"Proud Formula Feeder"?
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| Thu, 12-14-2006 - 8:27pm |
In my playgroup, I've noticed some members have a blinkie I haven't seen before: "Proud Formula Feeder". In the past, I've seen the "Formula Feeding Mom" and "It's formula, not rat poison", but this new one struck me as odd. I can understand simply stating that you formula feed or saying that formula isn't rat poison (because it isn't), but I've been trying to figure out just why someone would be "proud" to FF.
While I don't think that women should necessarily feel guilty about not BF, I don't get what about FF there is to be proud about. Most (or maybe even all) of the women with said blinkie acknowledge that breastmilk is better, so why would they be proud to feed their babies something they know is substandard, even if they couldn't BF and FF was their only choice? What do you ladies think? Is/should there be such a thing as FF pride?



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Well, I would argue we're not quick to get the word out on the risks involved in either of these choices. But OTOH, the risks associated with a c/s or epidural are short-lived. Once a baby "wakes up" from a medicated birth, he or she is most likely going to be fine. But the effects of formula use are cumulative. A baby can't recover from those early deficiencies. No matter how hard Ross Labs tries to "improve" their formula, it's still lacking and the babies that consume the formula are lacking what breastmilk would have provided them with.
"Well, I would argue we're not quick to get the word out on the risks involved in either of these choices. But OTOH, the risks associated with a c/s or epidural are short-lived. Once a baby "wakes up" from a medicated birth, he or she is most likely going to be fine. But the effects of formula use are cumulative. A baby can't recover from those early deficiencies. No matter how hard Ross Labs tries to "improve" their formula, it's still lacking and the babies that consume the formula are lacking what breastmilk would have provided them with."
I would have to disagree. As small a risk as it is, there is a risk that a baby will have depressed respiration following a medicated birth and may stop breathing altogether. Brain damage *could* ensue. That's not reversible. Besides you said it yourself the baby will "most likely be fine" after a medicated birth, we could say the same about formula. Yes there are risks, but the *majority* of the time the babies grow up ok. Does that make it right?
Yes, planning and doing are two different things. I never said I would be successful at breast feeding, but I hope so and I think it is worth it to try again when the first time I wwas not successful. I have ever reason to say it is not worth it to try again, however, I think it is worth it even if there is a chance that I will still not be able to. I am hopeful!
Spud...
PS: I tried an unmedicated birth and I know that I cannot do that...I will be flamed for this however, when it comes down to it, I would do it again!
We've debated everything else in this thread, may as well be thing too .
Cathie
LOL.. Sorry, but you haven't been over to the Childbirth Debate boards at all have you? You should see Stacia get going over there! LOL It's been pretty quiet for a long time over there, if you really want to get a feel you'll have to look back in the archives. She's one of the women that I learned a lot from, her and Amalie (ecomama123) among many others and how I wound up with an amazing homebirth I wouldn't trade for the world.
As for the snowball effect, you're exactly right. The potential impact on BFing that using drugs during labor can have was what started me down the road to an unmed birth with my first. I was able to achieve that but after further research after his birth I discovered exactly how lucky I was and decided I wasn't willing to take that risk again. Which is why I'll never birth in a hospital again unless I absolutely have to because of medical necessity.
-jeanine
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In those rare instances, it's obviously not reversible. But for other babies, there will be no long-term consequences. The same cannot be said of babies who use formula.
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Not the same thing at all. For one thing, "just fine" is a loose term. We can observe the consequences of a medicated birth in a baby. We cannot measure the consequences of formula use in an individual child. I can definitively say that my DD is "just fine" despite the epidural I had. A FF cannot look back and say the same thing about her child IRT formula usage. The fact is, the child might be fine, or he might develop a disease that breastfeeding could have helped prevent.
Can I choose "both"?
I'm a big believer in personal responsibility. Yes, society conditions women to believe that using formula and having epidurals are perfectly fine, but it's each individual's responsibility to make sure either choice is a good one.
It's kind of like that thing you tell your kids: "If Suzy jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?"
RPS
Spud, I'm not trying to negate your experience, but I just want to ask if you really think that your labor was much more painful than that of most women or if you have less of a pain tolerance?
I *really* believe that, given the right support and preparation, most women COULD do childbirth unmedicated. I've done it 3 times and there's absolutely nothing special about me; I do not have a high pain tolerance at all. I know that I have a different attitude than my friends who planned to have an epidural all during their pregnancies and I think that made all the difference in my being able to go without pain meds.
RPS
""If 'society conditions us' is it our fault? Are women who ff to blame for their decision, or are they victims of a society that values comfort and convenience? Just a thought.... ""
Personally, I don't think it matters whose "fault" it is.
Lori
**Navy Wife to Eddie since Dec 2002**
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