I was just blogging on my site on this topic last night and I know breastfeeding can be a hot topic, but here goes.... What I'm ticked off about is the current movement of hospitals to try to undermine a new mother's choice of whether or not to breastfeed. And no one seems to be talking about it or to even care.
Because the American Academy of Pediatrics has deemed breastfeeding to be the "best" way to feed a baby, major hospitals in CA, CO, MA, NY and TX are no longer providing free bottles of formula to new moms. The thinking behind this decision is that new moms should not be exposed to a 6-pack of free formula bottles because, heaven forbid, they will most assuredly become instantly swayed to abandon the notion of breastfeeding.
Obviously the men behind these decisions are not thinking about the women who have undergone emergency C-sections and may have delayed milk production (often by several days), or the women who have babies with severe allergies and are unable to digest breast milk, or the women who take anti-depressants, anti-psychotic medications or pain medications that pose a danger to infants. But most importantly, they are making a very lame attempt to take away a new mother's choice of the best way for her to feed her baby.
I'm wondering if there are other moms out there that are as sick and tired as I am of all the "breast is best" propaganda that we're inundated with.
DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
No I am not. You still can
No I am not. You still can do what you want. I don't feel they are taking away a new mother's right. They are just taking away the free formula. Go buy your own and no one will care. Undermined? Sounds kind of strong to me.
BTW - delayed getting your milk in? You still have nutrition from your breasts for the baby - just not milk. The more the baby suckels the faster your milk will come in. Sure give a bottle and you continue the delay.
Talk with a lactation specialist if you have concerns.
KarilouMomof2 is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Tempe. Her daughters are 9 and 6.
3 c-sections and i
3 c-sections and i breastfeed my from the moment they gave them to me to hold until 3 years old.. You have nutrition (colostrum, I believe it is called) the moment after you gave birth.. My girls were handed to me about one hour after they were born.. There are also no such medical evidence of a baby being allergic to their mother's breastmilk.. But plenty of evidence of a baby being allergic and having severe allergic reactions to formula.......And as far as a mother being on medication and phsychotic pills... The damage has already been done, if she was taking those pills while being pregnant.. YOU should see the children, when they have reached 3, 4 years=old and the severe diagnoses they have.. It may not be recognized at the early infant age, but now it starts to show.. And then when they are in school, it is worse, those kids are disruption to the learning enviroment..
I know of 3 kids who have been diagnosed with autism at age 9, and i know one kid who is so disturbed, he peels his scabs till they bleed, digs in his nose and rubs all this on other students, and there are alot more disturbing things with bugs, ect....Being on such meds when pregnant.. Those women shouldnt even be having children..Most of those parents are in denial.. or making excuses and of course, it's always society's fault or the school's fault.. No one wants to own up. anymore, it's blame blame others for your own mistakes....
" just my Opinion"
Actually colostrum isn't
Actually colostrum isn't always instantly produced after a C-section. And there are actually babies that have trouble digesting breastmilk -- that's one of the reasons there are very specialized formulas out there to help with this issue. I speak from experience on that one. And there are some women who need to be on anti-psychotic or anti-depressant medications after they give birth in order to avoid postpartum depression, or even worse, postpartum psychosis. I am one of those women who needed anti-depressant medication -- I needed it in order to be able to function as a mom for my newborn and older children. Even though the medical community generally encourages women on some anti-depressants to breastfeed, I'm still very skeptical about their safety for infants. So for me, formula was the way to go when I had my fourth baby.
DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
Kariloumomof2: It sounds to
Kariloumomof2: It sounds to me like you're taking it for granted that every single new mom can breastfeed. What about the women who have had reconstructive surgery for one reason or another (breast cysts, breast cancer, etc.) and are unable to breastfeed? Why can't the hospitals continue to give out free formula to make those hazy first days just a little bit easier?
DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
I have not encountered that
I have not encountered that with the delivery of my 4 children (thankfully) but I do think it is a bit overboard for any hospital to think that a can of free formula will push someone to formula feed over breastfeed. Everyone has a right to choose how to feed their baby. There are so many hot topics these days~breastfeed vs. formula feed, vaccinate or not, etc.
And to the previous posters I do have delayed milk production. Actual true delay where there is nothing that comes out not even colostrum. That was also determined by a lactation consultant.
AzMom of 4
Thanks for your comment! I
Thanks for your comment! I knew this would be a hot topic when I wrote my original post, but it still amazes me how emotional mothers get over this issue. And vehemently so. It's as if we automatically assume that our way is the best way, and for everyone. I don't understand why we can't be more supportive of each other, whether it's breastfeeding vs. formula, cloth diapers vs. disposable, daycare vs. staying at home, etc., etc. We moms can be our own worst enemy....
DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
First off let me say that,
First off let me say that, yes, I do understand that breast is best. That being said, it's FORMULA not RAT POISON.
For women who say that we should talk to an LC at the hospital where we deliver, NEWS FLASH, the hospital that I delivered at didn't have one on staff. I asked THREE times during my stay and got the same information from three different nurses.
It really burns my butt that the breast feeding mothers out there have the unmitigated gall to call women who don't breast feed bad mothers and insinuate that they care nothing about the health of their children.
I tried to breast feed my son, and did so for about a month. I stopped for personal reasons which I choose not to go into in this forum. Needless to say, my son has still thrived. *gasp* Amazingly enough he has not become a blithering idiot, nor has he become a sickly child as some mothers would have you believe will happen.
What it comes down to is doing what is best for you and your family.
It is better to be hated for what you are, than to be loved for what you are not.
Right on!! Why is it that
Right on!! Why is it that moms so easily polarize around an issue that really should be a no-brainer (not to mention personal). Just like you said: it comes down to doing what is best for you and your family. Period. End of story.
We have friends who just had a baby last week and they were bombarded by La Leche representatives who kept visiting their room while they were in the hospital. They said it almost seemed like the La Leche women were part of a cult.
All I know for sure is that I breastfed two of my four children. Ironically, one of my daughters who was formula fed from day one is nearly in Jr. High and I can count on one hand the number of times she's been sick in her life. She's had one ear infection. Her immune system is unbelievable. And she's brilliant of course.
DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
This is probably one of the
This is probably one of the few choices I have made that I don't give myself grief over......I attempted breastfeeding but it was a total nightmare from the get go......my son was born on a Saturday night so there was no LC available, just a few ill-tempered labor & delivery nurses. I labored unmedicated for about 10 hours, then pushed for 2....I had a spinal fusion when I was a teen so there was no way I could get an epidural....so, my labor was fairly intense. I had a 4th degree episiotomy...my son was nearly ten pounds, and I am a fairly petite gal (about 5ft 3, 110 pounds) so lets just say I needed some help. No matter what I tried, no matter how I held him, I could never get him to latch on and there was nobody around with any practical advice on how to get it to work (my mom didn't nurse, and neither did my MIL or SIL)....one of the hurse just kept telling me I wasn't doing it right and that my baby was hungry, he would scream and scream....I didn't know what to do and I was so frazzled I allowed them to give a bottle.
I tried again and again, in the hospital, out of the hospital, my milk really cam in so my nipples got flat and that made it even harder to try and get my son to latch on.....I tried calling La Leche and I just got a lecture from them about being persistent, but again no useful advice.....so, I tried pumping for about a week, then cracked and bled, I got a nasty infection with a fever, etc and went to see
my OB for help....they advised to just quit nursing and use formula, so I did.
My son has been very healthy - a lot healthier than most of the breast fed kids I know, ironically - and I don't regret it. My hat is off to those who successfully nurse.....maybe some have a knack for it, but I sure as heck did not.
As for the hospital not offering free formula anymore - was it ever free, I thought they charged you for just about everything.....and in any case that doesn't prohibit you from usiing it in the hospital, it just means they don't subsidize it...so moms can still bring their own. If it was free at one time, they probably can't afford to give it out any more because of all the uninsured people having babies and grabbing up free services then skipping out on the bill.
One comment about the women taking the anti-psychotics.....I can't imagine how someone could take those while pregnant and not cause ill effects to the baby....so I agree that having children may not be the best choice for them in the first place.
What an ordeal you had.
What an ordeal you had. Yikes! And you've gotta love that La Leche response... another yikes! I'm sorry you had to go through that.
It's funny -- like you with your son, I also find it ironic when I see bottle fed babies that are healthier than those that are formula fed. And I see that often actually. One of my own kids has an unbelievable immune system and very rarely gets sick. And yet she was formula fed from the get-go.
Actually, the hospitals don't subsidize the free formula at all -- it's provided courtesy of the formula manufacturers and they deliver it free to hospitals. So it's a free resource available to anyone, however some major hospitals are no longer providing it simply because the powers that be at those hospitals don't want to "encourage" women to formula feed. That's what I think is so ludicrous.
DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
well, I have had my
well, I have had my moments...I could not breast feed because I have a thyroid problem and had surgery on my breasts years ago that ended up removing the milk ducts out. I tried with both of my girls and nothing came out. I was depressed because I tried and it failed. And then I see these billboards and all those marketing stuff that states your kids will be smarter and all that, it just bothers me althou I understood the drive behind it but it just bothers me because I COULD NOT do it, it was not my choice. I know my girls are smart and will be ok. Just the immune system issue as they did not get the clostrum, I am a bit worried - it's been on the back of my mind nonstop.
But for those who can do it, I do highly recommend for the first few days because of clostrum. That is one very important stuff for your babies.
H~
I think it's sad that we're
I think it's sad that we're inundated with billboards of all things shouting out that breast is best when there are obviously cases where breastfeeding just isn't going to happen. So yet another thing that we moms can feel guilty about!!! There are so incredibly many people in my generation that were bottle fed as babies because that was the trend back in the 60's. Now we're in a breastfeeding trend and is it ever strong!!
Try not to worry about the immune issue -- your girls have already and will continue to develop their immune systems regardless of how they were fed in the beginning.
DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
Hi, just responding to you
Hi, just responding to you about my comment. I know not everyone can breastfeed. Sorry if you thought my post suggested that. I was just saying just because there is not free formula does not mean you can not do that. I say whatever works for you is the way it should be. There are things I don't believe or wouldn't do, but I will stand up and shout with everyone else your right to do what you think is best. That is why there are so many books on self help topics from raising children, feeding them, sleep habits etc. we are not a one size fits all. If it works for you great!! I do agree that this is a hot topic and it drives me crazy when there are people out there that think it is their way or no way. Talk about no compassion.
KarilouMomof2 is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Tempe. Her daughters are 9 and 6.
I agree with you on that --
I agree with you on that -- it amazes me how there can be such a lack of compassion between mothers....on any "hot" topic (ie: breastfeeding, childcare vs. staying at home, etc.). So often women are completely on opposite sides, with no attempt at understanding or compassion, which really blows me away because I would think, or at least hope, that we're all trying to teach our kids to be compassionate. So what's up with us when we can get so belligerent on an issue like how to feed a baby??
DesertMom
http://ppdsurvivor.blogspot.com
I completely agree about the
I completely agree about the lack of compassion between mothers - why can't we all just support each other's decisions?
I nursed both my kids, hated it but felt pressured to do it. I couldn't believe the unsolicited comments I got from people about such a personal decision.
Everyone needs to do what is best for themselves and their family. I respect everyone's choice.
Susie is a discussion leader in the east valley for arizonamoms.com. She has two sons, ages 6 and 2.
I think you should nurse
I think you should nurse based on your comfort level with it. I actually opted for a combo of nursing, the pump and formula and everything worked out okay for my little guy! My tip would be to get a good pump though - the medela's are the best. You can even rent one from the hospital.
Hi! I'm new to this forum,
Hi! I'm new to this forum, so I know I'm a little late jumping in to this conversation, but have a few thoughts.... First of all, I think it's wonderful that this conversation is happening.
Those of us who are breastfeeding advocates often tend to be surrounded by others who share our views and don't get a chance to hear other points of view. For many of us, it's just a no-brainer that most women can and should breastfeed their babies (Please hear me out :) but, of course, there are exceptions to everything.
Unfortunately, what many women don't realize is that while breastfeeding is natural, it's not always easy, especially at first. And it is just so unfortunate that many women don't get the support they need to take on this sometimes daunting new task. I cringe when I hear about L&D nurses and hospital LCs who are not helpful to new moms. You should know that there are breastfeeding professionals in our community who are highly dedicated, skilled and who treat women with kindness and dignity. It is hard enough to deal with a new babe and difficulty breastfeeding without having someone treat you badly. So for those of you who have had bad experiences there, my heart goes out to you.
I personally think La Leche League is a wonderful resource for nursing moms, but it is run by volunteers, and even though the leaders receive very rigorous training, you may sometimes get a bad one...( or one that you just don't "click" with..) that doesn't mean the entire organization is bad, you just need to find a group that works for you.
So, about the original topic... The World Health Organization's International Code of Marketing Breastmilk Substitutes calls for no promotion of these products through health care facilities, among other requirements.
Why? Because many research studies prove that the availaility of free formula samples reduces the likelyhood that mothers will successfully breastfeed their babies.
And, while yes, many formula-fed babies do just fine, the facts are that breast milk is the ideal, optimum food for human babies.... there are many, many research studies that confirm this and, in fact, if you look at the fine print on a can of formula, it says right on it that breastmilk is best for your baby.
So yeah, every woman has to do what is right for her and her baby...and of course, the choice of whether to breastfeed your baby is completely up to you. Hospitals and health care providers, I believe, have an obligation to provide care that supports optimum care, which is breastfeeding.
I really don't mean to make anyone feel bad about their choices, but I think it's really important that the facts are seen.
Also, I believe that we do the best we can with our children, and that we can and often do make changes when we learn a better way. I was very young when I had my first child, I nursed, but not for very long and then changed to formula. And he's fine....but when I had subsequent children, I knew better.... and I did better. That's the best we can hope for, I think.
Peace,
Jenny
Jenny David
Doula, Childbirth Educator, Breastfeeding Counselor
www.valleychildbirth.com
This was a very informative
This was a very informative reply, thank you. Personally I think that any family with a newborn could use the free formula and bottles either way. Just pair it with time with a nurse who helps with the initial breasfeeding.
When I was feeding what I found was that the hospital said they would be there to answer questions once I left, but it really was not true. And quite franky, I did not want to go to La Leche, because I thought it might be a little to biased and pushy. That not might be true of the org. any longer. Who knows, now that I know it is volunteer run, I can see how the experience with them could vary widely or perhaps be too stringent.