Thursday, August 1, 2013

Feeding Journeys: Choosing Formula


It's World Breastfeeding Week, and in celebration, Fort Worth Moms Blog is talking about feeding journeys this weekend!

This is such a prickly topic among young mothers (why, I do not know) that I was a little hesitant to put it out there. At the risk of having cyber tomatoes thrown at me, I'm talking about the decision to exclusively formula feed my children.

I think a lot of formula feeding moms are made to feel guilty about their choice or that they are failures if their first choice was breastfeeding and it didn't work out. But I have good news for you today! In a year, you'll feel parenting guilt about something completely different, and you'll also have had a pay raise because you won't be buying formula anymore.

I think you'd enjoy each of the stories that are being told over there, plus there are great giveaways everyday. And please, don't throw tomatoes in the comments of my particular blog post. Thanks!

19 comments:

  1. Girl, I wish we could sit down for coffee! Or iced tea....I don't really drink coffee. ;) But holy moly...it amazes me how what you choose to feed your child is one of the first questions people ask. And then their response can make you feel so guilty. I pumped for the first 12 weeks and gave P&C as much milk as I could muster but breastfeeding just wasn't for us. I had every intention of making it work but between NICU, time, logistics, etc, it just ended up not being for me. And that.is.OK! It's my choice. I wasn't breastfed. Neither were my siblings. And we are all very healthy, functioning, fairly normal adults. I think breastfeeding is absolutely wonderful! I also think it's a choice. And what works for some doesn't work for all. And, as it is with a million different parenting choices, I wish we would encourage other moms rather than cast stones and criticize. We're all in this together!

    And as a side note...AMEN to the pay raise at the end of the formula road!! Good gravy!

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    1. I'm a tea drinker too. :) It is okay, and no one should make you feel bad about it. You're doing a great job with those little cuties, Mama!

      I can only imagine how much it's costing with 2!!! If you're on Similac, I'll start sending you my coupons!

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  2. I wish I could sit down with the both of you! I tried, too. And after one month of trying, it was best for me and Will to stop. And I suffered that guilty feeling when people asked me if I was nursing. I finally had to let that go and realize that being a good mom is providing for your child - in whatever way you can! :)

    I'll second the Amen above! :)

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    1. You're doing a great job with that sweet little guy! I like one of the quotes from one of the other blog posts at FWMB--happy moms make for happy babies. You are probably already going through this, but our babies are right at the stage where somehow, just when you think they can't get any cuter, they are even cuter the next day. I love it!

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  3. We also did a feeding journeys series at the NOMB earlier this year and EVERYONE has a different story to tell. It is so refreshing when everyone just SUPPORTS choices instead of passing judgement on how we choose to feed our children.


    but I am with you. I nursed for 2 weeks (only because I felt guilty and like I needed to try) and I was so relieved when I started formula.. it made such a difference for our family and it turned out to be a blessing when I was struggling with PPD/PPA.

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    1. Everyone's story is SO different. I read several of the NOMB posts and thought they were great. Good for you for sharing yours--I know it probably touched the lives of many women who went through the same things you did. You're a great mom!

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  4. I appreciate your putting your perspective out there; it's helpful to understand all the different choices!

    I think it's one of those pendulum issues where breastfeeding wasn't supported or encouraged for a time, so now advocates have made a big push in the opposite direction (kind of like the stay-at-home mom option). But I agree that every situation is different, so every family has to decide what works best.

    And you're not kidding about the cost! That was/is actually a big factor in our decision. We had to supplement C towards the end, and holy cow!

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    1. Thanks for your very gracious comment. I absolutely agree that breastfeeding is getting the spotlight for the reason you mentioned. It's kind of the same deal with unmedicated births v. epidurals these days too. I'm not competing with anyone, so I don't like feeling that someone is trying to draw me into a competition on any of that stuff, if that makes any sense. Everyone I know is just trying to do the best they can.

      Either Enfamil is more expensive than Similac, or Annabelle eats more than Jack did, because her food is kicking my grocery budget in the rear!

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    2. Exactly--I hate feeling like these things turn into a competition! The birthing process is a great example of that!

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  5. As an EBF mom, there are no tomatoes here! I have gotten criticism for breast feeding. You can't win. I don't understand why people care so much about our feeding choices. Every mom chooses whats best for their families. Secretly I envy the freedom you have from formula feeding and that Mr. Gentry an help!

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    1. Isn't that the truth! No one wins in this kind of stuff. I agree--I don't understand why people care so much about it. As long as baby is healthy and happy, all is well!

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  6. The Fort Worth Mom's blog seems to be down (?), but i just wanted to say I hear ya! I was only able to breastfeed my daughter for 2 weeks, we just had too many issues and she was losing too much weight. i pumped for quite a few months, but she mostly had formula. I remember feeling SO guilty at the time, but now that she is a toddler you can't tell which kids were breastfed and which had formula. I hope I can be more relaxed about whatever happens with my next baby.

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    1. The was a problem with hosting earlier today that is now resolved!

      I was just commenting to my mom before the post went live that there is no check box for breast or formula on a college application. And studies that show that one group is smarter than another? Well, there are any number of reasons that one kid is smarter than another. My oldest is rarely sick, and when he has been, it was when he was clearly exposed to someone with a full blown case of whatever.

      You're a great mom, and your newest little one is going to be so blessed to have you as a mommy!

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  7. Awesome post Emily! This topic is so interesting and I hate when people (especially felloe moms) pass judgement on either decision. I 100% believe that happy mom = happy baby so each mom just needs to do what is best for her. It's so interesting that back when my mom had me, formula feeding was viewed as the better choice for various reasons. It just shows that both choices are great and will yield the same end result!

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  8. I think that this topic is one of those "to each their own" kind of things... Thre are many reasons moms do certain things when it comes to raising their kids, and I don't believe that they should feel horrible because they have chosen to do something society finds to be unnatural, etc. (well, unless it's abuse... that's never okay.).

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  9. Hi emily!
    I just foud your blog and I'm so happy I did! I have a four month old baby girl that I am currently formula feeding. I had planned on breast feeding but that didn't work out as planned! The guilt I felt was crazy! Hello social pressure! I am off to read your blog post on the topic. And I'm also going to go through your archives :)
    Sara
    Life with Baby Sophia

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  10. I BF for three months until I switched to a colic formula. I had a different baby after that. I taught in a trailer and pumped in my room. I felt like no one respected my pumping time. Parents would come to my door mid pump! It was truly awful. I once pumped behind a folding screen in the school clinic with kids lying on the cots on the other side. How awkward!?

    Anyways, after we switched over I felt such a relief. My pump broke and I had a massive sinus infection and took Mucinex. Needless to say BF was immediately over as I dried up 2 days later. It was just meant to be.

    I'm tired of the competition. Everyone has a different story. I say stick to your guy no matter what.

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