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ADVICE RATING

4.27 (Worth a try) from 11 votes (225 Visits)

Is breast really best?

by Practical-Princess

(November 2006) (rank 111th)

We here it all the time - 'breast is best'. Well, ok, so it has its benefits, but I think what is 'best' for baby is what makes baby happy.

When my first child was born she just would not take to the breast. While in the hospital, the

midwives helped try to get her to take it, but she just refused to suckle. My milk had not come in properly which didn't help. After much frustration, stressing both myself and my new baby, I said, bugger this, give her a bottle. First we expressed some of my milk and gave that to her, which she drank down, no problem. On her next feed we tried the breast again, but, no, my little angel was a determined little one, so we stuck to the bottle and formula (she's now 12 and has always had her own mind about things). She was content and so happy, which was most important. She has grown up healthy, with no signs of anything that shows she was not breast-fed.

It really annoys me when nurses and breast-feeding mothers run mothers who have their baby on formula down, carrying on 'breast is best'. New mothers don't want to hear any negativity on the way they are raising their child. There are many mothers who cannot breast feed for one reason or another - instead of making negative comments, people should stop and think that there is probably a valid reason why the child is not being breast-fed.

So to mothers out there who do not, or cannot, breast feed, do not let anyone make you feel any less of a mother for it. If your child is happy, that is all that counts.

Any contributed content above is the subjective opinion of that member or external author, and not of Minti.com Pty Ltd. If you are searching for health related advice we strongly suggest you seek professional medical support. View our Terms of Service for more details.

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ADVICE RATING

4.27 (Worth a try) from 11 votes

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	November 2006 \| exquisite-flower

Thank you

I had to bottle feed and I was devastated. I hated feeling inadequate. The feeling was self inflicted because i know the benefits of the breast professionally. E is healthy, intelligent, we are very clsoe. It has not affected her negatively at all, but my self-esteem hit an all time low and it took me ages to get myself up again - loads of personal circs were also bad. Noone commented in front of me, but I got looks. Itjust served to make things worse for me. I have not met any modern mothers who bottle feed from choice - i know that these women exist and good on them, but the majority in my experience are bottle feeding for other reasons. Thank you for your compassion in your article.
Peace
EF.x

Reply

	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| lizardsmom

Hot Topic

Wow! This article has gotten tremendous response! Everyone has said some really important things that I feel all moms; nursin, bottle feeding, and soon to be, need to hear. It is an undisputed fact that breast milk is best but quite simply every mom needs to do what is most comfortable for her and what works for her baby. I was raised by a militant breast feeder and so when it came time to have my daughter there was no other choice and while I greatly enjoy nursing my daughter it was very stressful for me because I felt like I was pressured into nursing. Also, in our region breast feeding is not widely accepted (which I have never understood due to the poverty) which makes it more difficult. While my mother had no trouble flopping her breast out anywhere at anytime I am a little more conservative and choose to take bottles of my milk to feed my daughter if we are going anywhere other than a friend of family member's home. I too have seen the criticism of nursing mothers by mothers who are not as well as vice versa. Many times I've been ridiculed by co-workers (men) who are grossed out by my pumping (I put a sign with a little cow on it that says please do not disturb) I guess what everyone is pretty much saying was best said by W.S. "To thine own self be true" and just realize that what you do will always be the wrong thing to someone. Just put on your happy face, be content, and remember "let (s)he who is free of sin cast the first stone."

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| CindyC

Go you!

I totally agree with you. I so wanted to breastfeed before Rachel was born. I told the hosptial *no bottles*, I had my pump ready, and went to a LLL meeting while pg. However, Rachel didn't move her tongue well enough to get a good latch and my nipples were flat. I got lots of advice in the hospital and had a couple of home visits from a nurse. But with it going on a few days with never getting a latch, we started supplementing with formula. I started pumping and would just switch to give Rachel as much MM as possible. However, I soon gave up trying to BF her and just continued pumping for a month. I know people go for much longer (both in trying to BF and in pumping), but I had to consider my stress level as well. I just wanted to enjoy my new baby, not worry about pumping enough or whatever. So Rachel was FF and we are all happy and healthy!

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| Izzy

Breastfeeding

In terms of baby's health, breastfeeding is best. In my opinion, as long as a woman tried to give it a go, that is all that matters.

Breastfeeding is such an intimate act, and should be a source of good feelings for both mom and baby. Unfortunately, it doesn't come easy for most women. Once it becomes a source of resentment and frustration in the part of mom, and frustration in babies it's time to let it go and move on to formula.

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	November 2006 \| allyp

Excellent advice, very well put!!

excellent advice.. When my daughter was born, she would take to my breast but would not latch on and would get very cranky and I had to turn to formula while I was in the hospital but was still trying to breast feed. After I got home from the hosptial I still tried to breast fed as she was latching on a bit but still not quite.. (while she was sucking, my nipples got very sore and started cracking and it just hurt to breast feed) So I went to formula, my MIL was not impressed with that, but there was nothing I could do.. I didn't want to be in alot of pain. I did things the way I wanted to..

But next time though forsure, I will try longer to breast feed and hopefully it works!

(there is formula out there that is best just like breast milk, with DHA & ARA)

Reply

	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| MumKim

I plan to breast feed.

I plan to breast feed. I don't know if I will be able but am lucky enough to have access to support services if needed. I live in a small country town in Western Australia so I think it's great that the services are available if I need them.
I have read many articles about breast feeding on Minti. Usually they are slammed by people who had difficulty with breast feeding. As Elizabeth says if you have given it a real good go why let comments bother you. I think it is important that information be available on breast feeding, without people being shot down for providing information.
The research out there shows that breast is best. There is a lot of miss-advice put out by the formula companies (they have more money than breasts do to spend on propaganda!)
If you know that you have tried why let it worry you that the research indicates that breast is best. You gave it your best shot. No one can ask any more of you than that.

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	3.33 (Average) \| November 2006 \| Practical-Princess

I plan to breast feed.

I think you've misunderstood my main message here. I'm just saying that mothers who do not or cannot breast feed should not be made to feel inadequate, which is what often happens. If the baby is happy, that's all that counts. If you can breast feed, that's great. But if someone can't, that's fine, too

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	November 2006 \| MumKim

I plan to breast feed.

Maybe I have misunderstood your intent. It is just that I have seen so many articles on Minti on breast feeding that have been slammed by women who had difficulty breast feeding. I haven't yet had the chance to find out if I can breast feed but I am glad of all the information on breast feeding that is out there.

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	November 2006 \| Practical-Princess

I plan to breast feed.

I would never slam breast feeding. It's great to be able to breast feed. My younger 2 were breast fed and it is such a wonderful feeling to have your baby suckle from you, it's simply beautiful. I just wanted those who cannot breast feed know that there is nothing wrong with that and not to let anyone make them feel inadequate for it.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| elizabeth

Breast is best

Ok, some women have difficulties with breast feeding, but I don't think that any body can deny that breast milk is the best thing for our babies. It is perfectly made. NO formula can match it unless they made it out of breast milk. You are right in saying that some women can be far to harsh about women who either can't or choose not to breast feed. But I believe that if you have given breastfeeding a red hot go, then their comments should not bother anyone. I feel that Breastfeeding women get far to harsh a judgement from nonbreastfeeding women. I have had some pretty horrid comments come my way. What needs to happen is a realisation that we all love our children, then perhaps we can stop being so judgemental. New mother don't want to hear any negative advice, but it happens all the time. We just have to learn to sift through all the dirt to find the pieces of gold.

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	1.00 (Very Poor) \| November 2006 \| Practical-Princess

Breast is best

Another misunderstood message. Yes, breast milk is naturally the best way to go, but that doesn't mean a mother who can't breast feed should be made to feel inadequate, which happens a lot.

Reply

	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| elizabeth

Breast is best

I don't think I misunderstood anything. Your message I believe was that mothers who don't or can't breastfeed can get a hard time from breastfeeding mothers. I agreed with you and also stated that as a breastfeeding mother, I was at the receiving end of alot of very hurtful comments from non breastfeeding mothers. An attempt was made to make me feel as if I was perverted, disgusting and unclean. I think perhaps you read the first line of my comment and stopped reading. I also made the point of not allowing misguided judgements affect us.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| Practical-Princess

Breast is best

I don't mean that all breast feeding mothers give those who cannot breast feed a hard time, but many do, as do the clinic nurses (they are usually the worse). With my first child, I had breast feeding mothers say things like, "oh, you should breast feed, it's better" .... "your child won't have as good a start in life if not breast fed" - it wasn't my fault I couldn't breast feed so these mothers had no right to put me down. And I've had other mums who cannot breast feed tell my stories of flack they have received.

I've never come across anyone giving a breast feeding mum a hard time, other than that of feeding in public. If someone gave you a hard time they should be ashamed of themselves. They are obviously braindead! Breast feeding is such a beautiful thing. If I see a mother breast feeding I smile as it is lovely to see.

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| elizabeth

Breast is best

I was one of those mothers that breast fed where ever I went. On the train, in a resturant, at a park where ever. I was always covered and I think that some people were repulsed by the thought of seeing a breast, I don't know. At least we agree though that people can be down right insensitive. I learnt quickly to ignore all of that, I knew that I loved my child and that I was doing the best that I could do, just as you were doing the best you could do. Everyone else can jump!

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| Izzy

Breast is best

In my naive state, I guess, I have never heard of moms getting attacked for breastfeeding. I'm sorry you were on the receiving end of this. How horrible that must be. Unclean? How can breastfeeding be unclean?

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	5.00 (Excellent) \| November 2006 \| Izzy

Breast is best

New moms get all sorts of advice all the time, even if they happen to be doing what's best for their own individual family. I totally agree that, we just have to sift through all the advice and hang on to the good ones while letting go of the bad ones.

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Any contributed content above is the subjective opinion of that member or external author, and not of Minti.com Pty Ltd. If you are searching for health related advice we strongly suggest you seek professional medical support. View our Terms of Service for more details.

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