Formula feeders...

StrawberryGirl · Jan 31, 2008 9:04AM

I am aware that bottle feeders can (wrongly) be made to feel bad about not breast feeding but I was really shocked recently at my postnatal group. I was sat with 3 other women, all bottle feeders but none of whom had asked me how I am feeding my baby boy (exclusively BF) but they were SO rude about mothers who breast feed. Comments along the lines of "why do people who breast feed think it's acceptable to get their tits out all the time, it's just so degrading" and " all that expressing, you're just a glorified cow"... well I was quite upset!
I am sure at least one of them (the most vocal) had a bit of a chip on her shoulder that she wasn't able to breast feed but I am sure there was no need to be quite so rude about those of us who do..... after all, I am of the opinion each to their own.
My personal choice is to breast feed, I am glad I've stuck at it and feel very proud of myself and my baby boy but wouldn't look down on anyone who chose not to do it.
Has anyone else come across this situation and/or rude comments about it?
Tracey xx

sibles24 · Jan 28, 2008 5:58PM

Hi Tracey - i bottle fed my first 2 daughters and am exclusively breast feeding my 3rd, who is 5 1/2 months. I tried to bf my 1st, and it never worked but I would never dream of saying stuff like that, I felt really bad that I couldn't do it but I admire all the women that do, my sister had bf all 4 of hers so I felt abit of a failure. With my 2nd I never tried as I didn't think I could do it, and this time round, she is my last, I had a home birth so I thought 'sod it lets try' and its worked so well that I don't want to give up just yet!!
You should feel proud however you choose to feed your child and like you say everyone is entitled to their own opinion but that's rude, I don't get my 'tits' out all the time, I try and arrange going out around her feeds, and luckily shes not a screamer if she goes over her feed time.
Sam xx

hayley_l · Jan 28, 2008 6:06PM

Good for you Tracey you should be proud. I am b/f my lo and i b/f my 3 year old. my eldest who is 11 was bottle fed as that is what i chose then but it certainly never bothered me that others chose to b/f in the same way that it doesnt bother me if people choose to bottle feed. It is all down to personal choice and no one should be made to feel bad about that.

gsmummy55 · Jan 28, 2008 6:51PM

I am 27 weeks with my first baby and I am amazed how much controversy the breast/bottle debate digs up! I was naive in thinking before I got pregnant that people were just left to get on with whatever they chose!

I don't know anyone who breastfed as all my family & ohs family seem to bottle feed and I myself was bottle fed. But although it's pretty unfamiliar to me and I've never seen anyone bf I would never look down on it and I can't understand why anyone would. It's nothing to do with 'getting ur tits out' - it's feeding your child! I just dont get why so many people don't find it socially acceptable. Even my oh's mum said as much.

I'm not sure what i'll be doing yet but I would never look down on breast/formula feeders and I think those that do should be ashamed cos there's SO much more to parenting after all. Rant over!!! xxxx

icecreamloverpissedoffwithBE · Jan 29, 2008 6:13AM

I've been asked by my own gp why i wasnt formula feeding, and why i was bf. he basically told me my baby should be on formula because of his size and surely i was starving him or having to feed every half an hour (this was when he was about 1 month old).... - actually my boy was a big baby but is now nicely proportioned and he never starves, or feeds every half hour.... it was never any more than every hour on a growth spurt and every 3 hours usually till 4 months, then every 4 and so on.....

i can believe how rude some people are about bfeeders tho. I've seen it, had to deal with it, and told them all where to bloody go! I'll feed my child my way, they can feed theirs their way but i'm never going to do what they tell me to do!

Sorry. Just winds me up.

xxx

alioli123 · Jan 29, 2008 6:32AM

Each to their own and no one should criticise another's wishes, it's just rude and insensitive. I'm combining breast and bottle to suit family life and enjoy both! I'm a bit choosy where I "get my tits out" lol

sezbo · Jan 31, 2008 7:29AM

I didn't know this forum existed, what a good idea!
Anyway Tracey - how rude? I feel the same as you, each to their own. Every Mum and baby are different and what works for one might not work for another so you can never really say there is a 'right' way to do things.
Personally I think there is nothing more natural than breastfeeding your baby - it's natures way - but I don't get them out everywhere or go on and on about it or think bottle feeders are failures.
My stepdaughter thinks breastfeeding is disgusting - her mother tried with her sister for about 12 hours and refused to try with her at all - she's said loads of times to her Dad (in front of me) that she thinks Rhianna should be bottle fed because it would be 'better'.....ah the wisdom of an 11 year old

I try not to throttle her whilst wondering if she wouldn't be such a little porker now if she'd been breastfed.......? lol xxx

EnglebertW_nkface · Jan 31, 2008 9:04AM

I have been offline for a while due to technical issues (bloody internet providers) and i come back to find a whole new forum!
I breastfed Millie until she self weaned at 10 1/2 months and I intend to bf again with number two. You have a lot more restraint than I do Tracey! In that situation I would have let rip, who do they think they are talking like that? I have no issue with people bottlefeeding, in fact I have often defended them to oh who is a bit of a secret breastfeeding nazi and I expect the same courtesy in return from other mums. I was lucky that no one ever said anything to me when I was feeding in public (or maybe they were lucky, te he!) but I must admit the dirtiest looks I got were always from other mums. Why can't people just respect each others choices?
Kerry

Formula feeders...

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