Baby Formula is Not Rat Poison

Yes, it is selfish. And shouldn't it be ok for mom's to put their needs on the list somewhere? To be in pain, which makes you cranky and stressed, makes your ability to parent calmly MUCH less likely. So, I say if you can be a better parent with formula feeding, then that is what you should do. Also, there are a lot of women whose employers make it all but impossible to pump...literally relegating them in broom closets or dirty bathrooms. A lot of moms work in offices but what about a mom who works at a convenience store? Or a construction site? They don't need anyone's judgement, they need more support.

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Do your research, Dr. Kramer was misquoted and "grossly misrepresented" in that article from almost a year ago, and in fact was angered by it. Actual quote in response from Dr. Kramer...
"There really isn’t any controversy about which mode of feeding is more beneficial for the baby and the mother, but when you read the article in The Times it sounds like there is. I’m not aware of any studies that have observed any health benefits of formula feeding. That’s important, and any mother weighing the benefits of breastfeeding vs formula feeding needs to know that."
As many others have posted, nobody has ever suggested formula is rat poison.

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I am a mother of twins, and had to start supplementing early because my body couldn't keep up. Some MOTs can exclusively breastfeed both kids, but most I know could not despite soul-wrenching efforts. So, I did a combo of pumping, breastfeeding and formula until 6 months. By then, I was only getting a trickle of milk when I pumped.

I was horribly conflicted about the decision to stop pumping, particularly because of the type of "you're a bad mother" responses we've read here. In the end, the transition to formula felt like a great weight being lifted off of our family. Mom was stressed out less, and consequently so were Dad and the boys.

I think we all need to put these things into perspective like the author of the article tried to do. Now it's my turn to be provocative: What is worse for the world: formula for babies or families who have a horde of kids in a world with dwindling resources?

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Sherene, just curious, "we should give people a break and let them irreparibly harm their innocent children because breastfeeding is hard?" What the heck is that? Where did you get that "people are irreparibly harming their innocent children" by feeding them formula? Again, isn't it more important children are fed PERIOD!!! Attitudes like that make my head spin. Who are people like you to judge other woman on how they feed their children? Why would you even say something like that? People have their reasons for what they do and it is THEIR decision and as long as their babies are fed, healthy and happy, comments like that just come off hateful !!

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I'd like to try breastfeeding. But if for some reason it doesn't work out, whether for medical issues, I just don't like it, or anything in between, I'd hate to be demonized because I'm not breastfeeding. Why is it anyone else's business what I choose to do or why I choose to do it?

It's a decision for the mother or the parents together to make and it's no one else's business.

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I am a mother of three. 2 of the 3 were exclusively breastfed while my third child, who was premature, developed a disorder called breast milk jaundice. He also refused to gain weight while breastfeeding. It almost killed him. I had to put him on special high calorie formula. Now he is a happy well adjusted toddler that is no different developmentally then his siblings that were both breastfed for a year! Sometimes it is just best to do what is best for your child and sometimes breastfeeding is not it! My lactation consultant agreed with me that it was best for my son to be exclusively formula fed! Oh yeah and not one of you can make me feel bad for my choices with my children because they are MY children not yours!

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I could list dozens of things I've done for my non-breastfed kids that arguably make them smarter and healthier. Isn't it funny that it's only breastfeeding that inspires the extreme comments we see here? One would think that formula-fed babies are doomed to have their legs growing out their ears. "Irreparable harm"? Really.

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I'm sorry, but who said "irreparably damaged"??? Seriously? If that were actually true there would be millions of "damaged" kids running around, and everybody can plainly see that that's NOT the case. For the record, I tried nursing my first but work and a bad pump made it difficult to continue past a couple of months, so I quit. You're damn right it was selfish (or as I prefer to think of it, self-interested), but it's just as important for me to be happy and healthy as it is the baby. My second I was able to nurse for much longer, and for the record, the first one has actually been healthier than the BFd baby.

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Thank you so much for this article! I was not able to breastfeed my son because I had seizures during my 3rd trimester and had to be put on medication. My "friend" who had a baby a few weeks after I did was constantly showing off that she was able to breastfeed and that she was benifiting her son and this and that blah blah blah!

Quite frankly it got on my nerves because I didn't have a choice. I had seizures and being on the medication was best for me and for my son because he was in my care. It would have been dangerous not to be on it. I could have dropped him or had a seizure at home and not been able to take care of him.

Whatever the reasons are for women deciding not to breastfeed it is there own business. I'm sick of people judging us women who didn't breastfeed and making us feel bad and thinking that we are just horrible moms. I love my son to death and yes I fed him formula but that does not make me a bad parent.

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This post overly simplifies a complex social issue. And yes, those confounding factors can, indeed, be separated out when determining the risks of not breastfeeding--don't kid yourself, there is an abundance of data to back it up. Is that why people choose to breastfeed or not? Of course not. It is social and relational pressures combined with bad breastfeeding advice. No true lactation professional judges those who aren't breastfeeding, because we know how hard it can be to overcome all the bad information out there. But don't pretend that it's not important, because it is--as any breastfeeding mother will tell you. Check out Melissa Bartick's post in the Huffington Post on April 14th (your blog won't let me link)--it is hands down the best article I've seen written about the latest study (in a long, long line of evidence-based information).

Lenore, I adore your stand on free range kids. THAT is what the world needs to hear from you. I would encourage you to stick to what you know and until you are fully informed of the complexities of the breastfeeding issue. Don't belittle it by being dismissive. It is a big deal.

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As with any parenting decisions made, we can never sit outside looking in and think we know the whole story. We can't. And since we can never know the whole story we can't judge. I had a picture of myself and another mom commented, "oh man, you look so good. You look like such an easy-breezy mom. So effortless." I laughed. What she didn't see in the photo was that in one hand I was toting a pair of toddler pants dripping with pee. In the other hand, the one cut out of the photo, I was dragging a pants-less screaming toddler. I was laughing in the photo not because it was so easy breezy but because of the absurdity of it all.

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Lenore, I'm generally a fan of your blog, but I must say you're beating up awfully hard on the Journal of Pediatrics study. If I recall right, the main point the authors stated was not that non-breastfeeding mothers should feel guilty, but that hospitals and employers need to do more to support breastfeeding. And that's an incredibly important conclusion. Employers need to provide better pumping space than, as you say, a coat closet, and allow pumping breaks. Hospitals need to support mothers who want to breastfeed but don't have that perfect situation where they can put a healthy newborn immediately to breast after delivery. So many "it just didn't work out" problems could be avoided through support. I've breastfed my daughter for a year now and have pumped at my full-time job for the last eight months. I never, ever, criticize or blame my friends who have either chosen to formula feed or found themselves unable to breastfeed. But I have also experienced, and seen in other friends, the joy conferred by breastfeeding. Women who want that experience need support, and THAT''S why this study is important. Not to mention the large body of scientific data that has led the American Academy of Pediatrics to very emphatically recommend breastfeeding.

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I nursed my son for 9 months (went back to work after 6 months; I was actually surprised I continued it so long given the rocky road we both had with it in the very beginning). I am totally glad I stuck with this, it became much easier/natural as time went on (as we both got used to it), and it was not at all about being the martyr. But to this day (7 years later), I strongly resent how La Leche League and other pro breastfeeding individuals/organizations make new mothers feel like total $&*! for not breastfeeding!! There is SO MUCH MORE to motherhood, and if breastfeeding is making a woman miserable, or there are other reasons why it doesn't make sense to start/continue, there is formula (which, by the way, I gave to my son from the very beginning, on at least a weekly basis; I never viewed formula as "evil" like many say it is).

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Hi A
I have been reading these comments on Breastfeeding and would just like to share some info.Some woman have written that there is no data to backup the claims of the positive health benefits of breastfeeding and breastmilk and honestly that is false.There are a multitude of longterm studies on the benefits of breastmilk for term and premature babies.Kellymom.com and Breastfeeding.com could probably direct you to some of these studies just in case someone would like to see some great info.
I am a fulltime working mother of 3 and always had to combine breast and some formula supplement when I was at work.I am a health proffesional and honestly as a charge nurse I was lucky if I got 2-15 minute breaks in a 12 hour shift,despite what they say about breaks the time demands of the job are not kind.We did have a pump room and I pumped whenever I could and gave that to my babys caregiver.I also used herbs and nursed her during the evening and night.The girls nursed from 6 months to 16 months.Nursing is really baby led and honestly they quite when they want to.I gave my girls 1 bottle a night.I would nurse them and give them 1/2 oz.I did this so they would learn to nipple feed.I think we need to make this work for mom anbd baby,and it does nt help for a baby not to know how to nipple feed if only in case of emergencies which do happen.
Some woman truly cant produce.Woman who have additional challenges might include woman who have hormonal issues that required invitrofertilization to concieve,and some woman that have PCOS or are hypothyroid.For those woman dont feel guity.Some breastmilk is better than no breastmilk and we do really have documented studies that demonstrate this.To you good mothers I say enjoy breastfeeding and research your formulas.You may be able to give 50% formula and 50% breastmilk.Enjoy!
One south African gentlman named Niles Bergman says a large part of the benefit of breastfeeding comes from the loving bond between mother and child and that a lot of that can be captured with mindful bottlefeeding.Enjoy and engage your baby each feeding.You are not only sharing love but in your touch,eye contact and verbal communications you are developing your childs central nervous system and thier sense of well being.
Ladies make sure to take prenatal vitamins if your Doc says its ok so you can replenish your body.If you dont it will come out of you somewhere.
Lastly ladies remember to be kind to one another.This is a very difficult time for woman.Society expect a lot of woman.Our jobs want 100% plus.Our husbands miss stay at home wives and would just love it if we could make it easier for them by doing what stay at home moms do.There is a huge opportunity for educting them on how to share parenting and house task.I always tell my husband of 25 years that he shouldnt want to sit down to rest until I can sit with him.It work!But remember you only get to live once.Enjoy every moment of your childs infancy.Please try to breastfeed as it can truly be a great joy..No matter your choice,engage with your child each feeding.Make it a time of sharing.Dont be afraid to ask for help you are not supposed to know everything.The first one is the one you learn on.Ask for help.It should not hurt to breastfeed.

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I like your article! You are right, some women just can't breastfeed. I had postpartum depression and just couldn't do it. I planed on breastfeeding my whole pregnancy. And I'm so sick of those BF moms who complain about the looks they get when they feed in public. They look at me like I'm putting poison in my baby's bottle. If it would kill infants it would not be on the market anymore. Some BF advocates think Formula feeding moms don't get enough informations from doctors or hospitals. But we are not stupid. I bottle feed and I can read the label on the can. I understand that Breastfeeding is the better option but some just don't have the option anymore. It only took a week until my milk was gone. And now I have to listen to that BS 12 whole months?? Give me a break!
It's all just a guilt trip. I just read an article last night where a women wrote "Somewhere along the line, someone told you that you couldn’t make milk, and you believed them because we’ve all grown up in a culture that tells women their bodies aren’t good enough for much of anything except being toys for men" what an ignorant thing to say!! There is no connection from me trying to feed my baby to my breast being toys for men.
I just want the best for my baby like every mother does and it doesn't mean that if I couldn't breastfeed I have to be made guilty about it. Of course I will try to breastfeed my next child but this one is perfectly healthy and happy with formula.
And just because somebody writes a post "there is a study and research from Pediatrics in I-don't-know-where" doens't mean it's right or it's the law. How are those studies made? Think about that for a second. Do they have a chip inplanted in every baby in America to find out what is going on. Those studies are not accurate. How can you say that breastfeeding lowers the chance of SIDS if we don't know what causes SIDS?

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What's funny to me about this never-ending argument is that non-breastfeeders continue to feel so put-upon--even though the vast majority of mothers feed their babies at least some formula. Studies show--and this thread supports--that a small minority of women exclusively breastfeed their babies for "at least one year," as recommended by doctors. The rest give formula.

Since so many more women end up formula-feeding rather than breast-feeding in the long run, is it really so hard to find others that share your values? I don't think so. I've been a mom for almost 10 years and can think of maybe 3 or 4 mothers total that exclusively breastfeed. Everybody else I know gave formula, so they certainly share the supposedly "unpopular" opinion that formula is okay.

Get over definding yourselves and assuming others are judging you poorly. It's nobody's job but your own to make you feel good about your parenting decisions.

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If you want to breast feed that is fine.....if you don't want to, that should be ok too. Many women do work outside the home and cannot breast feed. I think it's more important to not put your baby in day-care which will give your baby more illnesses than to worry about breast feeding vs. bottle fed babies. Find an individual to keep your baby for at least the first two years. They will be much healthier

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What about he mothers who CAN'T breatsfeed because of things like----my daughter has epilepsy, the fact that she Now has a healthy baby boy--8 days old--on a bottle because SHE needs to take her seizure medicine for her health??? She was on a very low dose during her pregnancy because the benefits of her NOT having a seizure outweighed the risk of the medication, now that she has given birth, she NEEDS to take her normal mg's---for her health--so does this make her a bad mother??? I DON'T THINK SO----btw, it is a shame because she has a body built for breastfeeding, but I want her healthy also!!

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I would have loved to have breasfed both of my children. My oldest is now 9 and youngest 6.
Believe me I tried and my oldest gripped so hard and yanked herself off when she was not getting anything, and I bled on both breasts.
4 yrs later tried again with my son. I was in so much pain and again was not producing enough even the lactation consultant said it was not worth my being in so much pain to try and provide this for my kids.
Both kids did just fine with formula and are both excelling.
So think before you post negativity about formula fed babies

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