Sick baby? It may be your formula

[Peikko 1,575]

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.

Yes, I was serious. I of course formula is a great thing and I wasn't suggesting it shouldn't exist. However, it does seem somewhat odd that the Human species is so singularly lacking in it's ability to feed its young at this crucial first stage. I don't see why anyone should feel that they have failed or that they are bad mothers if they don't breast feed, but I do think there are more than a few who simply 'choose' not to, for whatever reason.

At the end of the day, human breast milk is the best for human children, that's not a judgement, that's just how it is but of course having a healthy baby is the most important thing.

[JaEnglishGirl 34]

I have to admit, I had rarely heard of mothers who were medically unable to feed their kids, the ones I know of personally DECIDED to give up, ie my niece who thought it was easier to give a bottle because the baby slept longer, a friend who got sore nipples and decided there was no need to continue etc etc.....

I didn't realise though that there was this whole guilt thing going on which is totally out of order, people are entitled to have their own opinions on things, but have NO right to judge someone else for their decisions....

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Yes, I was serious. I of course formula is a great thing and I wasn't suggesting it shouldn't exist. However, it does seem somewhat odd that the Human species is so singularly lacking in it's ability to feed its young at this crucial first stage.

You wouldn't question that a lot of women and children died in the days before modern obstetrics. Reproduction is a game with a lot of wastage. Like childbirth often fails, so does breastfeeding. That is just the way it is because our bodies are not perfect by a long shot. We just try to outbreed failure and hope the line continues. So far so good.

Edited March 12, 2008 by Wacken

[micius 0]

I plan on breastfeeding my baby and God knows how much I want to succeed in doing that. I'm struggling with food intolerances and want to make sure my baby is not exposed to chemical addictives and preservatives at that early stage of his life. But I'm prepared with formula in case breastfeeding doesn't work. I looked into Similac and Enfamil. Both of them have those DHA and ARA components and Similac lists corn syrup as first ingredient (something that sets my intolerance off even when just present in traces)! I've chosen Babys Only Organic formula, which is called toddler formula but just for political reasons, since the company that produces it believes that newborns should only be fed breastmilk and there's nothing better than breastmilk. Hopefully I won't need it!

[jodee 30]

Ok,..I am going back nearly 15 years here. My twin babies were born 5 1/2 weeks early, and were extremely ill, one had an underdeveloped gut, and a few other problems. My milk came in about 3 days after they were born, lasted a day, and then was gone. The doctor told me, to just let it go. My babies had to be tube fed by the millilitre, through their noses, and were on a formula called Nutramigen ( i dont know what its called in the states). I used to call it liquid gold, it cost over $20 a tin back then, and a tin lasted 2 weeks, when having to feed the two. They could not tolerate anything else, and it was through trial and error over the period of a week that we realised they were allergic to eveything but that formula. Luckily the doctor noted it was a required prescription med formula, so my healthcare covered 75% of the cost of it back then. I was stressed to the eyeballs from the constant worry, was being treated for constant migraines from the stress, and the meds I was on for the headaches would of been passed to the babies if I even tried to express milk and breastfeed.

I thank god for formula.

My girls were in humidicribs for 4 weeks. I went up to the hospital 5 times a day to feed them. I was taught by the nurses how to insert the tube into their nasal passages, as the bubs constantly pulled them out. At the end of these tubes was an open syringe, i would measure out anything from a ml to 5mls, to 25mls, as they got more tolerant of the food, pour it into the syringe, and hold it up, so gravity could do its job . I was also taught how to reinsert the IV needle in their heels or lil hands as so required, as their tissue often rejected it after a few days ( i forgot what they call that exactly). This hands on, under the guidance of the paediatric nurses, made me feel useful, made me feel just a little bit like a mum. I didn't feel useless that way.

ok,..i know I prolly went a lil bit off topic,..but i couldnt have breast fed even if I wanted too. One of my girls recently sat the PSATS as she was in an advanced learning programme. As a freshman she scored better than 65% of the spphomores and juniors, in the subject areas on average. So not breastfeeding certainly hasnt harmed my girls, and they have never had any major illness aside from normal childhood things like chickenpox etc.

Jodee

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

oh my goodness, i tried and tried but i could not produce enough no matter what i did, my son was a preemie, does this make me less of a mother because i didnt produce enough??! As long as my son is healthy i couldent give two craps if i did or did not breastfeed. Its not just about latching issues, if you are told by your doctor after weeks of trying you dont produce enough milk, end of story.

PREEMIES NEED BREAST MILK EVEN MORE THAN A FULL TERM BABY. There are studies after studies that babies do everything better if they breastfeed. Some hospitals even have donars for beast milk to give to preemies because they know breast milk will help the baby develop better and faster.

Unfortunately Doctors do not teach the mothers how to produce more milk but it is VERY easy to do. Using massage methods with the breasts will increase the milk production. My wife learned this method and if she wasn't careful she produced way too much milk. Our pediatrician said "if you do this method you can feed the whole neighborhood" It worked great, our baby is almost 6 months and never had any problems. We were in the grocery store the other day and a couple had a baby the same age but half the size of our baby, he was bottle fed. I have always been healthy and so has my wife so our genes help too I am sure.

Another thing to consider is that it has been proven that breastfed babies are at a much lower risk for many deseases when they are older too.

All I would like to say is that if at all possible mothers should try to breastfeed for the first 6 months for your child's future. We have been fortunate in that my wife doesn't have to work but even working moms can breastfeed in the morning and evenings if they go back to work.

Our baby eats at 7:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 8:00pm. He has been sleeping from 9:00pm until 6 or 7 am since he was 2 months old. He is almost 6 months now and starting to eat Gerber.

I have children from a previous marriage and their mother would not breastfeed because she said it was too much trouble. I see my new wife and her commitment to our baby's health and I understand ALL the advantages of breastfeeding.

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

I plan on breastfeeding my baby and God knows how much I want to succeed in doing that. I'm struggling with food intolerances and want to make sure my baby is not exposed to chemical addictives and preservatives at that early stage of his life. But I'm prepared with formula in case breastfeeding doesn't work. I looked into Similac and Enfamil. Both of them have those DHA and ARA components and Similac lists corn syrup as first ingredient (something that sets my intolerance off even when just present in traces)! I've chosen Babys Only Organic formula, which is called toddler formula but just for political reasons, since the company that produces it believes that newborns should only be fed breastmilk and there's nothing better than breastmilk. Hopefully I won't need it!

Patience is the most important thing and then the next is learn to breastfeed properly. Find a friend or family member that was successful with breastfeeding and have them help you learn the proper way and teach the baby the proper way to eat. If you can afford it find a specialist that can come to your home a few times to make sure yu are doing it correctly. Our doctor taught my wife how to massage her breats to increase milk production and also massage the milk down to her nipples. This gave the baby all the milk he ever wanted and made her breasts more comfortable. Get special cream like lanolin for your breasts and it will keep your areolas from getting tender and dry.

[Sinergy 3]

With both of my kids i couldnt produce any milk, i tried and tried with both of them and i was a dry as could be

and it turned out both had to be on soy formula as they were allergic to cows milk. But i always hated that i couldnt breast feed, some ppl told me that bc i didnt breast feed i wouldnt have a close bond with my kids, yeah, what BS that was

[Gaby&Talbert 1]

With both of my kids i couldnt produce any milk, i tried and tried with both of them and i was a dry as could be

and it turned out both had to be on soy formula as they were allergic to cows milk. But i always hated that i couldnt breast feed, some ppl told me that bc i didnt breast feed i wouldnt have a close bond with my kids, yeah, what BS that was

The bonding is decided by what kind of mother a woman is, breastfeeding just makes it easier. I am sure there are some crappy mothers that breastfed but probably not because breastfeeding is a big commitment and a bad mother wouldn't go to the trouble. I guess you could say that formula was created for mothers that couldn't physically produce milk and then others took advantage of it for whatever reason. Some women had to work to survive or have other reasons but it is proven that breastmilk is the best, formula is only a substitude and can never equal breastmilk. Yes children turn out ok with formula but just think how they would have turned out with breastmilk?

[Sinergy 3]

With both of my kids i couldnt produce any milk, i tried and tried with both of them and i was a dry as could be

and it turned out both had to be on soy formula as they were allergic to cows milk. But i always hated that i couldnt breast feed, some ppl told me that bc i didnt breast feed i wouldnt have a close bond with my kids, yeah, what BS that was

The bonding is decided by what kind of mother a woman is, breastfeeding just makes it easier. I am sure there are some crappy mothers that breastfed but probably not because breastfeeding is a big commitment and a bad mother wouldn't go to the trouble. I guess you could say that formula was created for mothers that couldn't physically produce milk and then others took advantage of it for whatever reason. Some women had to work to survive or have other reasons but it is proven that breastmilk is the best, formula is only a substitude and can never equal breastmilk. Yes children turn out ok with formula but just think how they would have turned out with breastmilk?

what is there to think about tho? my kids were on the formula, and they are the healthiest ever.

My sister breastfed, and her son is all messed up health wise, where mine were on formula and are perfectly healthy, they dont even get sick, so i find your statement quite lame.

[Chrissy25 0]

oh my goodness, i tried and tried but i could not produce enough no matter what i did, my son was a preemie, does this make me less of a mother because i didnt produce enough??! As long as my son is healthy i couldent give two craps if i did or did not breastfeed. Its not just about latching issues, if you are told by your doctor after weeks of trying you dont produce enough milk, end of story.

PREEMIES NEED BREAST MILK EVEN MORE THAN A FULL TERM BABY. There are studies after studies that babies do everything better if they breastfeed. Some hospitals even have donars for beast milk to give to preemies because they know breast milk will help the baby develop better and faster.

Unfortunately Doctors do not teach the mothers how to produce more milk but it is VERY easy to do. Using massage methods with the breasts will increase the milk production. My wife learned this method and if she wasn't careful she produced way too much milk. Our pediatrician said "if you do this method you can feed the whole neighborhood" It worked great, our baby is almost 6 months and never had any problems. We were in the grocery store the other day and a couple had a baby the same age but half the size of our baby, he was bottle fed. I have always been healthy and so has my wife so our genes help too I am sure.

Another thing to consider is that it has been proven that breastfed babies are at a much lower risk for many deseases when they are older too.

All I would like to say is that if at all possible mothers should try to breastfeed for the first 6 months for your child's future. We have been fortunate in that my wife doesn't have to work but even working moms can breastfeed in the morning and evenings if they go back to work.

Our baby eats at 7:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 8:00pm. He has been sleeping from 9:00pm until 6 or 7 am since he was 2 months old. He is almost 6 months now and starting to eat Gerber.

I have children from a previous marriage and their mother would not breastfeed because she said it was too much trouble. I see my new wife and her commitment to our baby's health and I understand ALL the advantages of breastfeeding.

excuse me but i take offense to this comment....actually the whole thing. How many ways do i have to phrase that I DID NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH MILK. Do not begin to think you know my situation or what i went through. Where are these studies that you talk about that states they do better in EVERYTHING when they are breastfed? And no way did i want, nor have i heard of hospitals having donor milk, i did not want my child having another womans milk....that is MY choice. Do you not think we stimulated my breasts to get milk, i tried for weeks, if the milk won't come in it won't come in. My son is the same weight and height as my friends baby who was born 8 days LATE. Her son was breastfed. I am not saying they are not major advantages to breastfeeding, but by no means did i CHOOSE not to, it was after much trying a decsion that was made for me

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

dueling boobies

[Chrissy25 0]

dueling boobies

thank goodness for the light relief......

[Aymerlu 3]

oh my goodness, i tried and tried but i could not produce enough no matter what i did, my son was a preemie, does this make me less of a mother because i didnt produce enough??! As long as my son is healthy i couldent give two craps if i did or did not breastfeed. Its not just about latching issues, if you are told by your doctor after weeks of trying you dont produce enough milk, end of story.

PREEMIES NEED BREAST MILK EVEN MORE THAN A FULL TERM BABY. There are studies after studies that babies do everything better if they breastfeed. Some hospitals even have donars for beast milk to give to preemies because they know breast milk will help the baby develop better and faster.

Unfortunately Doctors do not teach the mothers how to produce more milk but it is VERY easy to do. Using massage methods with the breasts will increase the milk production. My wife learned this method and if she wasn't careful she produced way too much milk. Our pediatrician said "if you do this method you can feed the whole neighborhood" It worked great, our baby is almost 6 months and never had any problems. We were in the grocery store the other day and a couple had a baby the same age but half the size of our baby, he was bottle fed. I have always been healthy and so has my wife so our genes help too I am sure.

Another thing to consider is that it has been proven that breastfed babies are at a much lower risk for many deseases when they are older too.

All I would like to say is that if at all possible mothers should try to breastfeed for the first 6 months for your child's future. We have been fortunate in that my wife doesn't have to work but even working moms can breastfeed in the morning and evenings if they go back to work.

Our baby eats at 7:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 8:00pm. He has been sleeping from 9:00pm until 6 or 7 am since he was 2 months old. He is almost 6 months now and starting to eat Gerber.

I have children from a previous marriage and their mother would not breastfeed because she said it was too much trouble. I see my new wife and her commitment to our baby's health and I understand ALL the advantages of breastfeeding.

excuse me but i take offense to this comment....actually the whole thing. How many ways do i have to phrase that I DID NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH MILK. Do not begin to think you know my situation or what i went through. Where are these studies that you talk about that states they do better in EVERYTHING when they are breastfed? And no way did i want, nor have i heard of hospitals having donor milk, i did not want my child having another womans milk....that is MY choice. Do you not think we stimulated my breasts to get milk, i tried for weeks, if the milk won't come in it won't come in. My son is the same weight and height as my friends baby who was born 8 days LATE. Her son was breastfed. I am not saying they are not major advantages to breastfeeding, but by no means did i CHOOSE not to, it was after much trying a decsion that was made for me

I really don't think any woman can know how it feels when you want to nurse your baby and cannot. My son was a premie and would never latch on. He'd take to the nipple on a bottle just fine though. I cannot tell you the hours I would sit trying to get him to nurse and he wouldn't. I'd just sit and cry thinking i was a bad mother. Well, like others, my milk never would come it (docs said it was due to my thyroid freaking out after delivery) and years later we found out my son is autistic which his doctors beleive is another reason he wouldn't latch on. The nipples on the bottles were soft and easy for him to use and latching on to me would require more of a sucking reflex which he did not have and still does not really have.

My daughter was a different story. Even though she was a premie she came out sucking like a hoover!!!! I did nurse her, but I was not one of the woman that thinks nursing was a present experience and I stiopped at 6 months and pumped for another six.

I later worked part-time with a lactation consultant helping new moms learn to breastfeed because it certainly is a learning experience. I cannot tell you how many new moms I would see emotional drained, stressed, frustrated, etc because it just was not working out for them and the majority of woman were not breastfeeding because they wanted to, but because their moms, friends....whoever was preaching to them that it was for the best. Yeah, maybe breast is best, but I see a number of kids every day that were not breastfed and they are perfectly healthy.

When I worked in PICU most of the premies couldn't even suck to get breast milk. Most babies would have a NG tube in place and they would get rice. If the mother was able to pump, we'd put her milk through the tube. I never heard of donor milk when I was working there, but I wouldn't want another womans milk in my child anyway.

[Chrissy25 0]

oh my goodness, i tried and tried but i could not produce enough no matter what i did, my son was a preemie, does this make me less of a mother because i didnt produce enough??! As long as my son is healthy i couldent give two craps if i did or did not breastfeed. Its not just about latching issues, if you are told by your doctor after weeks of trying you dont produce enough milk, end of story.

PREEMIES NEED BREAST MILK EVEN MORE THAN A FULL TERM BABY. There are studies after studies that babies do everything better if they breastfeed. Some hospitals even have donars for beast milk to give to preemies because they know breast milk will help the baby develop better and faster.

Unfortunately Doctors do not teach the mothers how to produce more milk but it is VERY easy to do. Using massage methods with the breasts will increase the milk production. My wife learned this method and if she wasn't careful she produced way too much milk. Our pediatrician said "if you do this method you can feed the whole neighborhood" It worked great, our baby is almost 6 months and never had any problems. We were in the grocery store the other day and a couple had a baby the same age but half the size of our baby, he was bottle fed. I have always been healthy and so has my wife so our genes help too I am sure.

Another thing to consider is that it has been proven that breastfed babies are at a much lower risk for many deseases when they are older too.

All I would like to say is that if at all possible mothers should try to breastfeed for the first 6 months for your child's future. We have been fortunate in that my wife doesn't have to work but even working moms can breastfeed in the morning and evenings if they go back to work.

Our baby eats at 7:00am, 1:00pm, 3:00pm, and 8:00pm. He has been sleeping from 9:00pm until 6 or 7 am since he was 2 months old. He is almost 6 months now and starting to eat Gerber.

I have children from a previous marriage and their mother would not breastfeed because she said it was too much trouble. I see my new wife and her commitment to our baby's health and I understand ALL the advantages of breastfeeding.

excuse me but i take offense to this comment....actually the whole thing. How many ways do i have to phrase that I DID NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH MILK. Do not begin to think you know my situation or what i went through. Where are these studies that you talk about that states they do better in EVERYTHING when they are breastfed? And no way did i want, nor have i heard of hospitals having donor milk, i did not want my child having another womans milk....that is MY choice. Do you not think we stimulated my breasts to get milk, i tried for weeks, if the milk won't come in it won't come in. My son is the same weight and height as my friends baby who was born 8 days LATE. Her son was breastfed. I am not saying they are not major advantages to breastfeeding, but by no means did i CHOOSE not to, it was after much trying a decsion that was made for me

I really don't think any woman can know how it feels when you want to nurse your baby and cannot. My son was a premie and would never latch on. He'd take to the nipple on a bottle just fine though. I cannot tell you the hours I would sit trying to get him to nurse and he wouldn't. I'd just sit and cry thinking i was a bad mother. Well, like others, my milk never would come it (docs said it was due to my thyroid freaking out after delivery) and years later we found out my son is autistic which his doctors beleive is another reason he wouldn't latch on. The nipples on the bottles were soft and easy for him to use and latching on to me would require more of a sucking reflex which he did not have and still does not really have.

My daughter was a different story. Even though she was a premie she came out sucking like a hoover!!!! I did nurse her, but I was not one of the woman that thinks nursing was a present experience and I stiopped at 6 months and pumped for another six.

I later worked part-time with a lactation consultant helping new moms learn to breastfeed because it certainly is a learning experience. I cannot tell you how many new moms I would see emotional drained, stressed, frustrated, etc because it just was not working out for them and the majority of woman were not breastfeeding because they wanted to, but because their moms, friends....whoever was preaching to them that it was for the best. Yeah, maybe breast is best, but I see a number of kids every day that were not breastfed and they are perfectly healthy.

When I worked in PICU most of the premies couldn't even suck to get breast milk. Most babies would have a NG tube in place and they would get rice. If the mother was able to pump, we'd put her milk through the tube. I never heard of donor milk when I was working there, but I wouldn't want another womans milk in my child anyway.

thankyou Aymerlu that IS how i felt, you hit the nail on the head and i agree with your post 100%

Edited March 12, 2008 by Chrissy25