Love Can Come in Bottles, Too.
How can we be all those things?
Well, we believe that breastfeeding our babies is an incredible gift, but that sometimes it simply doesn't happen the way we planned.
We are not here to encourage or discourage any particular choice parents make on how to nourish their babies. We are here to support the ones who struggled or are struggling to breastfeed and are facing the guilt that often comes along with deciding to stop breastfeeding.
We have both experienced this personally, and have gone through all the guilt alone, so we wanted to start this tumblr to post encouragement and to answer your questions and concerns as you make this sometimes difficult and traumatic transition.
We want you to bottle-feed without fear of judgement, and without guilt. You are doing the best that you can do for your baby given your particular circumstances. Be assured that the love and care you take in making this sometimes agonizing decision shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that love can come in bottles, too.
When feeding your baby formula, preparing and storing it safely is essential to stop your baby from getting sick. You must sterilize the water and all bottles and feeding equipment for babies of any age drinking powdered infant formula.
Most people don’t prepare formula correctly, and this can have disastrous results. For powdered infant formula, the water should be boiled, slightly cooled (use by 30 minutes) and formula added. The water should be no less than 70C so it can kill pathogens in the formula. However, using boiled water right away can kill certain nutrients, using it by 20-30 minutes should put it around the correct temperature Check with a thermometer.
Powdered infant formula may cause botulism, and harbour the cronobacter sazakii bacteria which can cause meningitis, bacteria in the blood, and necrotising enterocolitus. This is why adding slightly cooled, boiled water is important to kill pathogens.
I repeat: boiling water is NOT done to “only” make the water safe, it is done to make the powdered formula safe. It is a crucial step in safe formula preparation and not one to overlook.This site lists instructions for sterilization, and preparation of different types of formula.
“Breastfeeding advocates should not fear these studies any more than vaccination advocates should fear vaccine safety studies that do uncover new or tiny risks with certain vaccines. The goal of public health is to provide accurate, evidence-based information to the public. Even well-intentioned spin will backfire.”
“I feel guilty because every time I make the mistake of reading about breastfeeding and formula, I’m faced with you, dear breastfeeding advocate, telling me that the very thing that helped keep my daughter alive was poison.
So tell me, are you proud of yourself?
Do you still think formula is poison?
Signed,
A mom just like you”
Let’s start with the basics – what is nursing? While typically used to describe breastfeeding, nursing is the practice of nurturing your child both physically and emotionally. And, yes, nursing absolutely can be accomplished while feeding through a bottle. You can nurse your baby through touch, trust and attention.
“I don’t know what the solution is, but I do see what can cause damage and what can undermine women. What I can do is support women rather than judge them on their choices, and keep the dialogue open. What can you do? Do you know what would make a difference?”
“Are you “that mom”? You know the one that quit breastfeeding after only two weeks because you were just “too lazy” to stick with it. Nobody really knows what was going on behind the scenes – the baby that wouldn’t latch, the pumping, your baby’s constant crying, your own tears shed from trying to make things work. The only thing they know is that you are giving your baby – oh no – dare we say it… formula.”
As seen on Fearless Formula Feeder’s website: www.fearlessformulafeeder.com
“No wonder formula milk rationing is scary to British parents, since they have never been given the power to make their own choices in this area. Although we should be grateful that, unlike Chinese parents, we can be sure that whatever brand of formula milk we buy it will be perfectly safe for our children, some more useful information rather than ‘breast is best’ sermonising would be good.”
Amen!!!
