My issue with formula

First I want to start off with saying that when I was breastfeeding my son I did supplement when I needed to. I went through hell and back to breastfeed so no, it didn't come naturally to me at all... It was very much so a love/hate relationship for me so I understand woman who give up or can't... breastfeeding honestly kind of sucks most of the time. :[
The issue I have Isn't the individuals that don't breastfeed because they were raped/molested ect...at an earlier age.
The issue I have isn't with the woman who think of their breasts as sexual so don't breastfeed(though I admit I do find this a bit strange).
I sure as hell don't have a problem with woman who need the formula because it is obviously better then starving ones baby and many babies thrive off of it very well.


I do however absolutely hate how they market it. I hate how they convince woman in third world countries that it's better then breastmilk which in turn kills thousands upon thousands of babies!
I hate how they pay doctors to lie to their patients about it to make more money.
(obviously this isn't as common in first world nations).

I hate how they say "closer to breast milk then ever" and other similar slogans because that statement tells woman that formula feeding is close to breastmilk when really humans don't even fully understand breast milk yet. We know very little about human milk. We are still studying it all the time and learning more and more.

I HATE how they market infant formula in hospitals by handing out samples...
Some hospitals even let formula reps go in and talk to new mothers about their products... even if she plans to breastfeed.

I hate how these companies seem to look at babies as nothing more then profit. They offer no compensation for the little ones they help kill... they often times refuse to listen to the WHOs guidelines for infant marketing and they put so many chemicals, sugars, GMO and whatever else into many of their products it's depressing.


I hate the companies that make it. They are horribly corrupt.
I especially hate Nestle. They are one of the worst....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JjrI2TTHWpk
^ This is a great video on this topic some. It's much shorter then the documentary at the bottom and really informative. None of these videos are intended to make woman feel bad for formula feeding they are directed at the makers of the products.



Also here is a documentary. The whole thing is on Youtube and it is really eye opening and legitimate. Though warning, the video is pretty sad:

The hospital I delivered DS at knew I was planning on bf'ing but still sent me home with a can and bunch of formula samples. I ended up using that to supplement because I thought I had a supply issue when it was most likely other issues ie latch and such. I wish they would have just sent a LC in instead..would have been so much more beneficial and we probably would have made it longer than a month.

Quoting ----&&:" The hospital I delivered DS at knew I was planning on bf'ing but still sent me home with a can and bunch ... [snip!] ... have just sent a LC in instead..would have been so much more beneficial and we probably would have made it longer than a month."

That is a common issue as well. I was reading recently that in some states it is now illegal for hospitals to send out formula samples. People have been really angry about it but I just don't see the point in the samples especially since more and more hospitals are getting donor milk. Mine had donor milk.
Plus the government is trying to go breastfeeding friendly now.
Obama care covers breast pumps and LC's.

I am sorry about your loss mama. The first bit of breastmilk is the best though so you did wonderful :]

They're too quick to suggest formula IMO.
The nurse that does my home visits weighed and measured DS, said he was 61cm and 5170g. A week later they said he was 56cm and 5150g. They immediately went into a panic because he hadn't gained any weight and started talking about supplimenting and I said no way in hell. So they said they'd come back in four days to weigh and measure him again. Four days later, he weighed 5450g. That's a 300g gain in four days. Turns out their scales were out. Instead of checking their equipment (and they messed up his height measurement too) they immediately said that my breastmilk must not be satisfying him or I had a supply issue. I no longer listen to them, I put up with the visits for the weigh and measure and that's it.

I am definitely pro-breastfeeding but am having a lot of issues with my baby. I nursed my oldest for 14 months and when my baby was born he has wanted to nurse on occasion and who am I to refuse when it is recommended until 2? However my baby is nearly 6 months and he is hardly ever satisfied with nursing no matter how long or how often. I am still pushing to breastfeed but it gets so hard so we tend to give formula so I am not so stressed out. Especially with having an almost 2 year old running around.

With both births I had an LC come in and with my oldest he was tongue-tied so I had his doctor and the nurses basically saying he wouldn't last with nursing. It was quite the opposite though and he couldn't take bottles. With my baby he lost too much weight after birth and I was told I should supplement. I gave one bottle in that week until the next appointment and he gained back all his weight. However between his 2 month appointment and then at 5 months (missed 4 due to insurance changes) he has only gained 2lbs but his doctor didn't seem to care since my boy is 18lbs.

Formula is a good option for those who cannot breastfeed (medication or legitimate lack of supply) but to just knock breastfeeding is really sad without giving an attempt. I breastfeed because it is healthier, no recalls, and much more convenient but I am struggling to keep going with my baby.

Quoting Lucas'Mama:" They're too quick to suggest formula IMO. The nurse that does my home visits weighed and measured DS, ... [snip!] ... him or I had a supply issue. I no longer listen to them, I put up with the visits for the weigh and measure and that's it."

That is true to. I have heard that a lot.
I am not sure if doctors ect.. get payed in first world countries for handing out formula. I know they do in third world countries. Sometimes they will even fly the doctors on vacation or give them like months worth of groceries for lying to their patients. Its so sad! :[

I just don't know if they do similar things here or if doctors here are worried about law suits if the baby doesn't grow fast enough. Idk. Its depressing though.

They told me to supplement because my son was losing percentile. I didn't.
He was already 11 months old at that time though so a month later I just switched him to raw goats milk and we breastfed until he was 13 months. It was so stupid.
He never even lost weight... and formula at 11 months? What would be the point.

Quoting Love = Moco and Bubba:" I am definitely pro-breastfeeding but am having a lot of issues with my baby. I nursed my oldest for ... [snip!] ... I breastfeed because it is healthier, no recalls, and much more convenient but I am struggling to keep going with my baby. "

Have you tried taking funagreek and blessed thistle to increase your supply? You should buy some funagreek and take 3 pills 3 times a day. See if that helps.
Plus pumping after each feeding should help to. It will increase your supply and maybe you will even be able to get enough out to where you can just top him off with your own milk  

Sorry you are struggling. You have done really well mama!
Congrats on making it so long! Even a few bottles of breastmilk a day is better then none at all. Always. <3


Have you thought about making your own home made formula?
What about donor milk?

Yes, I can agree that the marketing is not 'ideal' but they are companies, who have a product and are in their right to advertise it in anyway that is not breaking a law.

As far as the video......they are doing the same thing there that North America has been doing since the 80s and trying to get knowledge out about breastmilk. At one time we were in the same boat and our mothers (mine being a mother of the 70's) were told that formula was just as good.
As stated in the video...those mothers do have some blocks in their way of being successful breastfeeding moms. Such as multiple children, which all mothers know with how much time it takes to breastfeed a newborn. They also stated how poor the women are, and Im sure that means ALOT of them are out working, leaving their older children at home to care for the babies. Any mother who has returned to work immediately or has had to exclusively pump, know how almsot IMPOSSIBLE it is to keep up. Nevermind the severe lack of nutrition those mothers have themselves. Ideally, in countries like that its NOT always best to breastfeed. You have to think of the amount of vitamins and minerals it takes to produce breastmilk...and when the mother does not have an adequate supply of them, SHE is the one who suffers.
IMO that country, and many like it, have alot of issues to address before they put this added stress on mothers, such as Paid Parenting Benefits, Education and supplies of birth control, safe water access, and better child care accommodations so these mothers can get to the health care facilities.

Dont get me wrong, Im 100% for breastfeeding....when it works for YOU.

OP- you come on here bashing media....yet the video you show is media. And very one sided just like the formula companies you complain of.

Quoting Shannonsfirst:" Yes, I can agree that the marketing is not 'ideal' but they are companies, who have a product and are ... [snip!] ... here bashing media....yet the video you show is media. And very one sided just like the formula companies you complain of. "

That is not true. I know numerous woman who have pumped and worked.
It is completely possible, it's just hard. There is also reverse cycling which works pretty well but lots of woman don't seem to know about it.
(I did school full time and breastfeed for 13 months)
The media? I did not bash the media first of all.... I bashed formula advertisement. Especially since the WHO set up guidelines on how these companies are supposed to be marketing themselves. They do not abide by it at all(even when some countries have made their tactics illegal). They also pay off doctors, lie to parents, send parents formula samples in the mail in an attempt to get them hooked.
Further more, people do not need to use commercialized formula. There are other options out there.

Formula in conditions where the water is contaminated is not ok especially with the risk of brain damage, ill health, weight loss ect.... Less then 17% of phillipino woman breastfeed now. That is far less there there was years ago so them going back to work is not the only thing causing the decline. How can you accept the way these formula companies market formula knowing they are killing babies without even the blink of an eye. They use manipulation tactics to convince woman that their product have equal health benifits to that of breastfeeding.

While formula has come a long way AND many babies thrive well off of it, I do not approve of any company paying people off, lying to parents to sell their product.
They are no better then the cigarette companies in my opinion.

Quoting Shannonsfirst:" Yes, I can agree that the marketing is not 'ideal' but they are companies, who have a product and are ... [snip!] ... here bashing media....yet the video you show is media. And very one sided just like the formula companies you complain of. "

ALSO that documentary was made by UNICEF.
Which if you did not know, is 100% legitimate.
http://www.unicef.org

That is not just the "media". That is a legitimate health organization that is about as epic as the WHO.

Quoting EpicThunderCat!:" That is not true. I know numerous woman who have pumped and worked. It is completely possible, it's ... [snip!] ... paying people off, lying to parents to sell their product. They are no better then the cigarette companies in my opinion."

My statement remains the same, but I will correct the part about the media and change it to 'pro breastfeeding' information vs formula?

Quoting Shannonsfirst:" My statement remains the same, but I will correct the part about the media and change it to 'pro breastfeeding' information vs formula?"

UNICEF,the WHO and the National Association of Pediatrics would be far from bias on this topic. They make no profit from marketing breastfeeding aside from less sick babies so the government isn't spending as much in health care every year.
I use them for my resources primarily.
Formula companies would have a far increased risk of handing out inaccurate information in order to make a profit.

You can believe whatever it is you want but believing a company that wants money over government based/world leaders of health just seems silly to me. In my opinion that would be like believing something the cigarette companies are saying over the warning labels on the box they come in.

Quoting EpicThunderCat!:" UNICEF,the WHO and the National Association of Pediatrics would be far from bias on this topic. They ... [snip!] ... that would be like believing something the cigarette companies are saying over the warning labels on the box they come in."

I said they have a right to advertise, as long as its not breaking law.

I did not say I WANT this to happen.

98% of my post was about the other issues effecting the mothers on breastfeeding. And all your doing is going on and on about the advertisement.
I am well aware of you and your stand on breastfeeding. Im not here to argue with you, I made some points on other things interfering with their success that UNICEF< WHO and any others involved would need to address as well to HELP their campaign on breastfeeding.

Im sorry, but yes, I do believe EVERY organization has bias. Thats my opinion, doesnt mean Im right, but yes I do think bias is true EVERYWHERE.

Quoting Shannonsfirst:" I said they have a right to advertise, as long as its not breaking law. I did not say I WANT this ... [snip!] ... I do believe EVERY organization has bias. Thats my opinion, doesnt mean Im right, but yes I do think bias is true EVERYWHERE. "

I can agree that there is bias everywhere but I admit I am more inclined to believe non-profit. Also...you are kinda in debate and discuss.
Which is what I was doing.
Not arguing. Debating. >.>


I never said woman shouldn't formula feed. My post was primarily on the marketing. I have used formula myself before. Granted, if I had another child I would make home-made formula or receive donor milk if I couldn't breastfeed. Thats my personal thing.

Quoting EpicThunderCat!:" I can agree that there is bias everywhere but I admit I am more inclined to believe non-profit. Also...you ... [snip!] ... if I had another child I would make home-made formula or receive donor milk if I couldn't breastfeed. Thats my personal thing."

ugh...the ol 'Its D and D'

Okay, then lets discuss it.
I see what you are saying on the formula advertisement. And you have said it is illegal. Thats awful. Hopefully UNICEF and others involved will be able to put a stop to that.

I hope when UNICEF and the others are doing that, they address the other issues these women are having regarding successful, healthy breastfeeding.