Sick baby? It may be your formula

[yassmine2878 1]

People keep going on about those who can't breast feed. Who are these mystery people? Why can't they? What are the REAL medical conditions that stop them from doing so? There can't be too many or man would have died out some time ago.

It happens more often than you might think. My sister couldnt produce enough milk and had to supplement. My SIL never could get either of her children to keep an interest in the breast for more than the first couple of weeks. I met a woman at my WIC appointment today whose milk never came in. There are many different problems and it can be very stressful, which makes it even harder. My first 2 days of nursing were very trying. I literally bawled my head off in front of every doctor, nurse, and family member I had in the hospital because I was having so much trouble feeding my son. It hurt so bad, I had no sleep, we were both frustrated, etc. Such frustrations can seriously impact a woman's milk production and eventually cause her to abandon breastfeeding altogether.

maybe, but it hits a sore spot for me....hubbys family are very pro breastfeeding which i have nothing against, i would have LOVED to have breastfed my son, i just feel sometimes people look at you as less of a mother because shock horror you gave your child the bottle.

I can understand how you feel. Its hard not to take it personally when you had your heart set on nursing and are unable to. I was hell bent on nursing my son. Even though I told myself Id go to formula if I had to, I wasnt going down without a fight. Thankfully, it all worked out fine. I have more milk than my son needs and we have no problems nursing, it just took some patience and creativity. I do give him a bottle of formula once every few days when we go out (like to the grocery store) because I dont have a breast pump, its difficult to express into a bottle, and its very hard to nurse while shopping. Even though he does much better on my milk, I dont feel like a bad mother for giving his nutrition via formula. Im thankful that they have made such advances in infant formula, so I can provide my baby with an acceptable substitute for breastmilk when needed.

[Dr. Obvious 49]

People keep going on about those who can't breast feed. Who are these mystery people? Why can't they? What are the REAL medical conditions that stop them from doing so? There can't be too many or man would have died out some time ago.

Apart from that, no, it wasn't a judgement but it's still true, you can't go wrong with breast milk, correct temperature, correct consistancy, correct nutrients every time.

Hmm. In my case, I had every intention of trying to breastfeed, but life is hilarious like that. I had a retained piece of placenta that interfered with the production of breastmilk. Unfortunately, this was not diagnosed until nearly 4 weeks after the birth. Why was because I also had a nasty case of influenza which complicated diagnosis. It was only after it was gone and I still had a fever and no milk was the problem figured out. Another two weeks for that to work itself well and for me to get back to myself. I could have taken a bunch of drugs and pumped blood, but I didn't feel it was worth it at that point. I feel fairly grateful to live in an age where I didn't have to worry about whether or not my daughter would die when I was too sick and too temporarily insane to care for her. I don't really beat myself up too much about it. At 23 months and completely normal and healthy, seems silly to bother with the past anyway.

Wet nurse was a fairly common profession back in the day for the people who could afford it. Otherwise there was always animal milk, lactating relatives, weird concoctions, or fourth-trimester abortion.

Edited March 12, 2008 by Wacken

[Nessa 23]

breasts!!!

[Chrissy25 0]

People keep going on about those who can't breast feed. Who are these mystery people? Why can't they? What are the REAL medical conditions that stop them from doing so? There can't be too many or man would have died out some time ago.

It happens more often than you might think. My sister couldnt produce enough milk and had to supplement. My SIL never could get either of her children to keep an interest in the breast for more than the first couple of weeks. I met a woman at my WIC appointment today whose milk never came in. There are many different problems and it can be very stressful, which makes it even harder. My first 2 days of nursing were very trying. I literally bawled my head off in front of every doctor, nurse, and family member I had in the hospital because I was having so much trouble feeding my son. It hurt so bad, I had no sleep, we were both frustrated, etc. Such frustrations can seriously impact a woman's milk production and eventually cause her to abandon breastfeeding altogether.

maybe, but it hits a sore spot for me....hubbys family are very pro breastfeeding which i have nothing against, i would have LOVED to have breastfed my son, i just feel sometimes people look at you as less of a mother because shock horror you gave your child the bottle.

I can understand how you feel. Its hard not to take it personally when you had your heart set on nursing and are unable to. I was hell bent on nursing my son. Even though I told myself Id go to formula if I had to, I wasnt going down without a fight. Thankfully, it all worked out fine. I have more milk than my son needs and we have no problems nursing, it just took some patience and creativity. I do give him a bottle of formula once every few days when we go out (like to the grocery store) because I dont have a breast pump, its difficult to express into a bottle, and its very hard to nurse while shopping. Even though he does much better on my milk, I dont feel like a bad mother for giving his nutrition via formula. Im thankful that they have made such advances in infant formula, so I can provide my baby with an acceptable substitute for breastmilk when needed.

thanks, thats exactly how i felt, my son is now a happy healthy boy and formula has made leaps and bounds from what it used to be, i spent long enough beating myself up about not producing enough milk, no lactation consultant or wishful thinking would have made me produce what was not there!

[yogib37 3]

Breast is best!

i fully agree

Ok Charles..

:lol:

Edited March 12, 2008 by yogib37

[Eveline 9]

thanks, thats exactly how i felt, my son is now a happy healthy boy and formula has made leaps and bounds from what it used to be, i spent long enough beating myself up about not producing enough milk, no lactation consultant or wishful thinking would have made me produce what was not there!

See, I beat myself up over not having vaginal birth. I cried and cried, felt like a failure and wondered just why my body didn't do what it was supposed to. After all, it sounds easy from what other women say. Go into labor, baby drops, push...baby comes out. Wasn't that easy for me. I'm still not over it and hope that I don't have to go through it again.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

thanks, thats exactly how i felt, my son is now a happy healthy boy and formula has made leaps and bounds from what it used to be, i spent long enough beating myself up about not producing enough milk, no lactation consultant or wishful thinking would have made me produce what was not there!

See, I beat myself up over not having vaginal birth. I cried and cried, felt like a failure and wondered just why my body didn't do what it was supposed to. After all, it sounds easy from what other women say. Go into labor, baby drops, push...baby comes out. Wasn't that easy for me. I'm still not over it and hope that I don't have to go through it again.

[Eveline 9]

Oh...thanks for the hug

[Chrissy25 0]

thanks, thats exactly how i felt, my son is now a happy healthy boy and formula has made leaps and bounds from what it used to be, i spent long enough beating myself up about not producing enough milk, no lactation consultant or wishful thinking would have made me produce what was not there!

See, I beat myself up over not having vaginal birth. I cried and cried, felt like a failure and wondered just why my body didn't do what it was supposed to. After all, it sounds easy from what other women say. Go into labor, baby drops, push...baby comes out. Wasn't that easy for me. I'm still not over it and hope that I don't have to go through it again.

i went through c-section as well, and i felt like that a little, my situation was a little different, my sons heart rate started dropping from the epidural so emergency c-section was the only way, it was at the time the safest o[tion for us both

[chri'stina 190]

People keep going on about those who can't breast feed. Who are these mystery people? Why can't they? What are the REAL medical conditions that stop them from doing so? There can't be too many or man would have died out some time ago.

Apart from that, no, it wasn't a judgement but it's still true, you can't go wrong with breast milk, correct temperature, correct consistancy, correct nutrients every time.

Are you serious?(to the bolded)

First of all, I totally agree that breastmilk is best. But do you really think it's so easy for everyone? And do you understand the emotional impact on those who really have trouble breastfeeding? It has been something that made me very upset after the baby was born. You try your best but sometimes it doesn't work.

There were also "wet nurses" back in the day to nurse babies so they wouldn't just die but I am sure the infant mortality rate was higher before there was baby formula. Thank God it exists now.

Edited March 12, 2008 by stina&suj

[keltic 1]

People keep going on about those who can't breast feed. Who are these mystery people? Why can't they? What are the REAL medical conditions that stop them from doing so? There can't be too many or man would have died out some time ago.

It happens more often than you might think. My sister couldnt produce enough milk and had to supplement. My SIL never could get either of her children to keep an interest in the breast for more than the first couple of weeks. I met a woman at my WIC appointment today whose milk never came in. There are many different problems and it can be very stressful, which makes it even harder. My first 2 days of nursing were very trying. I literally bawled my head off in front of every doctor, nurse, and family member I had in the hospital because I was having so much trouble feeding my son. It hurt so bad, I had no sleep, we were both frustrated, etc. Such frustrations can seriously impact a woman's milk production and eventually cause her to abandon breastfeeding altogether.

maybe, but it hits a sore spot for me....hubbys family are very pro breastfeeding which i have nothing against, i would have LOVED to have breastfed my son, i just feel sometimes people look at you as less of a mother because shock horror you gave your child the bottle.

I can understand how you feel. Its hard not to take it personally when you had your heart set on nursing and are unable to. I was hell bent on nursing my son. Even though I told myself Id go to formula if I had to, I wasnt going down without a fight. Thankfully, it all worked out fine. I have more milk than my son needs and we have no problems nursing, it just took some patience and creativity. I do give him a bottle of formula once every few days when we go out (like to the grocery store) because I dont have a breast pump, its difficult to express into a bottle, and its very hard to nurse while shopping. Even though he does much better on my milk, I dont feel like a bad mother for giving his nutrition via formula. Im thankful that they have made such advances in infant formula, so I can provide my baby with an acceptable substitute for breastmilk when needed.

i absolutely agree...

i struggled with trying to nurse my daughter 9 years ago... i not only had the support of a lactation consultant (actually 3), but worked in that area of the hospital and had gone thru nursing school... i had the cream of the crop breast pump... i did everything i could... and following all the advice of the docs, lactation consultants and textbooks, i still couldnt make enough milk OR get my daughter to latch properly... she wound up losing weight to the point that i HAD to supplement...

fast forward to last year, at the birth of my son... i have worked with babies and helped mothers with nursing for years now... even if i could produce enough milk... even if he didnt have trouble latching... i am currently on some medications that are not safe for him during lactation... yet i still had the lactation consultant in my room for 45 minutes trying to "get to the bottom" of my nursing problems...

so there are reasons that prevent breastfeeding from happening... and while breastmilk is usually best (see above), the pressure that is put on mothers to nurse also puts a lot of guilt if nursing is not successfull... it does make it hard to not take it personally...

ultimately, both my children are healthy and happy...

Edited March 12, 2008 by keltic

[chri'stina 190]

thanks, thats exactly how i felt, my son is now a happy healthy boy and formula has made leaps and bounds from what it used to be, i spent long enough beating myself up about not producing enough milk, no lactation consultant or wishful thinking would have made me produce what was not there!

See, I beat myself up over not having vaginal birth. I cried and cried, felt like a failure and wondered just why my body didn't do what it was supposed to. After all, it sounds easy from what other women say. Go into labor, baby drops, push...baby comes out. Wasn't that easy for me. I'm still not over it and hope that I don't have to go through it again.

Yes I felt similar, after 36+ hours of labor and still needing a c-section. At the time I was just relieved to have him be born, I didn't freak out and I felt the reason was warranted. But add to it not being able to breastfeed and it feels a lot worse. There were many crying times the first 3 weeks.

[keltic 1]

thanks, thats exactly how i felt, my son is now a happy healthy boy and formula has made leaps and bounds from what it used to be, i spent long enough beating myself up about not producing enough milk, no lactation consultant or wishful thinking would have made me produce what was not there!

See, I beat myself up over not having vaginal birth. I cried and cried, felt like a failure and wondered just why my body didn't do what it was supposed to. After all, it sounds easy from what other women say. Go into labor, baby drops, push...baby comes out. Wasn't that easy for me. I'm still not over it and hope that I don't have to go through it again.

Yes I felt similar, after 36+ hours of labor and still needing a c-section. At the time I was just relieved to have him be born, I didn't freak out and I felt the reason was warranted. But add to it not being able to breastfeed and it feels a lot worse. There were many crying times the first 3 weeks.

it doesnt make you any less of a mother... my daughter was vag, my son was C/S... im just as much a mother to my son as i am to my daughter...

where does the guilt come from? i think women (as a group whole) make it

um... sorry for the hijack of your thread steven

[chri'stina 190]

thanks, thats exactly how i felt, my son is now a happy healthy boy and formula has made leaps and bounds from what it used to be, i spent long enough beating myself up about not producing enough milk, no lactation consultant or wishful thinking would have made me produce what was not there!

See, I beat myself up over not having vaginal birth. I cried and cried, felt like a failure and wondered just why my body didn't do what it was supposed to. After all, it sounds easy from what other women say. Go into labor, baby drops, push...baby comes out. Wasn't that easy for me. I'm still not over it and hope that I don't have to go through it again.

Yes I felt similar, after 36+ hours of labor and still needing a c-section. At the time I was just relieved to have him be born, I didn't freak out and I felt the reason was warranted. But add to it not being able to breastfeed and it feels a lot worse. There were many crying times the first 3 weeks.

it doesnt make you any less of a mother... my daughter was vag, my son was C/S... im just as much a mother to my son as i am to my daughter...

where does the guilt come from? i think women (as a group whole) make it

um... sorry for the hijack of your thread steven

True...to be honest I don't feel guilty about the c-section. I just have that feeling where you wish it could have been different, like you expect things one way and it doesn't happen and you wonder how the other way would have been. But I am happy he was born healthy no matter which way it was.

[Ban Hammer 13,346]

Oh...thanks for the hug

bitte