"I supplement once a day... I mean, I need a break! don't you think?" - Page 5

[loving-my-babies]

Originally Posted by RubyV

You don't know what her labor and delivery were like. Or if she was getting enough help at home.

When I had dd, I was 17 years old, single (now married to her dad but we weren't married back then) I had no mother (she was living in another country) no support other than my dh. My dd was born by c-section at 36 weeks due to fetal distress, She presented a transitory tachimnea and had to be in the NICU where they fed her formula. I didn't get to see her until 24 hours after birth. She had jaundice too. When we went home, she kicked in screamed every time I tried to feed her. Again, I was alone, trying to juggle school and baing a young mom. I was determined to bf as long as I could.
A couple months later, after crying and screaming every time I tried to feed her, she was diagnosed with galactosemia and lactose intolerance.
I had no pump in case I was engorged or wanted to go out for a couple hours (in chile there are not "pump in styles" (by the way, I love my pump in style now that I have one) so it wasn't what you would call "easy" for me too.
But I ebf for 3 months until I had to wean because of the problems listed above. After 3 months of ebf'ing I was not even near of supplementing because I needed a break.

[JessicaS]

Like Wildcrafter said, supplementing as early as two weeks can compromise your milk supply.

When you start supplementing that early, one bottle a day doesn't seem like much BUT that can make your milk supply lower. What happens if you give two bottles a day? Right...people will gradually increase the amount of formula given because "BM doesn't seem to be satisfying them" and then it becomes "I couldn't supply enough" or "my milk supply dissappeared"

Well..thats is because they started supplementing. LLL might seem super strict about supplementing but that is because they are for women bf successfully and supplementing that early will compromise that.

Also, giving bottles that early can cause nipple confusion. A nipple on a bottle is *much* easier for the baby to get milk from than a breast. They will learn that a bottle is easier and will become frustrated and angry while at the breat making the mom think "they don't want to nurse" or "they reject the breast, they must prefer the bottle" well yes, they prefer the bottle...it is easier.

That is why LLL doesn't recommend supplenting. Because it can completely compromise the nursing relationship.

If you must supplement, you should wait until at least six weeks.

[monkey's mom]

Originally Posted by gethane

I don't know how you can truly believe breastfeeding is best, and still find all these excuses why its ok if a woman "chooses" not to do what's best for her baby.

Exactly!

*Of course* putting your baby in the rear facing car seat with 5 point restraint is BEST, but sometimes that's too time-consuming/hard/whatever, so is it OK to just put a regular seat belt on them or put them in a bassinet or leave the car seat straps undone?

That's what people in my parents' generation thought. Now we think that's lunacy. And, when we see people driving around with babies not in the BEST choice, we (collectively) get upset--there are all sorts of programs of assistance and methods to curtail this unsafety. No one would bat an eye if someone was upset at seeing a 2 week old unrestrained in a car.

Sure we don't know the situation there, either. Maybe they couldn't afford a car seat, maybe they forgot, maybe they got stranded and had to catch a ride, maybe they didn't notice the straps were undone (happened to me once). It doesn't change the fact that it is risky. Which is precisely how I view the mom's choice in the OP. It doesn't make her a monster. It doesn't mean I'm not happy about her bfing the *rest* of the time (just like I would "support" someone keeping their baby in a car seat MOST of the time).

I just get angry at yet ANOTHER example of someone choosing to not do whatever it takes to get the best for their child (especially at only 2 weeks in). I'm angry that she is probably armed with misinformation about what is the best. And I'm angry that she's likely going to perpetuate that misinformation. And if years down the road, that mom feels like shit b/c she didn't know that supplementing 1 bottle a day was not the best choice, that will make me angry, too! When will we wake up and make it the norm to bf in this country (the US)?! That includes providing the right information, supporting new moms so that getting a break is part of the experience, improving maternity leave, providing places to pump in the workplace, having a medical community that understands and promotes breastfeeding, making all public places bfing friendly (or at least bf tolerant), and generally making it on par with using an infant car seat.

This *is* the one place I can come and not feel like I have to use disclaimers about my support for bfing. I don't want to make anyone feel like shit either though. I like what someone said about it not being about "you" and it not being about "me." That seems important to me.

Anyway, I'm glad for this conversation--it's important to think about. I hope people don't leave feeling badly b/c of it.

[stafl]

Originally Posted by abimommy

Like Wildcrafter said, supplementing as early as two weeks can compromise your milk supply.

When you start supplementing that early, one bottle a day doesn't seem like much BUT that can make your milk supply lower. What happens if you give two bottles a day? Right...people will gradually increase the amount of formula given because "BM doesn't seem to be satisfying them" and then it becomes "I couldn't supply enough" or "my milk supply dissappeared"

Well..thats is because they started supplementing. LLL might seem super strict about supplementing but that is because they are for women bf successfully and supplementing that early will compromise that.

Also, giving bottles that early can cause nipple confusion. A nipple on a bottle is *much* easier for the baby to get milk from than a breast. They will learn that a bottle is easier and will become frustrated and angry while at the breat making the mom think "they don't want to nurse" or "they reject the breast, they must prefer the bottle" well yes, they prefer the bottle...it is easier.

That is why LLL doesn't recommend supplenting. Because it can completely compromise the nursing relationship.

If you must supplement, you should wait until at least six weeks.

That's what happened to me. I *had* to supplement. My first DD was physically unable to nurse. It turned into a vicious cycle. The supplemental formula made my supply problem that much worse, so I had to supplement a little more, which lowered my supply even more... and on it went until I lost my milk completely! BUT, I had a really good LC who got me started pumping and supplementing with as much EBM as possible, and I found a really great support network online, and I managed to break out of that cycle. It wasn't easy, it was actually the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life.

Anyway, my point is that it only took about three or four weeks to go from one supplemental bottle a day to giving formula for all of her feedings. IMO and IME that is just too big a risk to take if you don't absolutely have to.

[clarissajoy2]

Originally Posted by abimommy

Like Wildcrafter said, supplementing as early as two weeks can compromise your milk supply.

When you start supplementing that early, one bottle a day doesn't seem like much BUT that can make your milk supply lower. What happens if you give two bottles a day? Right...people will gradually increase the amount of formula given because "BM doesn't seem to be satisfying them" and then it becomes "I couldn't supply enough" or "my milk supply dissappeared"

Well..thats is because they started supplementing. LLL might seem super strict about supplementing but that is because they are for women bf successfully and supplementing that early will compromise that.

I have heard this several times & I am sure it may be true for some people, but in my experience, it did not make a difference. We returned to exclusively breastfeeding at 10 weeks with no milk supply or nipple confusion problems whatsoever. My body seems to make as much milk as he needs when he nurses. Pumping is harder and I do not always get as much as I'd like.

I think the thing about this thread that bothers me is that in my work as an educator, I've witnessed some horrific abuse of children and some "benign" (sarcam implied) but real neglect in which parents don't meet their children's physical and emotional needs either because of indifferemce or econmonic hardship. These are children who grow up either tramuatized or feeling unwanted or perhaps feeling loved/wanted but without the social/physical/intellectual capacity that they need to be happy and productive adults. These are the children who may grow into adults who have serious problems or go on to tramautize others or commit crimes or lack empathy for others. That is a situation that enrages me and I want to do something about helping these parents (or if the parent truly does not care then their children).

I get the sense as I read this forum that many posters consider supplementing with formula to be as dangerous as the forms of child neglect or abuse that enrage me. While I don't agree with that assessment of supplementing and I really don't think that these children will suffer to level that perhaps you believe, I admire the passion of the posters who IF they do believe supplementing is a form of neglect, they choose to do something to help those parents as opposed to passing judgment. The world is filled with a lot of children (and adults) who are in pain & suffering, so I think any form of activism to address that suffering is great. And if you think that breastfeeding activism is where you want to put your energy, I think that is terrific. Since for me, neglect is something different, my energy as an activist goes in other directions.

As for why giving a baby a bottle is a break as opposed to nursing for some women, it probably isn't for me, it really was a physical/body integrity issue. I wanted some moments when my shirt was not up and my breasts were not being pulled upon. Maybe if I were a different type of person, a break would have been eating a pint of ice cream or watching a video.

But I find it strange that the idea that a mother should want a break bothers peple because parenting is "hard work." In some other cultures, there are extended families or grandparents wo give moms a break. But parents do need times to themselves one way or another. From what I've observed among parents who do unintentionally neglect their kids or moms who fall into depressions, not taking any sort of break (though definitions may vary) often is dangerous. So I think the question should not be whether a break is appropriate but how to help parents who need one but might not have the resouces.

my point of writing all tghis is not to criticize the original poster oir even debate but to share my experience and offer a different point of view.

clarissa

[clarissajoy2]

Originally Posted by Mom2six

Just popping back in for a moment to make a point. All you ladies with stories of giving yourself permission to give bottles so that you could have a break under trying circumstances - you do see that the examples you are giving are NOT what the OP was addressing, right? I'm getting the sense that most people can't get past their suspicion that the OP is pointing a finger at them to see that we are talking about two different things! ROUTINE SUPPLEMENTATION ON A DAILY BASIS is NOT the same as "I gave myself permission to give an occassional bottle so as not to lose my mind".

I guess that I just want to clarify, my own original post was not about feeling accused or even about justifying my choices or trying to make excuses. I was just trying to share my experience and perspective to some people who might not have had similar experiences or might have adiiferent point of view. Nor did I bring up being single as if that is a good "excuse" for supplementing. I guess (and I hope if you go back and reread my original post), it was about explaining what supplementing meant to me and how I came to terms with doing something that was different than my original plans.

What I was trying to say is that if I had a partner, maybe nursing would not have felt as overwhelming or maybe a different sort of break would have been satisfactory. But somehow being the sole parent AND my breasts/body being solely responsible for feeding the baby were emotionally connected, so by letting myself know that my body did not have to be soley responsible for my baby's nutrition was both a physical and perhaps more importantly, a psychological break. It meant that for that hour the baby could "survive" and not go hungry despite the fact that I was the only parent/provider.

And while it is true that I did not actually end up using that break every day --meaning I probably only gave him a bottle a few times per week, the once per day thing was the boundary that I put around meeting my own needs. It was me saying (according to my pediatrician) even if I choose to give him formula once per day, he will still be OK and I will still be OK and my milk supply will be OK as well; but I will not go over once per day." It was a boundary that I created about the issue and that I managed to stick by. In my experience, allowing myself to know that it was OK for me not to be perfect and to give the occasional bottle was incredibly helpful and stress-relieving even though I ended up not making use of that option as much as gave myself "permission" to do so.

I don't think that people need to agree with my choice & perhaps I am not being articulate enough to even help anyone understand. But I'm absolutely not complaining about the difficulty of parebting a newborn or saying anyone should pity me as a single mother and thereby excuse my choice. Instead, I'm trying to show that my process was more complex than others might assume. And show why someone might make such a choice even with a good milk supply. I stand by that choice as being right for me for the first ten weeks and when it was no longer right for us, it was easy to stop using formula.

clarissa

[Firemom]

I agree that a little bit of formula is better than no formula at all.

But I am a breastfeeding advocate and personally anyone I talk to about breastfeeding, I encourage them to do it exclusively.

The formula companies do a good enough job at telling moms its ok to supplement or take a break. My job as an activist of breastfeeding is to try to stear them away from that way of thinking.

Mom can take a break. She could feed her baby, have dad, grandma, a neighboor etc, take baby for 2 hours or so and she can take a bubble bath or go for a walk, or what ever she wants to do.

When my dh was working 10-12 hour days and I was home with my newborn. I would feed my baby and take the dog for a nice 1/2 hour walk and feel so refreashed. A bottle wouldn't have given me that same sense of freedom and relaxation.

[boysrus]

I hate this attitude_ "I walked across burning coals uphill in a blizzard to give birth to my bab, 48 hour labor with no meds, therefore anyone who does less than that is a lesser woman? Okay, saints of breastfeeding, it is wonderful that you never succumbed to the dreaded bottle. But, to other people, there are probably shortcuts that you take that they wouldnt. We are not perfect. Sometimes even intentionally so. You NEVER gave your baby a bottle and you never will. Will you never let that child watch tv? Only 100 % organic food forever? DO you read to them 1 hour per day every day? DO you never use any of the following: playpen, stroller, johnny jump up, bouncer, exercauser, crib, high chair? Because all of those things are considered detrimental to baby's health by someone. We all decide which battles we want to fight. They wont be the same battles. Why not give a poor 2 week pp momma a break?
I would feeldifferently if this post was about the OPs dear friend or sister that she had given every bit of info and support to and yet that momma was still choosing to ff. The op does not know this mom, or her story. She might be a victim of sexual abuse and have a really tough time coping with nursing. She might have screaming thrush. MAybe she is in an abusive relationship and this is the one thing she CAN control. Maybe she is suffering from postpartum depression. Maybe she just hurts when she nurses. I think it can be safe to assume that she too the attitude thatshe did (of needing a break) due to not wanting to be judged adn feeling defensive. BC yes, there can be a lot of support for formula feeding. Or, there cannot be a lot of support for it, depending on the crowd your running with

[soccerchic21]

You know I have been following this thread and putting my two cents in here and there and isn't this the breastfeeding advocacy forum? Why can't we talk about our frustrations with formula here without being attacked?

Why can't we bash formula? We have chosen to breastfeed and MDC has given us a wonderful outlet to give support to one another and share our frustrations. And I support the OP 100%. I would have felt the same way. It just pains me to see what non support she has gotten with this thread.

[boysrus]

The problem comes in when it is not the formula that is being bashed but the mother who is using it. And she IS breastfeeding.

[rareimer]

gethane: i agree with you, 100%. you keep taking the words right out of my mouth!

i just don't get why we complain about the formula companies making it seem like formula is "okay" or "just fine" or "good enough" or "second best" or whatever, and we call them unethical, and we all know that they are wrong. yet people are saying that supplementation is okay, and this is acceptable. we are just perpetuating the myths. so yeah, there are situations where supplementation is required. and there are some where it happens, may not have been required, but it is understandable. but if we are truly breastfeeding advocates, and truly want to change the attitude towards breastfeeding in society, we can't keep saying it's "okay". especially when breastfeeding is otherwise going well and there is no medical reason for supplementing.

it may not happen to everyone, but supplementation IS a risk...it is very likely that supply will be greatly affected, it is very likely that nipple preference will occur, it is very likely that it will spiral and spiral until the baby is 100% formula fed. in order for a breastfeeding mother to be successful, she has to know that it is not "okay" to just give formula bottles whenever she gets overwhelmed. it will still happen, and sometimes you can't really blame the mother, we've all been in that overwhelmed state. but we can't just keep saying that it's okay. that's the attitude we're trying to fight.

[crazy_eights]

Originally Posted by clarissajoy2

I stand by that choice as being right for me for the first ten weeks and when it was no longer right for us, it was easy to stop using formula.

And I'm just pointing out that while it worked for you, it can be a vicious cycle of more formula for many. Had you given that bottle everyday, it would have been a risk for breastfeeding failure and mamas who want to make that choice need to be aware that is a risk. And the mainstream tends to gloss that part over.

[*Erin*]

Originally Posted by lilyka

I would rather a mom do what she needs to do in a way that won't undermind breastfeeding completely than be told she isn't good enough to be a part of our club and might as well give up now.

i agree and also

Originally Posted by boysrus

hate this attitude_ "I walked across burning coals uphill in a blizzard to give birth to my bab, 48 hour labor with no meds, therefore anyone who does less than that is a lesser woman? Okay, saints of breastfeeding, it is wonderful that you never succumbed to the dreaded bottle. But, to other people, there are probably shortcuts that you take that they wouldnt. We are not perfect. Sometimes even intentionally so. You NEVER gave your baby a bottle and you never will. Will you never let that child watch tv? Only 100 % organic food forever? DO you read to them 1 hour per day every day? DO you never use any of the following: playpen, stroller, johnny jump up, bouncer, exercauser, crib, high chair? Because all of those things are considered detrimental to baby's health by someone. We all decide which battles we want to fight. They wont be the same battles. Why not give a poor 2 week pp momma a break?
I would feeldifferently if this post was about the OPs dear friend or sister that she had given every bit of info and support to and yet that momma was still choosing to ff. The op does not know this mom, or her story. She might be a victim of sexual abuse and have a really tough time coping with nursing. She might have screaming thrush. MAybe she is in an abusive relationship and this is the one thing she CAN control. Maybe she is suffering from postpartum depression. Maybe she just hurts when she nurses. I think it can be safe to assume that she too the attitude thatshe did (of needing a break) due to not wanting to be judged adn feeling defensive. BC yes, there can be a lot of support for formula feeding. Or, there cannot be a lot of support for it, depending on the crowd your running with

that was a potential teaching opportunity. you might've said, "it's wonderful that you're breastfeeding! I breastfeed my child, yes, it sure was tough those first few months, but we asked for help and got through it and she/he is so healthy and happy ~and it just makes my day to see a mama who's so committed to her baby!"

something glowingly positive acknowledging that she was breastfeeding at all wouldve gone a lot further than you might think.

[rareimer]

but what about the OP's comment:

Originally Posted by loving-my-babies

"oh, that's great. You will love it, it is so good for them too".

sounds supportive to me.

[loving-my-babies]

i don't know if you all read the post correctly, but I happened to say a very supportive sentence to this woman, i am venting NOW with you, but I never made her feel "not good enough" or like she was hurting her baby. I do think it's not ok to supplement at 2 weeks for a "break", but remember this woman came into my store. what kind of manager would I be if a customer walks into my store and I start ranting over how bf'ing is best... i am smart SO I KEEP MY RANT FOR MDC FORUMS. plus, it was none of my business, really. That's why I kept it at "that's great. You'll love it. it's so good for them too" I mean, how much more supportive do you want me to be?

[ekblad9]

I agree that you were very supportive of the woman and are just venting here. I completely understand where you are coming from.

[Al Dente]

Originally Posted by boysrus

I hate this attitude_ "I walked across burning coals uphill in a blizzard to give birth to my bab, 48 hour labor with no meds, therefore anyone who does less than that is a lesser woman? Okay, saints of breastfeeding, it is wonderful that you never succumbed to the dreaded bottle. But, to other people, there are probably shortcuts that you take that they wouldnt. We are not perfect. Sometimes even intentionally so. You NEVER gave your baby a bottle and you never will. Will you never let that child watch tv? Only 100 % organic food forever? DO you read to them 1 hour per day every day? DO you never use any of the following: playpen, stroller, johnny jump up, bouncer, exercauser, crib, high chair? Because all of those things are considered detrimental to baby's health by someone. We all decide which battles we want to fight. They wont be the same battles.

boysrus. Exactly what I was thinking but didn't have the nerve to say. And by the way everyone, there ARE children who don't go 2 hours between feedings...I have one. I can count on one hand the number of times I have been able to button up my shirt before he wants to nurse again. So don't trivialize it by saying that someone else can always hold the baby while I take a bath! (Not unless they're in the bathtub with me, or he's sucking on their nipple...no way would he wait that long)


edited to say-of course we should support breastfeeding, especially in this forum. But has anyone ever given it a thought some women on MDC do supplement and this attitude indirectly bashes them by saying they aren't good enough (unless they have medical reasons that are fully supported by everyone here) because they don't bf 100%? I know that's hard to believe...why doesn't someone do a poll? I'd like to believe we're all educated enough to know the risks that supplementing brings about, but it's a choice some of us have made. Just like the risk of c/b perhaps? Hmm...another thread.

Rachel

[ekblad9]

Originally Posted by RacheePoo

boysrus. Exactly what I was thinking but didn't have the nerve to say. And by the way everyone, there ARE children who don't go 2 hours between feedings...I have one. I can count on one hand the number of times I have been able to button up my shirt before he wants to nurse again. So don't trivialize it by saying that someone else can always hold the baby while I take a bath! (Not unless they're in the bathtub with me, or he's sucking on their nipple...no way would he wait that long)

I had 5 babies that went about a half hour between feedings. But that's in the beginning. Lasts for maybe 6 months. No, we don't know this woman's history or anything like that. I think the OP was just trying to blow off some steam in a "safe" forum. I don't think it's necessary to pick her thread apart.

[clarissajoy2]

UOTE=monkey's mom]Exactly! *Of course* putting your baby in the rear facing car seat with 5 point restraint is BEST, but sometimes that's too time-consuming/hard/whatever, so is it OK to just put a regular seat belt on them or put them in a bassinet or leave the car seat straps undone?

That's what people in my parents' generation thought. Now we think that's lunacy. And, when we see people driving around with babies not in the BEST choice, we (collectively) get upset--there are all sorts of programs of assistance and methods to curtail this unsafety. No one would bat an eye if someone was upset at seeing a 2 week old unrestrained in a car.

Sure we don't know the situation there, either. Maybe they couldn't afford a car seat, maybe they forgot, maybe they got stranded and had to catch a ride, maybe they didn't notice the straps were undone (happened to me once). It doesn't change the fact that it is risky. Which is precisely how I view the mom's choice in the OP. It doesn't make her a monster. It doesn't mean I'm not happy about her bfing the *rest* of the time (just like I would "support" someone keeping their baby in a car seat MOST of the time). [/QUOTE]

I suppose my feelings about this are not with most of this board but the difference that I see between the car seat analogy and the formula analogy is that not using a car seat is very risky to the point of being lethal. As much as I believe breastmilk is BEST, I don't see formula feeding parents as making a lethal choice just a less healthy one. That distinction may seem to fine to some, but it is important to me because I do witness really lethal abuse and neglect of children.

I have read the stats and the literature but I also recognize my own anecdotal experience as being useful, I teach plenty of healthy, intelligent, happy (and some are even brilliant) kids who were formula fed. Might they be more healthy, intelligent and happy if they were fed on breastmilk? Quite possibly. Might those with IQs of 150 have IQs of 160 instead? Maybe.

So why is that level of risk more acceptable than not using a car seat to me? I guess because I actually don't know any babies who have been in a serious car accident without an infant car seat and survived. So if I am going to be judgmental and negative or even to "vent," I'd just as soon do it towards parents whom I know are making potentially lethal choices. I see so much true evil being done to children and adults in this world that it is hard for me to call parents lazy if their babies are fed, loved, have health care and adequate schooling.

It is not that I have a problem with advocating breastfeeding, I just think that the way in which one does it, can be helpful or it can end up harming the cause. No one explicitly called supplementing abusive or evil, but statements like " If this woman is already needing a break from her baby after ONLY 2 weeks, what is she going to be like in 6 months or a year or two years? I know what she'll be like, I've seen it way to many times! She'll be one of those people that shoves her baby/child off on anyone that will watch her for a few hours so she can go do whatever she wants" are akin to saying I know that this mother must be neglectful if not deliberately abusive. That statement seems over the top to me because I've spent time with truly neglected children. When people use rhetoric that makes parents who choose to supplement sound at best uneducated, lazy or ignorant and at worst actually evil, I think it diminishes the truly evil choices out there. I watch the news of children being blown up in the war or prisoners being decapitated or menaced with dogs, and I feel despairing about human nature in general. And I find it strange to hear that others are rageful about mothers who supplement. OK obviously no one made a generalization that large or was that strident in the thread. But I read a lot of assumptions that seem self-righteous. No don't apologize for being pro-breastfeeding, don't even qualify your judgment of parents who formula feed if you don't want to, but don't be surprised that not everyone agrees with you.

Lastly, I would hoe that anyone with a subscription to Mothering magazine has a right to come to these forums to learn and express their personal opinions or share their experiences --even some of us who might be more mainstream than others. Although I find that choice of words interesting since my politics at least are generally categorized as radical as well as my life choices. I know that I am perceived as radical about many issues, but I also believe in tolerance and compassion so for me being radical is not about condemning others or holding myself up as the model whom everyone should follow, it is about trying to affect social change in as effective a manner as possible.

clarissa

[Wildcrafter]

It can be dangerous to make judgements and assumptions about anybody. It just sets us up for adversity. I guess for some that adversity is what springs change in society. But I believe in supporting breastfeeding or non-breastfeeding mamas, we have to understand what a vulnerable position these moms are in to begin with. Many have had horrendous birth experiences, many have no support at all to breastfeed. These moms who just gave birth are so sensitive and hormonal. They especially should be treated kindly in my opinion.

I also am saddened when I see an infant being fed formula. I think about the nurturing and love as well as milk that that is being denied. I am also saddened that the mom will miss out on the intense bond with their child. But how do I know what this mom has been through, or who she is? Instead of jumping to a conclusion that may be wrong, (i.e. that she neglects her young), why not send her some positive energy?

I guess it's very confusing to me. I don't want to judge, I want to support. Yet I went through absolute hell to maintain my breastfeeding relationship during the few months. My baby was large and I was told flat out out by the ped that I wouldn't be able to keep up with his nutritional needs! It was practically mandated that I supplement, and I did for a week or two and it just killed me that my milk was not enough. I had a C-section and took no pain meds after (BIG mistake!!), had severe postpartem depression, had NO help from anybody but my already overworked husband. My baby got pneumonia his 3rd day and we all spent a week in the hospital. We had no money, still don't. It's these sacrifices and challenges that make me feel like a goddess for breastfeeding (now for 2 years)! When someone else doesn't make these types of sacrifices, does that say to me that what I did was all in vain, that things would have worked out if I fed formula?

My babe got really sick at around 6 months with repeated RSV. I went to a naturopath who told me that it was the antibiotics and formula that was fed into my sons veins during his first week that caused this allergy related problem. He has NOT BEEN SICK since I left that naturopath 18 months ago.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it is SO important to those of us who have perservered under duress to continue breastfeeding. We have gone against all odds. And it can be angering when someone else doesn't try. How do we get around this and continue to educate and support?