What are your thoughts on this interesting question? - Page 3

[KirstenMary]

Originally Posted by Amylcd

Breastmilk from a bottle. I'm shocked that anyone would choose formula in this situation.

I agree with this, and I think any other answer is hypocritical. Breast is best, correct? What, then, is best? What comes out of the breast or the breast itself? When we share ProMom, the site is about informaton, for the most part, regarding the milk and not the mode of transportation. And if anyone answered "formula from the breast" and has issues with FFing, what, then, are the real issues? The formula? Or the absence of the breast? And if it's the latter, what does that attitude say for pumping mothers who, in essence, are not breastfeeding either?

[turtlewomyn]

I vote breastmilk from a bottle. I thought the whole point was that it is healthier, and while formula is a good substitute for moms who need it, breastmilk can never be copied exactly and has lots of "magical" qualities. My daughter remained relatively healthy in spite having to go to daycare because I pumped. The only child in DH's family that did not need ear tubes, could have been a coincidence, or it could have been the breastmilk. In fact, as a FT WOHM who chose to BF and pump I find this question rather insulting. I thought I was doing my best for my child, but I guess my best wasn't good enough?

[choli]

Bm from bottle, of course! That's my preference for both infant and toddler. By the time my kids were toddlers I had many tools in my repertoire besides nursing when problems arose and when they are infants there are many was of having skin contact and bonding. The nutrition is paramount, IMO.

[GooeyRN]

I also don't see the breast as an only tool for older babies/toddlers. I comfort my 11 month old in ways other than the breast... I use the breast for food and sleep mainly. It is a nice tool to have, but I certainly don't rely on it for everything gone wrong! It is kind of strange, but I think the milk itself has comforting properties. Just ask my 3 year old... Whenever she is upset/hurt she starts wailing and demanding her cup of mommy milk. Any mom who manages to pump while working ROCKS. I don't think I could handle that on a daily basis. I worked part-time, and pumping at work sucked. BAD. I don't think I could do that all the time!

[BugMacGee]

MOst bottle feeders I know don't hold their babies away from their bodies. You kinda have to be close. There is a lot of contact and snuggling that *can* be and usually is, a part of the feeding process. In the NICU, we do a whole lot of breast milk via NG tubes and bottles, in addition to BF'ing, yet still have wonderful bonding opportunities via skin-to-skin contact, holding etc. And hey, Dads can participate too!

In this hypothetical situation, where does the breast-milk come from, BTW, if our breasts are making formula?

[triscuitsmom]

Originally Posted by turtlewomyn

I vote breastmilk from a bottle. I thought the whole point was that it is healthier, and while formula is a good substitute for moms who need it, breastmilk can never be copied exactly and has lots of "magical" qualities. My daughter remained relatively healthy in spite having to go to daycare because I pumped. The only child in DH's family that did not need ear tubes, could have been a coincidence, or it could have been the breastmilk. In fact, as a FT WOHM who chose to BF and pump I find this question rather insulting. I thought I was doing my best for my child, but I guess my best wasn't good enough?

You were in a situation where you couldn't nurse... regardless of what was coming out of your breasts (while you were at work I mean). So giving breastmilk in a bottle instead of formula in a bottle WAS the best thing for your child and it is a big sacrifice to do so day in and day out.

*I* personally am confused by all of the people who pumped who are getting upset by what one person said she'd rather in this situation. A mother who has low supply, or no supply even who nurses anyway even though she has to supplement as well with formula has to give a huge sacrifice of herself as well, and to gloss over the benefits of nursing for her baby by saying it's the milk that matters, not the feeding method could be deemed insulting of her challenges as well.

I know someone who nursed, and CLW her daughter, at a much older than this culture sees as normal, with NO milk. Her daughter was adopted and allowed to nurse for all of the benefits of nursing even though she had precious little milk in the beginning and none very quickly after. Saying it's only about the milk totally devalues her journey and the very real benefits for her daughter.

Whatever you think would be best in *your* situation, (you being everyone, not one particular person) that doesn't mean that others can't have a different opinion that is valid and accurate based on what they went through. It was a "what would you do" posed question... I could pose questions that would be "In this situation ___________ would you breastfeed or would you formula feed (from a bottle)?" and there would be division in the answer based on the situation and our opinions on *MDC*... among lactivists... it's simply not black and white and I think questions like these are valuable not so we all agree but to consider for ourselves what we see as important.

[bri276]

considering I ep'ed 21 months for a child who couldn't drink anything from a breast due to a birth defect, my choice is obvious. I understand BFAR or other mothers who cannot produce an adequate supply choosing to formula feed through a SNS. It's a ridiculous question, however, because if you could choose to feed a baby breastmilk it means a) you're making your own or b) you have access to someone else's pumped milk, and you could either nurse or feed the donor milk from an SNS *if* your baby can nurse.

Choosing to forego breastmilk for formula under most* circumstances is a dangerous choice, and a dangerous message for a pro-breastfeeding organization to promote. Breast MILK provides antibodies to life threatening diseases, hydrates infants who might otherwise die of dehydration due to illness, prevents SIDS deaths, cancer, diabetes, allows IQ to develop to its full potential, nourishes with the correct balances of vitamins and nutrients, is not contaminated with melamine or bacteria that can be seriously harmful or fatal, etc. The breast itself, while clearly the best and most natural way to feed an infant for bonding purposes and oral development, is not a life or death matter. Bottle feeding can easily be accomplished to minimize those differences, with special nipples, and important placed on always holding infants close, never propping, and feeding on demand. Nothing you do to formula will make it "close" to breastmilk.

Saying it's only about the milk totally devalues her journey and the very real benefits for her daughter.

But that's not the question, nor is it the choice she had. It's an either/or. One HAS to be chosen. If the choice were "not nurse at all, or non-nutritive nurse" you'd get very different responses.

*mothers on chemotherapy or rare situations excluded

[1littlebit]

ok am i missing something? how on earth would anyone have to make that choice? if you feed BM in a bottle wouldnt it be b/c for whatever reason you baby cannot nurse at the breast? and wouldn't a baby eating formula at the breast get w/e milk was in there as well? i feel like i missing something lol.

[annie_noah]

Originally Posted by mleclark

breastmilk from the bottle! That is surprising to me too. There is no replacement for breastmilk for so many many health reasons, but i think you can do other things to have that special closeness with your baby, skin-to-skin contact, baby wearing & co-sleeping among other things.

ita!

[RoseDuperre]

Originally Posted by 1littlebit

ok am i missing something? how on earth would anyone have to make that choice? if you feed BM in a bottle wouldnt it be b/c for whatever reason you baby cannot nurse at the breast? and wouldn't a baby eating formula at the breast get w/e milk was in there as well? i feel like i missing something lol.

It's not an actual, real situation, folks. It's a hypothetical question designed solely to get people thinking and talking about what which aspect of breastfeeding matters most to them (note use of "most" - it's not to the exclusion of the values of the other).

What is MORE important to to you if you absolutely, positively HAD to choose: Breastmilk the Product, or Breastfeeding the Action?

(And before anyone points out that breastmilk from bottle is a tough reality for many moms - believe me, I know this firsthand. I won't go into it, but see my story if you want the scoop. And I am 100% certain the speaker had no intention of making it a referendum on EPing. The intention of the question is still purely hypothetical.)

One more note: a lot of people are boiling the benfits of each down to breastmilk in bottle = nutrition, and formula at breast = bonding. Both are true, but another benefit to the action of breastfeeding, besides bonding, is the fact that you are trusting your baby's own wisdom in eating when s/he is hungry and eating as much as s/he needs, since you cannot measure the amount they're ingesting. Bottle-fed babies are often overfed and this can have health ramifications as well. Just another aspect to think about.

All that said - I would still choose breastmilk from a bottle. But it would take some serious thinking. I'm not surprised by anyone's choice on either side, here - what I am surprised by is how many people think it's such an easy or even automatic choice to make.

[limabean]

Originally Posted by 1littlebit

ok am i missing something? how on earth would anyone have to make that choice? if you feed BM in a bottle wouldnt it be b/c for whatever reason you baby cannot nurse at the breast? and wouldn't a baby eating formula at the breast get w/e milk was in there as well? i feel like i missing something lol.

It's a hypothetical thought exercise.

[bri276]

Bottle-fed babies are often overfed and this can have health ramifications as well.

however, it's different to "overfeed" breastmilk. it just doesn't cause problems with obesity & diabetes the way formula does. also, there are way of avoiding this problem, like alternative nipples, pausing during a feed, and baby's natural hunger cues are very similar to bf babies because they're eating the same thing, digesting it the same way. for instance, my DD always took small, frequent amounts as a small infant- people would accuse me of overfeeding her when actually, all I was doing was giving her 2 or 3 oz bottles whenever she wanted them, rather than most formula fed babies getting 4-6 oz on a tight schedule. Education about proper bottlefeeding is an essential IMO.

[RoadWorkAhead]

I'd choose the act of breastfeeding over breastmilk. Even for future children who might tolerate breastmilk. Having breastfed with my milk and FFing now, I would choose the act over the actual substance provided.

To say that to do so is not lactivism is false. Breastfeeding is not a requirement of lactivism. And "choosing" formula in this equation is far from an un-Lactivist action. Implications that formula negates lactivism only harm the cause of lactivism.

[KirstenMary]

Originally Posted by Kierdan'sMom

I'd choose the act of breastfeeding over breastmilk. Even for future children who might tolerate breastmilk. Having breastfed with my milk and FFing now, I would choose the act over the actual substance provided.

To say that to do so is not lactivism is false. Breastfeeding is not a requirement of lactivism. And "choosing" formula in this equation is far from an un-Lactivist action. Implications that formula negates lactivism only harm the cause of lactivism.

How so?

[KirstenMary]

Originally Posted by RoseDuperre

All that said - I would still choose breastmilk from a bottle. But it would take some serious thinking. I'm not surprised by anyone's choice on either side, here - what I am surprised by is how many people think it's such an easy or even automatic choice to make.

I don't think it's an easy choice, but I think the answer is laden with various implications.

If we choose the breast/ formula scenario, then the argument that breastmilk is best goes right out the window. Thus, when we look down on FFing by choice, what is the real issue? The use of formula or the absence of the breast? In this case, we can't have it both ways.

In essence, I think this is a great question because it can help us look at our judgements and help us get to the root of what we really think regarding FFing/ BFing.

[triscuitsmom]

Originally Posted by KirstenMary

How so?

Well for one thing formula feeders can make *great* lactivists. Formula is not evil, it's overused and breastmilk AND breastfeeding are not properly supported.

[triscuitsmom]

Originally Posted by KirstenMary

I don't think it's an easy choice, but I think the answer is laden with various implications.

If we choose the breast/ formula scenario, then the argument that breastmilk is best goes right out the window. Thus, when we look down on FFing by choice, what is the real issue? The use of formula or the absence of the breast? In this case, we can't have it both ways.

In essence, I think this is a great question because it can help us look at our judgements and help us get to the root of what we really think regarding FFing/ BFing.

Strongly disagree. You can think the difference in how it would impact your child in your situation between breastfeeding and bottlefeeding is greater than the difference between breastmilk and formula in how it would impact your child and your situation and still believe breastmilk if all was created equal (ie not having to choose method, either bm/formula from the breast or bm/formula from the bottle) is far superior in substance to formula.

[Freefromitall]

Breastmilk from bottle.

Edited bc I am a sleep deprived dork.

[1littlebit]

hmm ok so you know how hormones are released when you bf? would those same hormones be released feeding formula at the breast? b/c i think that would factor into my decision too.

[kriket]

: <- this is my WTF face.

I have to vote that she asked a rather silly question.

If I was forced to vote I would say BM from a bottle. I don't think the act of having a human nipple in your babies mouth is the closeness factor. I would imagine that if you so desired you could strip topless and bottle feed and achieve the same level of skin to skin and bonding (or pretty close) I don't think that you can manufacture BM.