Formula feeding your baby is not evil
It’s National Breastfeeding Awareness Week from the 10th to the 16th of May. The World Health Organisation recommends that a baby is exclusively breastfed for a minimum of thirteen weeks after birth and ideally the first six months of their life. It is not however, the World Health Organisation that is sat at home trying to piece together anything that resembles a life with a newborn baby.
Breastfeeding, we are told is natural. New mums are bombarded with leaflets and advice from midwives and health care professionals. Posture, demand feeding, angle, support cushions, footstools hardly come from nature, but with government targets to be met, an army of midwives across the country are out to make sure you don’t lapse to the bottle.
After battling with sore nipples, low baby weight, milk production problems it is no surprise that by six weeks many women ditch problem feeds and opt for the peace, structure and peace of mind that formula feeding offers knowing that their baby has been properly fed and satisfied.
Many mums have been put off breastfeeding by panic after their baby’s weight has increased very slowly. When it comes to mapping a baby’s growth and development, the charts that midwives have been using to check a baby is putting on weight came from growth charts based upon formula fed babies. Breastfed babies put on weight at a slower rate than those feeding on formula. This causes some midwives and health visitors to put pressure on new mums making them worry unnecessarily about a perfectly healthy baby .
A new set of growth charts for newborn babies and children up to the age of four years has been released by the Department of Health. This will give a much accurate growth chart for breastfed babies, though those on formula will appear to be heavier.
Busy maternity wards with harassed staff will not always have time to spend with new mums advising them on breastfeeding or feeding plans. After birth, babies are not allowed to lose more than 10 per cent of their birth weight. If they do feeding will be observed and the baby will not be allowed to leave hospital until the weight is regained. Overstretched staff will rarely have time to work out feeding plans with the parents which will lead to more switching for the bottle.
Formula-fed babies are no less loved than breastfed babies though the differences that comes in the long term health benefits for a child fed with breast milk are indisputable. Loving, caring, chilled parents are more important than harassed, stressed emotional ones still trying to fight the breastfeeding demons.
Some babies are very sucky, and even though not needing any more milk will still demand to suck on the nipple. This can leave mothers at the mercy of a baby for 24 hours a day. This does not lead to a good quality of life for either mother or baby who become restricted to the settee.
Some mothers report that they have been harassed for breastfeeding in public. In April, the UK Government introduced an Equality Bill into parliament proposing to protect a women against maternity discrimination. This would make it illegal to stop a woman from breastfeeding a baby in public places.
But equally, some mothers who formula feed also report being harassed by those who support breastfeeding both in health care and from other parents. Parents report being told that they are selfish and lazy, and that “formula feeding is as bad as giving their baby chips.”
Clearly the bullying from both sides is unacceptable, but whilst harassing breastfeeding mothers for feeding babies in public will be illegal, there will be no such law to protect bottle feeding mothers from similar discriminations.
When it comes to bottle and formula feeding, it is not the easy option. It is a much more complicated process than breastfeeding. You do not have to sterilise a pair of breasts or get up at all hours of the night to mix up a feed. Parents feel guilt and anguish over letting their child down by giving formula and are made to feel guilty by the breast is best brigade.
If you are struggling with breastfeeding you are not alone. Try talking things through with a midwife you trust or see regularly. Mums receive conflicting advice from different midwives which exacerbates the problem. Most clinics will have a breastfeeding clinic, counsellor or support group.
Breastfeeding myths
Because you bottle fed your baby one or more times to start with means you can never try breastfeeding.
If you give your baby even one bottle feed they will never go back to being breastfeed.
If you give your baby a dummy they will become too confused to go back to the breast.
Formula milk is practically poisonous and is the equivalent of giving your child chips
If you are struggling with exclusively breastfeeding your child, then try combing breastfeeds with formula feeds. This is better then giving up altogether.
Women who have had a caesarian section may find their milk comes in later than women how have normal births. Keep breastfeeding this will help it. If the baby really needs more milk then try formula but use a large medicine syringe if possible. Speak to your midwife who may be able to prescribe tablets to help increase your milk supply. Remember that if you do give a bottle instead of the breast then you will need to use a pump. Milk works on a supply – demand basis.
Not all children will struggle with nipple confusion. Babies can be more adaptable than given credit for. Confusion may happen if mixing breastfeeding with bottles and dummies. If you think your baby has become nipple confused then try nipple shields and guards as this will allow you to breastfeed and your baby will find it similar to taking milk from a bottle. Using expressed milk to bottle feed is just as good and is a helpful way of preparing for a return to work.