"Proud Formula Feeder"?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-23-2004
"Proud Formula Feeder"?
1054
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?

vanessa.jpg

Lilypie 1st Birthday Ticker



happilymarried.gifprincess_breast.gif
survivor1.gifprofessionalmama.gifikeajunky.gif
borntobebreastfed2.gifCIO.gifCCCAdult.gifth_72.gif

Pages

iVillage Member
Registered: 01-07-2005
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 3:24pm

>>>My midwives had no problems listening to the heartbeat underwater with the handheld Doppler. And I highly doubt that she would have put on 2 lbs in the 2-3 weeks she would have had had you gone to term, babies don't gain weight that fast in utero. Besides, fat squishes, it's the head circumference that can cause troubles.>>>

I can only go on what the nurses told me and they said the machine did not work well under water. Second, I read that a baby puts on a pound a week at the end however, do not quote me on that. But lastly, I was losing amniotic (Spelling someone) fluids, and the doctor said it was time!

Spud...I was not going to argue at that point as I have no medical background!







Lilypie




iVillage Member
Registered: 01-09-2007
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 4:33pm
Maybe this person is a guilt ridden mother. She could not breastfeed her child, for whatever reasons, and stating that she is a "proud formula feeder", is her way of coming to terms, and dealing with that fact.
I don't think that this is a selfish woman in any way, but one who is trying to tell people not to pass judgement upon her, for something that is maybe beyond her control.
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-05-2003
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 4:37pm

Thanks for asking! She is doing great. I just really like her a lot! She's pretty easy and happy. Which is a little worrisome, b/c I *thought* I wanted to be done having kids, but now I'm not so sure. It's going by so fast, I try to be in the moment and soak up as much baby as I can.

Debbie

Photobucket

Avatar for mrsmichael6300
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 4:46pm

>>Besides, fat squishes, it's the head circumference that can cause troubles.<<

Oh, come on Jeanine, you gotta use the right word! Fat SMOOSHES!!!! That's the quote: smooshes! Get outta here with that "squish" stuff. The word's just not as much fun as smoosh.

And so heads, too...often the part that gets stuck is the shoulders, and most midwives turn mom on her hands and knees, reach in and grab baby by his armpit, and pull down while mom pushes! Voila, baby pops right on outta there (okay, so maybe it's not as easy as it sounds, but it really does work hee hee).

Avatar for mrsmichael6300
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 4:56pm

>>Second, I read that a baby puts on a pound a week at the end however, do not quote me on that. But lastly, I was losing amniotic (Spelling someone) fluids, and the doctor said it was time!<<

Ooooh, it's *up to 1/2 lb per week* in the last few weeks, not a whole pound! ANd please remember that ultrasound and abdominal palpitation are extremely inaccurate as far as weight/size prediction is concerned! I've watched doctors declare a baby over 9 lbs for him to be born 6lbs 2oz! And my nephew born Friday (he's my brother's 2nd son and they've named him Harley Mason, big brother is Blaise Vander, this is another rant all together hee hee) was estimated at 9 lbs and was just born at 7lbs 2oz. Happens all the time.

BTW, nothing wrong with an amnio leak at 38 weeks as long as NO ONE performs any vaginal checks or inserts anything into the vagina and you are monitored for signs of infection. Did you know that amnio fluid regenerates itself about 4 times an hour? This is why you continued to leak it, and why women whose membranes are ruptured continue to leak amnio fluid the entire rest of the labor/birth. So chances are really good that with a leak, Kylie had more than enough amnio fluid to survive, and all you really needed was monitoring for signs of infection until labor commensed!

As for your assertion that you cannot handle an unmedicated birth -- I don't think from your descriptions of your birth experience that you were properly equipped to handle it (breathing exercises, knowledge of positions and tricks to help deal with labor, proper support and encouragement). Having a knowledgeable support team is very important to unmedicated birth success. Birth is an extremely psychological process, and fear/tension/anxiety stop it and make it more painful through the release of catecholamines; the goal is to relax mom and allay her fears to prevent these chemcials form forming, and to help her release endorphins, which are hte bodys' natural pain relievers, through massage and breathing. This doesn't mean that birth doesn't hurt -- but, but it doesn't have to be excruciating or unbearable (why would nature make it that way? makes very little sense that nature would create a process that females cannot endure and would refuse to repeat).

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 5:00pm

I've heard the pound a week in the last couple of weeks thing too - I had a 6lb 13oz 37 weeker and a 9lb 10oz 40 weeker and my midwife for #2 said taht they'd likely have been quite similar sizes had they been born at the same gestation.

FTR #1 was a medicalized-to-the-hilt hospital birth. I had a lot of pain and back labour but I think it was fatigue, inhibition and fear that made me unable to cope. #2 was a planned homebirth and unplanned UC (too fast for the midwife). It was INTENSE but very manageable.

Isabel






Powered by CGISpy.com

Avatar for trinaf
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-23-2003
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 5:15pm

Does delivering at home cost less?

Photobucket

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 5:22pm
I'm in New Zealand and here all midwifery care is government funded so it's free to birth anywhere! (It's also free to see an OB if you are referred by your midwife or GP but not if you self-refer without medical need)

Isabel






Powered by CGISpy.com

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2003
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 5:25pm

LOL!! IKWYM, Alex is pretty easy going too and a much better sleeper than Connor was. Part of me would love to have another but then I remind myself that there is absolutely no guarantee that the next baby will be like Alex and I'm not willing to take the chance that I end up with another wretched sleeper or worse. If someone could tell me with 100% certainty that the next baby will be like Alex then I wouldn't hesitate, since noone can do that I doubt we'll be having more. Enjoy every little minute, I swear it's like I blinked my eyes and he was already 6 months. Now he's trying to walk! Eeek!!

-jeanine

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-02-2003
Tue, 01-09-2007 - 5:27pm

Hmmm....Alex was pretty squishy if I remember right (he was 10lbs 10oz). ;-) Used to sit him up on my lap and pat his back to burp him and watch the love handles jiggle. Though smoosh is pretty good too, even if it reminds me of the Mash episode where they were talking about Shmoos.

-jeanine

Pages