Breastfeeding VS Formula-feeding: Is Guilt the Answer?
An Opinion on the Recent Ad Campaign Focusing on Breastfeeding
Very few women would argue against the benefits of breast-feeding. Babies who are breast-fed have undeniably the best start in life. Breast milk provides immunities to the baby that she cannot receive anywhere else. Breast milk is easier to digest than any other type of food. It is easy on the baby's immature digestive system, and provides all the nutrients she needs for her young life. Milk taken straight from the breast has less of a chance of coming in contact with bacteria before reaching the baby as well.
Breast-feeding also provides a special bonding time between mother and baby. Mothers that are dealing with post-partum depression must still have contact with their babies in order to feed the baby. This can help to relieve the depression. The baby will learn that when she has a need, mom is there to meet it. With bottle-feeding, especially when the baby is old enough to hold the bottle on her own, it is far too easy to skip the holding and bonding that should be a part of feeding a baby.
With that being said, is it necessary to mount an aggressive advertising campaign that seems to indicate that formula feeding is putting a newborn at risk of dying? Many mothers, for one reason or another, cannot breastfeed. Some babies will not latch at the breast. A single mom who has to work might not be able to express enough milk to supplement her baby's feedings while at daycare. Breastfeeding can cause extreme pain to some mothers. And there are some mothers, admittedly few, who do not produce enough milk for their baby's needs. Should these mothers be made to feel they are in effect killing their babies by feeding them formula?
Perhaps instead of this campaign of guilt the government should undertake a campaign for education. It is ironic that the government will pay for lower-income moms to buy formula for their babies when there is a free alternative-breast-feeding. Would it not be better to pay for a lactation professional to help these moms learn to breast-feed? Or to pay for a breast pump so they can express breast milk for their babies? Perhaps if formula was not free for them they might try a little harder to breast-feed.
And for the moms who try and can't, guilt is not going to make the situation any easier to handle. The failure to breast-feed successfully can cause guilt on its own for these women. They do not need the added pressure of turning on the TV and being told that they are, in effect, killing their babies. For some women, breast-feeding is a very personal issue. The reasons that they choose to or not to breast-feed can be very diverse, not to mention personal. These women should not be made to feel guilty about their decision. The government should provide education to women, and then support them in whatever decision they make for their family.
Published by Writing4you
I am a former math teacher who also loves to write! I am a mom to two beautiful girls. All of my spare time is spent writing. I am addicted to research, and I love to write about almost anything, but particu... View profile
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15 Comments
Post a CommentI'm glad more people are speaking up and calling out the breastfeeding mafia for what it is. It is inhuman and wrong to guilt pregnant mothers with scare stories when some women simply can not breastfeed.
My wife had to be on a steroid to control her arthritis. That meant no breastfeeding. Fortunately, the wonderful doctors and nurses never once made her feel like less of a person, but the breastfeeding mafia sure tried.
We all know the benefits, but you can tell the mafia's power when even this writer has to preface her article by extolling all the wonderful virtues of breast milk. What I want to know is: what percentage difference are we talking here? Is breastfeeding making a 1% difference or 1000% difference?
I suspect it is simply one of the many factors that will help your child, and if you can't do it, then it won't be the end for you or your baby. You have to make the decision that is right for your circumstance and health. The mafia should be more respectful.
To Loving Mummy: Give yourself a BIG pat on the back, you are doing the best you can and that AWESOME! The first 3 weeks of my son''s life he had formula because I caught a uterine infection from my c-section and the fact I had many issues getting him to latch on. You are doing an awesome job! Your son just may need that 'extra' boost in getting filled up. Some moms both breastfeed and bottle feed because they have to work and may not have enough milk to pump out from a pump. You just continue to do what you are doing and don' fret over what others say! Good luck you and GOD BLESS!
Good article. I beleive it should be personal preference on how to feed your child, and not persecution! My daughter, who is now 18 years of age, was bottle fed, and my son, now 2+, was breast fed. Both are doing just fine!
mum of two, don't be ridiculous. Breastmilk isn't sterile either. There have been medical studies that show that all the sterilizing people do with bottles, water and such are contributing to severe allergies and poor immune systems. By the way, only powdered formula isn't sterile, concentrate and ready to feed is.
I'm not against breastfeeding, it is best and I wanted very much to breastfeed my son, but he has a birth defect that made it impossible and there was no fixing it at birth. When you only have a limited time to teach, you do what you have to.
I have a healthy four year old daughter and now I have just given birth to a brand new baby boy 3 weeks ago. I am having the same problems breastfeeding my son as I did with my daughter. He latches on well, I feed on demand for an hour at a time, I am taking fenugreek capsules to try and increase my milk but the little guy is still hungry and therefore I have to supplement with formula. I won't give up because I know breast is best and I wish more than anything that I didn't have to supplement but there isn't even milk to make him happy. I feel so guilty about it all the time and all of the articles I read about feeding make me feel like its all my fault. Deep down inside though I know that I am trying my best and even some breast milk is better than none. I just wish all of the nazi breastfeeders out there would realize how lucky they are to be able to satisfy their baby without "artifical milk" and understand that there are some people out there that aren't so lucky.
and unfortunately the government are pointing out the truth of the matter, babies are more likely to be admitted to hospital, to have more frequent visits to their GP if they are 'artificially fed'.
Goodness artificial milk is not even sterile! The bottles have been linked with harmful chemicals, and how many people follow the up to date guidelines on making 'artificial' feeds up. Most people do not make a bottle at the time but choose to make up the days requirements and put them in the fridge!
The government are just informing the public of the risks, not trying to make people feel guilty. How many people encourage a child to walk across the road with out looking? You inform the child of the risk by alerting them to the dangers. That is what the government are doing after the research that has been undertaken by bodies like Unicef, the World Health Organisation and so on. The companies that make 'artificial' feeds must be so grateful to the british women who artificially fee
I breast fed both children as I was concerned about allergies especially asthma which has been linked to artificial feeds. I would not want my children fed by a cow for my convenience. It is a grass eating animal so how can it produce the right milk for my children. How often are calfs fed by humans? All animals feed their young. Why cant we do that, why do we have one of the worst breast feeding rates in the european countries.
I think there is no place for mix feeding or bottle feeding and all free milk should be stopped or our government is giving mixed messages. Give free nappies instead.
I do also accept that some women cannot breast feed for whatever reason and their children have to have Artificial milk, note the name... 'artificial'. That is what it is ... second best. It has to be that way for some, but it is just that, second best. Lets not forget that. Yes I am passionate about breast being best for my babies.
"The only ones who should be made to feel guilty are the mothers who formula feed for convenience sake. "
Um, no. The only people who should be made to feel guilty are the militant breastfeeders who shove their views down everyone else's throats - whether it's asked for or not.
Great article, through and through! The only ones who should be made to feel guilty are the mothers who formula feed for convenience sake. If you're a mother and you "must" formula feed, read this article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1792824/babys_only_organic_toddler_formula.html?cat=25
The same government program that you talk about providing free formula, The Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children, or WIC does provide lactation assistance and breastfeeding education as part of their federally mandated services. I know from first hand experience as one who provided such breastfeeding education and lactation services on the client level. What it boils down to is that the women who have a decent education or by chance find themselves eligible for assistance due to unforeseen circumstances are in my experience more likely to initiate breastfeeding, ask for help if any difficulties arise, and have a better support system at home. Many of the women I encountered during their pregnancies that initially had a desire to breastfeed had little or no support from their husband or partner and their families. Childcare doesn't happen in a vacuum. Many women were fed formula or other breastmilk substitutes and their mothers, now grandmothers, insist that