So, it’s a well-known fact that breastfeeding is the way to go when considering feeding your baby. Breast is best as they say. The benefits extend beyond basis nutrition. It contains all the vitamins and nutrients your little one needs in the first 6 months of their life and helps them be protected against illnesses. Everyone from the governement, NHS, even the UN state the importance of breastfeeding. Thing is not everyone can breastfeed for a variety of reasons and even in 2017 women are still keen on expressing what is and isn’t right for a baby and consider new mum’s who don’t breastfeed to be in the wrong and will give them the 3rd degree about it.
When I was pregnant for some unbeknown reason people thought my bump was public property. Like they had every right in the world to touch my bump whenever they fancied, this seems to apply when feeding my baby. It’s mind boggling that people, especially women feel the need to become judges in how you raise your child. As far as I’m concerned and most midwives will back me up in saying this, how you choose to feed your child is up to you. Shock horror! As long as they are healthy and loved, choosing breast or formula is no business but your own, you are your child’s mother, you know what’s best for your baby not anyone else. Although it’s deemed really important and beneficial, some women can’t breastfeed and shouldn’t be made to feel crap about it. Unfortunately when it comes to feeding your child or actually just parenting, the international army of know-it-all’s come out to give you shit for just about anything, even though it’s not their damn business.
So here are my top things not to say to women who formula feed:
You know breast is best, right?
Yes thanks for that doctor know it all, breastfeeding does have its benefits but I have my reasons, don’t tell me how I should feed my child.
‘All that boob and no milk?’
Oh thanks for noticing. Yes my boobs are that of an artwork, easy on the eye darling but just because my boobs are big doesn’t mean they’ve got enough milk to fill a milk float.
‘How will you bond with your baby if you don’t breastfeed?’
Just because I’m feeding my baby with formula does not mean we can’t bond. I bond with my daughter and her father gets to as well.
Breastfeeding helps you lose all that baby weight
It helps, yes but it’s not the only thing that helps with losing any weight. You spent 9 months growing a baby, it could take at least that before the rest of the weight falls off.
Didn’t you at least try?
Yes, not that it’s of any concern to you. How I feed my baby is no ones business but my own.
You don’t even know what’s in formula to be changing that with your child’s health
Formula was developed because some women just can’t breastfeed. It’s got all the vitamins my baby needs to develop. I wouldn’t give my daughter something if I didn’t think it was beneficial to her. Sorry it’s not made from the tears of unicorns.
Between breastfeeding and formula fed, breast really is best
Please stop talking.
Ignore the haters. There’s going to be an army and it’s mother who are going to voice their concerns or compliments, take it all with a pinch of salt. It’s your baby, your life and your own mothering instinct. You choose how you feed your child and how they develop. No one knows your child better than you.
Missy, Me & Him 