I have just finished reading an article online about bottlefeeding v breastfeeding. Its a debate that has been going for quite a while now - I assume like many things, people jump on either side and stick to it until they are in the situation where they "have" to do the other and then open up somewhat and have less of an opinion about it.
We know people who have done both. We have done both. M was about 6 months old when we put her on formula because I was pregnant with T and back working already. It wasnt a big decision at the time, I did what needed to be done.
Feeding a baby either way you do it every couple of hours isnt the easiest thing in the world to do, anyone with a newborn baby will be able to tell you that. I think that whatever is decided by the parents is the correct choice for that child. I prefer to breastfeed, its quick, mostly easy and if its been around since good old Eve - then I assume its gotta be okay. Yes, I have had my moments - 3 bouts of bad mastitis with A was insanely painful and horrid and it makes you wonder whether or not its worth it - but that's what we do as humans, we over think our decisions on a daily basis.
The frustrating things for mothers is that in todays society you are wrong if you do it and you are wrong if you dont do it. Everyone has an opinion on it and they are happy to share that. Reality is that in the long run, I really dont think it matters all that much. We dont get judged later on in life by whether or not we had a bottle as a baby.
I have friends who are ABA Counselors, midwife friends and even Drs wives who all have different opinions. I know people who for some reason have not been able to breastfeed at all. I have other friends that have so much milk that they could feed another 10 babies. Everyone is different, everyone has a different experience, everyone I know just wants to do what is best for their babies at the time - isnt that whats important??
We debate this topic back and forth and back again, and it seems like the two sides just go ahead and keep fighting it out. Should we make formula a prescription? Should women be able to get their breasts out in public? Babies sleep better when they are formula fed. Babies are healthier if they are breastfed. People who dont have kids, but yet have strong opinions about either side of the debate... on and on it goes.
Being a parent is tough work, and this is just the start of the decisions that you will have to make, and in the end (sorry to tell you) but it really wont matter! Once they get to school, teenagehood and then become adults, you will still be a parent - and it really wont matter if they were breastfed or bottlefed.
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It doesn't really matter if you were breastfed or bottlefed unless you continued to be fed in that manner till the age of eight as some have done. Psychological trauma.
Oh the prescription debate is so dumb. It's done NOTHING good for promoting bf'ing in a positive manner at all. And despite being an ABA counsellor I hate the bfing nazi status that seems to come with it. I do NOT want to be making anyone b'feed if they don't want to but if I can help a mother who's struggling to make it work get it working then I'll be a happy woman.
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