Does "pro-breastfeeding" equal "anti-formula"? - Page 11

[paquerette]

Originally Posted by pumpkinhead

I belong to a breastfeeding support group IRL and if not for formula, several of the ladies would not be breastfeeding their little ones today. They started off with almost non-existant supplies and with the help of LCs used lactAids and formula until they were able to get domperidone and get a good supply going. Without the support and the formula, they would have just switched to a bottle.

I'm having trouble making sense out of this. I can get the "without formula their babies would have gone hungry" argument, but how does formula supplementation make it easier for them to continue efforts to lactate, whereas if they didn't have formula they couldn't have done that? : If they'd had to mix their own or feed some kind of old fashioned pap or give their babies roast beef and gravy, how would that hinder them? I don't get it.

[Banana731]

hi there, just thought I'd say that this is quite an interesting thread! Then figured I'd put my 2 cents in...

Originally Posted by pumpkinhead

The other issue that sometimes gets missed is that formula can help to save breastfeeding relationships as well as hinder them.

I belong to a breastfeeding support group IRL and if not for formula, several of the ladies would not be breastfeeding their little ones today. They started off with almost non-existant supplies and with the help of LCs used lactAids and formula until they were able to get domperidone and get a good supply going. Without the support and the formula, they would have just switched to a bottle.

That sounds wonderful, and it would be equally as wonderful if that were the typical scenario of formula use in conjunction with breastfeeding. I'd wager that it is not, though.

When I hear one of my playgroup moms telling a new mom to just "have dad give the baby a bottle so you can get some sleep," I cringe a little. I think that sort of a visceral reaction is good in way though. I wish more moms felt the way I did during that conversation, deep down inside that formula is-well, unnatural!

[boobs4milk]

Originally Posted by BCFD

I don't want this to come across as snarky, becasue I am asking this as a legitimate question. What happens AFTER nursing for 1, 2, 3 years and then the child is only eating solid foods? Are you ok with them eating ANY processed foods? I mean, a mom can be choosy and eat organic, fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, but come on.....at some point the kid is going to eat a piece of birthday cake.

yup, my kids eat processed foods...and yup, i fed my first 3 babies processed formula. and i'm NOT OKAY w/it! my thinking is, how can you just be 'ok' w/formula? i don't expect ff moms to beat themselves up about their decision for the rest of their lives, but i am a FORMER ff, and i'm not ok w/that decision. it was a poor decision on my part, and i regret it, but i don't beat myself up about it. i just use that past experience and the knowledge i have gained on bf and go from here.

and i do know that there are medical reasons for ff. those are HIGHLY overused and honestly, i think some are fabricated or not fully investigated by the mom's healthcare providers!

[boobs4milk]

i wanted to add..

i advised a mom of a baby w/cleft palate to offer formula. baby was 7 months, mom was stressed beyond belief, baby was losing weight, family was terribly unhappy. i offered her my milk, even told her of a milk bank (not fresh milk) but she was a little put off by that. so, i told her to break out the formula and save her sanity, bond w/her baby, and spark things back up w/her dh...i wasn't thrilled, and neither was she, but she felt like she at least had support.

and i'm the loudest militant at the meeting LOL

[pumpkinhead]

Originally Posted by paquerette

I'm having trouble making sense out of this. I can get the "without formula their babies would have gone hungry" argument, but how does formula supplementation make it easier for them to continue efforts to lactate, whereas if they didn't have formula they couldn't have done that? : If they'd had to mix their own or feed some kind of old fashioned pap or give their babies roast beef and gravy, how would that hinder them? I don't get it.

Well, bottom line, without formula their babies would have starved. But, having the formula and using it bridged the gap. The point I was trying to get accross is that formula doesn't always destroy breastfeeding relationships. It can actually help breastfeeding relationships and this is how. It's all well and good to have a SNS, but you need something else besides water to put in it and as we've all noted, donor milk is far too scarce.

[pumpkinhead]

That bit at the end about them just switching to the bottle was to illustrate that formula, used in conjunction with breastfeeding support, can help a woman get to the point where she can exclusively breastfeed her child. Does that make more sense?

[boobs4milk]

Originally Posted by pumpkinhead

Well, bottom line, without formula their babies would have starved. But, having the formula and using it bridged the gap. The point I was trying to get accross is that formula doesn't always destroy breastfeeding relationships. It can actually help breastfeeding relationships and this is how. It's all well and good to have a SNS, but you need something else besides water to put in it and as we've all noted, donor milk is far too scarce.

IF those women are being supported, are bf educated, and are determined enough to cut the formula out at some point. mostly, they are just told 'you are starving your baby, so use some formula' and it's downhill from there. i have helped MANY bf moms in my time, and it is a very, extremely rare occasion that one goes from supplementation to ebf. sure, i've known those that do the 'one bottle in the nursery to raise blood sugar' thing and are now ebf, but not those who supplement b/c 'their babe is starving.'

[pumpkinhead]

Originally Posted by boobs4milk

IF those women are being supported, are bf educated, and are determined enough to cut the formula out at some point. mostly, they are just told 'you are starving your baby, so use some formula' and it's downhill from there. i have helped MANY bf moms in my time, and it is a very, extremely rare occasion that one goes from supplementation to ebf. sure, i've known those that do the 'one bottle in the nursery to raise blood sugar' thing and are now ebf, but not those who supplement b/c 'their babe is starving.'

The women I was referring to in my OP were being supported and 3 went on to exclusively breastfeed their babies. One had to supplement until the baby started solids at 8 months, but she recieved about 80% breastmilk and 20% formula until then .

I realize these are success stories, and while they're not the run away norm, they do happen.

[kiss-my-kitty]

I feel as you - pumpkinhead - do. While I am a very avid breastfeeder and feel that breast is best and all mothers should attempt to breastfeed, I don't see formula as evil. The marketing behind it, well, that's another story!

[pumpkinhead]

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