ADvertiser article "breastfed babies are best"

[2littleprincesses]

GRRRRRRR

I bottlefed DD1 because at 3do she was starving. I had no milk, so I had to feed her formula. Once my milk came in she was already content with formula so that's what she was fed.

When #2 came along I had decided to bottlefeed as it worked for #1. I tried to breastfeed her in the hospital but she wasn't even 6 hours old and wouldn't feed off me.

Now, I'm flicking throught the Advertiser this morning (local free newspaper in Shellharbour/Kiama NSW) and there's an article saying "breastfed babies are best". There's something else about how breastfed babies are less likely to be hospitalised in the first 12 months than bottlefed babies.

Hospitalised for what? #1 has never been hospitalised, and #2 is 10mo and hasn't been hospitalised.

Where do they come up with this rubbish??!! I'm sorry, I know some people won't agree with me, but I'm really fed up with having breastfeeding shoved in my face like that.

Grrrr

[shed]

But if you could have you would have, so basically you agree that breast is best?

I hope I can breastfeed, but if I can't then I don't want anyone making me feel bad either.

Don't worry about it. You don't have to fight the fight, just do what you know is best for your family. They're probably trying to encourage others rather than alienate you.

[ButterflyKisses]

yep I feel the same.

I couldn't breastfeed my DS so he was formula fed. I expressed for the 1st 7 weeks so he got the colostrum but I still had to 1/2 formula feed him because I wasn't expressing enough. He'll be 3 in June and has had 1 sniffly nose, runny bottom once but it was nothing drastic and it only lasted 2 days and a slight cough when he was 10 weeks old - end of story.

4 of my friends kids are roughly the same age as my DS with maybe a month or 2 difference and they all BF their kids and the whole lot of them have had every bug going around and everytime I see them at playgroup one or two of the kids has a runny nose. 2 of these ladies breastfed theirs until they were 2 1/2. So far this year 2 of those friends have taken their kids to the Dr one 3 times the other 4 times with runny nose/bug related problems.

maybe a coincidence maybe not. IMO I don't think runny noses/bugs etc has anything to do with whether a child was BF or forumula fed. IMO some kids are just more susceptible and exposed than others.

The formula they make these days is heaps better than in years gone by so I never worried thinking "oh no my son is not being BF he's going to grow up disadvantaged and be always sick". Maybe he has just been lucky or maybe it's because I feed him good food and not rubbish.

[SugarBlossom]

I totally agree that breast is best

But formula is ok.

It is A FACT that breastfeed babies are better off.

That is why I will breastfeed until DS is at least 2

[Charlie]

That is why I will breastfeed until DS is at least 2

And what if you cant?

[*My Lil Blondie*]

i completely agree, when bubba was 4 days old i had to be re admitted to hospital and they wouldnt let me have him there over night so obviously he had to go onto bottles because i did not have the supply yet to be able to express enough for all that time. Brodie is 9 weeks old and has had one cold, i know 4 other babies in my mothers group who have been bottle feed since birth and they havent had colds, but the other 7 who breast feed have had numerous amounts of colds, coughs etc. i hate all this pressure to bf, i constantly get asked by strangers if im feeding him (hes a long boy and looks older than he is) and when i say no he has formula they always say "oh that will explain his size then, did you know that ff babies are more likely to be hospitalised....blah blah blah" i hate it

[SugarBlossom]

He is 9 months now and I still have an exellent supply so there is no reason why I would'nt be able to.

I did say formula is ok.......and If worse comes to worst formula is the back up.

[MamaSage]

I agree. Breast is best, formula is a substitute. I doubt they are playing guilt games to be honest, just stating facts.

[SugarBlossom]

totally agree with that carlia!

Why are you guys getting so defensive? Do you feel some sort of guilt?

If that is the case there is no need as everyone is different and b/feeding is not for everyone

[Sarie]

The ABA is always pushing breast is best. But really Formula has come such a long way.
I have bottle fed both my boys from day 1 and I've never had any problems with either of them. Neither of them have had any serious health problems infact Nathan was nearly 2 before he got his 1st cold.