[Sagesgirl]

So, I am a member of 3FatChicks, and I seem to have just pissed off several of the members by mentioning formula's link to obesity. (In the context of how many mamas feed their bottlefed babies a set amount; I firmly believe this leads to not being able to recognize your satiety signal, which is a problem 99% of the overweight folks I know have. Heck, I even said that it is fully possible to bottlefeed with love & attention, but the thread in question was about bottle propping.

: )

Anyhow, it brought up a bigger issue...

WHY is it not appropriate to mention babyfeeding in the context of nutrition? I guarantee you that if I went to 3FC and said I could eat a freaking Big Mac every single day as part of my normal routine and still lose weight and be perfectly healthy, they'd jump all over me for it.

There is little agreement as to proper nutrition for adults. Some people are convinced that low-carb is the way to go, some people are convinced we should all be on a vegan, raw food diet, and there are hundreds if not thousands of variations within that whole continuum. The whole eggs vs egg whites thing pops immediately to mind. Dr Agatston, the cardiologist who wrote The South Beach Diet, says that it's 100% OK to use whole eggs. Dr Floyd Chilton, the research scientist who wrote the book Inflammation Nation (which is about a dietary treatment for autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis), will tell you to avoid them because of their inflammation-causing properties.

So, for adults there is plenty of room for question. But for babies there isn't. EVERY reputable authority out there will tell you that breastfeeding is optimal nutrition for babies.

So why the

can I not come out and say that? If I am expected to speak out when a woman is starving herself on 800 calories a day, why am I expected to stay quiet about a woman giving her child the wrong food because it is "personal choice"?

Seriously, we recognize the influence of big business on adults' eating choices. I cannot count the number of threads that site has had on SuperSize Me. There are occasional discussions of Fast Food Nation, and once the movie version comes out I am certain there will be even more. So why can't there also be an honest discussion of the influence of corporations on women's feeding choices?

Am I the only one who sees the parallels here?

 

[wendy1221]

No, I completely agree w/ you. I have always viewed formula as a processed junk food.

 

[rozzie'sma]

ITA, it's sad

 

[siobhang]

I think you make an excellent point - something I brought up in my other thread about children's nutrition. I personally believe that breastfeeding must be integrated into every conversation about kids' nutrition. I wish the TV show "honey, we are killing the kids" at least alluded to breastfeeding.

my 2 cents.

Siobhan

 

[siobhang]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendy1221 No, I completely agree w/ you. I have always viewed formula as a processed junk food.

When talking with moms who ff, I tend to refer to formula as "cows milk with added multi-vitamins", since that is a. not really all that offensive and b. basically the truth.

I don't want to attack them for their decision (especially since for some women it isn't a decision and for the rest it is a decision they can't do anything about for this child).

I do however want to take the mystery out of formula. After all, doesn't formula sound really exotic and scientificy and complex?

Another reason I like to use the term mommy milk.

Siobhan

 

[Clarinet]

I think it's not so much as people thinking babyfeeding isn't important in regards to nutrition, but rather the fact that formula is being labelled just as good as breastmilk (and even alluding to "better than" because of the added stuff) by advertisers and doctors that make a lot of people believe it's not an issue of nutrition because it's all the same.

I found out through a thread here that doctors don't even have mandatory breastfeeding education. It's ridiculous that a doctor can't prescribe medication without taking classes but can advise mothers on nutrition for their children without understand the benefits of breastfeeding.

 

[siobhang]

Docs are often amazingly ignorant about nutrition, period.

All they can tell you is to lose weight if you are overweight, but don't have a clue about what constitutes a healthy diet (they might quote the food pyramid at you, which isn't very helpful).

Siobhan

 

[*caitlinsmom*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by siobhang After all, doesn't formula sound really exotic and scientificy and complex? Siobhan

Totally OT but.....

How funny that you posted this. I was reading an article somewhere about how FF became so prominent in american culture. Basically, during the late fifties and early sixties, the US was involved in the space race and folks were all into everything that was shiny, new and "scientific" and by mixing up "formula" (puts the name in a new context, huh?) the mother became a chemist, ushering her young into the modern world!

Too bad she was feeding them substandard processed junkfood, and paying a premium for it too!

 

[Sagesgirl]

I could seriously write out a whole other rant about doctors and nutrition.

: I am still rather bemused by the doc who tried to put my 250-lb, very active (IE, swims an hour a day, 5 days a week, on top of a physically demanding job) husband on a 900-calorie diet when we first arrived here in Hawaii.

I just don't know what to do to get women to see that this is an issue of nutrition!

 

[snowbunny]

I see this a lot too. Heaven help you if you mention clinical research and documented risks associated with FF.

I don't understand how the issue of formula being substandard food associated with known health risks can be left out of a conversation on early childhood nutrition. But it is. And if you do mention its known health risks and other detriments, you're attacking FFing moms which isn't true at all.

Everyone seems to be fine with the "Breast is best" notion, but now, thanks in part to that Ad Campaign, the message is changing to that of FFing being associated with health problems like obesity and this concept gets a lot of moms angry.

 

[moonfirefaery]

Well, bottlefeeders tend to try to force those last few ounces down, prop bottles, etc. The nutritional value of formula doesn't even compare to that of breastmilk, and that could have something to do with it as well. Not only are you teaching your child to ignore signs of being full by propping and forcefeeding, you yourself are ignoring the best nutrition by even giving formula in the first place. It just seems like those who formula feed by choice aren't totally concerned with good nutrition, so it would make sense that they'd have obese children. You have to learn to eat healthy, and if you start out giving a child the less nutritious substance because of convenience, that trend will probably continue.

 

[hapi2help]

I have a milk brain so forgive me for not remembering exactly where I read this article but anyways....

Someone on this board posted a link to an article in a UK magazine about the number one *junk food* in the world and it was formula. It is a GREAT article, I send it to all my prego frinds that are *thinking* about bfing.

However, I saved it on my PC .....somewhere, can't find it. Maybe someone else remebers the magazine name.

I will keep looking or feed my baby.....baby wins. I will look later.

 

[KirstenMary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonfirefaery Well, bottlefeeders tend to try to force those last few ounces down, prop bottles, etc. The nutritional value of formula doesn't even compare to that of breastmilk, and that could have something to do with it as well. Not only are you teaching your child to ignore signs of being full by propping and forcefeeding, you yourself are ignoring the best nutrition by even giving formula in the first place. It just seems like those who formula feed by choice aren't totally concerned with good nutrition, so it would make sense that they'd have obese children. You have to learn to eat healthy, and if you start out giving a child the less nutritious substance because of convenience, that trend will probably continue.

I am a BFing mommy with many FFing friends. Please don't stereotype them this way.

 

[Mama Poot]

Quote:

Originally Posted by *caitlinsmom* and by mixing up "formula" (puts the name in a new context, huh?) the mother became a chemist, ushering her young into the modern world!

I've noticed the use of the word "formula" a LOT since I've had children. Go to the store and look at any number of products....for example laundry detergent, cosmetics, shampoo, heck even motor oil!! New Formula!" or'Improved Formula!" We have been programmed to believe "FORMULA" is a good thing.

 

[moonfirefaery]

I didn't mean that ALL bottlefeeders do that. However, when it comes to bottle propping and force feeding, it's more likely that bottle feeders will be doing it rather than breast feeders considering a lot of us don't even use bottles. I meant that more bottlefeeders than breastfeeders do those things, and that if you are a bottlefeeder that does that, it contributes to poor diet / weight gain as much as the actual food in the bottle does. That's all I meant. I have tons of friends who bottlefeed as well (like most women).

 

[frontierpsych]

I guess just because formula doesn't come with extra cheese and grease running down the sides people refuse to accept it as junk? maybe?

 

[Steady101]

ITA and never understand how breastfeeding and circ is a personal choice.

 

[frontierpsych]

or how abortion is widely accepted, but god forbid you try to have a baby at home! It could DIE!

Yup... freedom of choice seems a little skewed there.

:

 

[KirstenMary]

Quote:

Originally Posted by moonfirefaery I didn't mean that ALL bottlefeeders do that. However, when it comes to bottle propping and force feeding, it's more likely that bottle feeders will be doing it rather than breast feeders considering a lot of us don't even use bottles. I meant that more bottlefeeders than breastfeeders do those things, and that if you are a bottlefeeder that does that, it contributes to poor diet / weight gain as much as the actual food in the bottle does. That's all I meant. I have tons of friends who bottlefeed as well (like most women).

What about working women like me who pumped for three years? I bottle fed pumped breastmilk for years, so in a way, I fall in to both catagories.

But I getcha.

 

[frontierpsych]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KirstenMary What about working women like me who pumped for three years? I bottle fed pumped breastmilk for years, so in a way, I fall in to both catagories. But I getcha.

And that is a good point. It may be possibly the bad eating habits instilled by SOME bottle feeders (propping, forcing, etc) in combination with the less healthy qualities of formula. A big reason that if someone I know is bottle feeding (for whatever reason), I do my best to help them do so in the healthiest way (on demand, bottle nursing, no forcing, etc).