is more info on the metabolism, and symptoms, of hexane poisoning here: http://www.inchem.org/documents/hsg/hsg/hsg059.htm
    I am happy you have something to discuss at parenting group, I often find them so boring (how many types can you argue pampers or huggies? Honestly!). You must have an amazing parenting group that you can bring up breast vs. bottle without being lynched from the nearest monkey bars. I hope the article provides many hours of discussion! Much love, BAB~

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  28. Oh, I must also recommend Gabrielle Palmer's "The Politics of Breastfeeding" to all mommies. It's amazing, and good for all mommies to read, no matter what they feed their babies!

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  29. Hmmm.....Blogger claims she is all about truth and then deletes my lengthy comment correcting just one point of misinformation. If you are going to worry about microbial contamination of formula, at least get the name of the bacteria right.

    Yup, definitely not fooled.

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  30. NFBLL, I can still see your comment? I replied and added references for you. Sorry, I don't get your last sentence? I run daycare during day, will reply later. If different post, please repost or send email, thanks. Typing from my iPhone while supervising 3 one year olds. Plz explain, thanks.

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  31. I posted today at 7:48 AM. I'm between laundry loads and I don't have time to write my comment again.

    And since you mentioned references, those aren't references. Facebook? Your personal experience? Really? I do give you credit for admitting that you have no idea what you are talking about, but what astounds me are the people that think this is a good post.

    Why are you spreading misinformation about the risks of formula-feeding? You know the topic is offensive and then you pour salt on the wound because what you have written is not even correct. You admit that you are lying when you say "everyone (all of us) perpetuate falsehoods about the safety of formula".

    Well, I'm not everyone, and if the laundry ever gets done, I'll try to correct your falsehoods.

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  32. i find it pretty amusing that people will FIGHT with others to say that formula is fine. it is not equal to breastmilk, therefore it is less than ideal

    anyway, i just wanted to say that very much appreciated hearing your back story about formula feeding first - i did the same thing, due to bad advice and being told that my milk wouldn't be enough to sustain my 6 week, but completely healthy preemie. the first month of her life, she was on 2/3 formula, 1/3 expressed breastmilk and was put to breast maybe every other day. once. and then is said NO MORE! and just went for it. it's important that people who have had our experience of, basically, strictly formula fed and then go to strictly breastfeeding speak out about this issue - we really know both sides and we know it well. and we realize that we were booby trapped, or perhaps just were not knowledgeable enough. we're not bad people - when you know better, you do better.
    - Cricket

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  33. Thanks Cricket. Babies are down for their nap, so I can post normally now, without shortening things and straining to see the iPhone screen.

    Not Fooled By Lactivist Lies, I'm sorry, I didn't see your comment. I get email notifications for each comment, I've searched through (this has flooded my email compared to its normal snail's pace) and I haven't been able to find your comment. When you do find the time, please repost. I am interested.

    I have referenced each point at the bottom of each point. The links at the very bottom are just general websites to help with breastfeeding troubleshooting, that I found useful in my own experience. I couldn't really figure out how to reference my last point "Formula Is Not A Failure", because I couldn't find anywhere that actually stated that. Isn't that awful? We struggle through all these problems, we're given poor information (I'm not speaking to this post, I think it's good information, information I wish I had had), and told things that make our milk supply shrink, or never come in, and then we're told it's all our fault, and we should be ashamed of ourselves for switching to formula. It's all so hypocritical. So, speaking from life experience, I would say Formula Is Not A Failure, yes. It's not a particularly scientific statement, and it's not backed by a study, but it is my personal experience that when I gave my daughter formula, I didn't fail, I was failed.

    When I didn't know better, did I perpetuate falsehoods about formula? Absolutely. I distinctly remember telling a mom that switching to soy formula would be better for her baby, and I also remember advising another to top up with formula at night to "help baby sleep better". Do I know better now? Absolutely.

    The topic of formula isn't offensive, it's contentious. We let ourselves get so wrapped up in how we feel that we forget to look for the right answers. We don't want to know. It's a hard way to live though, hiding fact to avoid guilt. Think of those poor moms who took morning sickness meds in the 80s, or who had X-Rays. Not that formula is comparable to those, but it must wrench the mom every time she thinks about the information she could have had. She might wish she could back in time. She might have changed her mind for the next baby. I know I would like to take a trip back and take a different road than I did with my daughter. Ignorance is bliss right? Well, ignorance is just ignorance. Ignorance in the sense that we keep ourselves in the dark to avoid letting the light hurt our eyes. It might not be sensible, but it's easiest. Writing this post was like pouring salt in my own wounds, because the more I discover, the more I want to kick myself. Could I have saved my milk supply by not supplementing? Could I have told the doctors "No" when they insisted I supplement? Did I really have low milk supply, or did my daughter have Coombs because of my RH status? Could I have saved her the anyphylactic milk allergy by not introducing formula? I don't know. It's like a knife in my gut when I think about what I could have done. So instead I have to think about what I will do. Part of that is trying to help another mom who might find themselves in a similar situation. Please do share any links or arguments you have about the post. The feedback is good, and it may create an opportunity to clarify for others reading it. Hope your laundry goes smoothly. I've got a load of diapers in and it sounds like my washer is racing the dryer across the basement again. I'm going to put my money on the dryer. ~BAB

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  34. What a great article! I so appreciate the info, and great links. It hs, indeed, stirred up a lot of emotion. I am a mom through adoption and though I induced lactation, I've had no choice but to supplement with formula (though thanks to EOF we've been able to use quite a bit of donated breastmilk). It's an emotional issue, and people who respond so strongly, seem to do so out of their own issues/feelings, rather than the facts.

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  35. "Not fooled by Lactivist' lies"? Seriously? Why are you reading a breastfeeding blog when you're obviously biased against it? And, besides being cynical and patronizing, what is your argument? What do you want referenced? What do you want studies to prove? I'm not a lactivist, but I am a mammal, so when I had my kids I breastfed. Not to make a statement, not because I hate formula but because that's what breasts are for, and that's why babies are born with the instinct to suck. Unfortunately, there were a number of years when mothers were told to use formula because it was more "scientifically formulated" and of course people took that to mean 'better'. Now, thankfully, people are realizing that breastmilk is, in fact, better than formula but the campaign for breastfeeding has less advertising dollars than the formula companies so it's become a grassroots campaign to change perceptions and I applaud the woman who are giving up their precious few minutes of spare time to do it.

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  36. BAB - Thanks for directing me to your blog! I had read this reposted from someone else and thought it was great even before I knew it was you.

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  37. Well said Marcia!! Its so sad that people cannot handle the TRUTH!!! Open your hearts and minds up, our children will benefit from it. Formula is not ideal, at all. As a RN and a mother, I will always advocate the fact that breast is best, pumped milk is 2nd best, donor milk 3rd, then formula, as a LAST resort!
    Anyone who is offended by this post, is just plain ignorant. Its very informative. It is not here to make anyone feel bad or guilty for formula feeding. Its here to educate people of the dangers and risks of formula, and the extreme benefits to breastmilk. If your feeling guilty or offended in any way, its probably something personal within you.

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  38. Well said Marcia and hallieluvsme!!!

    I think this is a great post and I don't understand why anyone who is so anti-breastfeeding is reading and posting comments to this post.

    I don't know how anyone can dispute that breast is best. God gave us breasts for a reason, not just playtoys for men...if he wanted us to formula feed, he would have given us cans of formula hanging from our chests.

    Formula never can and never will replace breastmilk as what's best for babies. I understand that there are extenuating circumstances under which a mother might choose to formula feed and for those mothers, I have no issues.

    I agree that if you are offended by this post, then you better look at your self in the mirror and ask yourself if you are feeling guilty or angry with yourself for your own choices instead of taking it all out on those of us who choose the feed our babies the way God intended.

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  39. Hi, I am one of the previous annonymous writers. I wrote annonymously because i dont have an account and found annonymous to be easiest... annonymous is tough to type out so often! lol

    Anyway, i did NOT know that that you had formerly used formula and had such a hard go at it and made such a rough sacrifice to your own body in order to feed your baby something to keep her so healthy. And for that i apologize for my hard words. I grew up having digestive issues myself and all i can say is that they suck, and for you to choose to live that out for your babies health is amazing!

    Thanks for this Response! you responded to my response with much more grace than i did and i feel terrible about it. So i just felt the need to say i'm sorry.

    I'm all for breast feeding and im not completely convinced that it's the "Companies" that are "brainwashing" the masses, but rather it's just the general thinking that's out there. I know in my experience i've never had a problem with my doctors or nurses pushing formula. THey all pushed breast. And whenever i research things about formula or pumping, it's almost impossible because breast is always pushed first as the way to go. So maybe that's why i have such a hard time when "people like you" make a big huff about how the formula companies are out the get us.

    Once again, I apologize! You're an amazing woman! (just extremism really gets under my skin sometimes! and some ladies can be REALLY nasty about it...you dont seem like one of them!)

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  40. Hi previous anonymous writer (hahaha, the title just keeps getting longer!) Now it is my turn to thank you for your gracious response. I appreciate the apology. I didn't expect so many responses when I wrote the blog. I'm used to pretty much writing for myself! I agree with you about the medical mouth service to breastfeeding. I think there is so much contradiction there. Not really because of "evil" formula companies. But just sort of the way the whole thing is set up. Every nurse, doctor, and specialist gives high mouth service to breastfeeding, and people are quick to criticize moms who have trouble with it, and turn to alternatives. But the thing is, for all that these medical people praise up breastfeeding no one really offers the help women need to succeed in it! I find it frustrating. One minute I am told that "breast is best", before I give birth. Then when I give birth I have multiple medical interventions pressed on me by the hospital, I end up exhausted and battle-weary after birth, or with a C-Section, and the baby is immediately swept off to a nursery, or to have gunk put in their eyes, their throats suctioned, and to have a bath. Several hours later I get my baby back, clean, so that the baby can no longer smell the amniotic fluid (which smells like mommy's breasts, interestingly enough). Then a nurse stands over you while your sleepy drugged self tries to attach a sleepy drugged baby to your breast, something you've never attempted to do before. A lot of times the nurse gets impatient and shoves the baby on. A day later they send you home with a welcome bag full of formula coupons or formula samples. That's pretty much it. Then you're expected to succeed at breastfeeding, and if you don't, look out, everyone and their mother will try to tell you that you were lazy, you didn't try hard enough, breast is best, etc. Yeah, there's a lot of lip service, but the way things are set up, it's very hard for a mom to succeed at breastfeeding. Then the companies that sell the formula are so busy advertising that they don't spend needed money on improving their product, or on helping moms who actually do use it, or giving the information needed to use it properly and safely. Don't feel badly, I understand. The system sets us up to fail, and then tells us again and again that we've failed, and ensures we beat ourselves up. You sound like a strong, reasonable woman. Thank you for your post, I really liked your feedback. Much love, ~BAB

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  41. Excellent post! The debating going on within the comments is both thought-provoking and entertaining as well! This links very well to your post on guilt and how it affects women. Time and again I come across usually 'anonymous' commenters that act particularity offended at factual information on breastfeeding or formula because of personal issues with their own experiences. I have added respect for you for taking the time and replying in a mature manner, unlike some other commenters.

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  42. What is awesome about this is that it points out some very plain facts, yes facts, that sadly some mothers have never even considered, but have just believed the jargon shoved at them by health care 'professionals', friends and family members, most of it urban myth.
    I thought this was excellent and some mothers have had some great responses (Marcia).
    We live in a fake world though. We are conditioned to be fakers and conditioned to think that substitutes are equal, with so many things.
    And yep, many people cannot handle a simple truth because of this conditioning.
    I live in Australia and this kind of ignorance is going on here too.
    Becka

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  43. I just wanted to commend the previous annonymous poster for exclusively pumping! Wow! Despite oversupply, I hate the pump and I have the utmost respect for moms who are able to keep that up to get breastmilk to their babes.

    Until I read this post, I was unaware that boiling the water was to kill pathogens that may be in the powdered formula (like you, I'd assumed the problem there was with the water) :/

    Are people who formula-feed from day one really at a risk of mastitis? OUCH! I kind of assumed they stuck on a sports bra and took some aspirin and that was that. How likely is it to leak milk and have engorgement? I'm guessing it would be more likely with someone who attempted to nurse in the hospital and then switched?

    The advertising and "aid" situation with formula in 3rd world countries really is incredibly depressing. In the US, it's a different story -- women have much more choice and much less risk, though they are sometimes (often) not given good information.

    I have a small baby, who is (gasp) over one and I've gotten the most flack about nursing her from medical professionals.

    I think I had another point, but I've forgotten what it was. Anyway, I found your blog today via BfB and I've enjoyed reading back through it.

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  44. Hi!

    I just found this blog via one Finnish motherhood-related page.

    I only have comment regarding the subject you wrote about.

    In finland we have been giving breastmilk from moms to others babys for many years. Infact it is the only (if hospitals get enough from donors) "food" that the premature infants get in the intensive care. AND ONLY BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST SUITABLE FOOD FOR A HUMAN BABY. We take test from the donor (bloodwork and milk-quality) before acceptin her milk. There are some mom-clubs that have a "free-breast"-ideology, they get together to take care of the children and it dos not matter whose baby feeds from whose breast, aslong the baby is satisfyed.

    thats why I'm a bit mad that some "white-coat" idiot is saying that it is BAD for our children!! many centurys ago there used to be nurser, women who made their living by nursin others children! and i'm sure those babys did not die of it!

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  45. This was such a great read. The post and the feedback. To the blogger, I think you are an amazing woman! My husband and I are currently trying for a baby and I am dedicated to breastfeeding, so I've already started researching as much as I can. It's great to hear from real people (not just random websites) with real stories and insight! I really look up to you for not only taking time to write the informative blog, but also for being so respectful in your responses, even when someone is attacking you. Kudos!

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