Comments on: Breastmilk in the news….

By: K

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000

I’m right there with you. I was unable to breastfeed (a perfect storm of factors — poor latch, no milk for more than a week, too much encouragement from family to give up, rapid weight loss, hospital gave H bottles and pacifiers against my instructions, etc.) my son and it BROKE my heart. Not a day goes by when I don’t mourn not breastfeeding him. So when I read about or meet someone who DID NOT EVEN TRY — well, I usually have to get a moment alone to compose myself.

By: Sara

Sara — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000

The real strangeness of the choice to formula feed occurs to me when I walk down the baby aisle at the grocery store and see all those cans of non-perishable powder, and wonder how anyone can truly believe they’re making a good choice for their baby.

Then I wonder if formula feeders think that choosing to breastfeed is strange.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000

I am very pro-breastfeeding, I breastfed my baby. That being said, I think it is wonderful that formula is available, because there really are some people who CANNOT breastfeed (despite what most pro-breastfeeders say). I would even argue that there are situations when Breast is NOT the best - but that’s a comment for another day.
What would their poor babies do if they couldn’t eat at all? Lucky us that we live in a society that can provide good alternatives.

By: paxye

paxye — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000

The stats show that 99% of women can breastfeed, this is the way that nature has made us… interestingly enough that seems to be not the case in the US, Canada or other ‘advanced’ countries….
Like I said Artificial baby food (formula) is the 5th and LAST choice for infant feeding… the first is the Breast, the second is pumped milk, the third is a wet-nurse, the fourth is pumped milk from another woman and the fifth and last is the artificial stuff… It is an OK/BAD alternative, it is NOT a good alternative…
I agree that there are a small % of women that really can’t breastfeed and for them there should be the better alternatives availible… so we should be supporting the breastmilk banks and not the money hungry, lying formula companies….

By: Sharon

Sharon — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 17:00:00 +0000

I agree w/ you, Paxye.
However, as someone who is on a fixed income, I have to ask: isn’t the cost of breastmilk banks quite expensive? While I know it is worth it, it may not be an option because of cost factors.

That being said/asked, I have to say I DID breastfeed my son, and I miss it from the moment he stopped!