i formula feed with regrets....

Tara - posted on 07/30/2010

try goat's milk. It's closest to human breastmilk.

Nicole - posted on 07/30/2010

I breastfed for 12 months and put my bub onto cows milk straight after and she is healthy and happy. like some mums have said we have been drinking cows milk for years it is good for our bones and teeth.
A mothers milk is good for our bubs (if you can do it) if you cant Oh well aslong as they are getting a full belly clean bottom lots of love and a roof over their head then what more do you need? your comment about a humans milk is made for humans just sounds a little silly i couldnt picture shops stocking cartons of breastmilk let alone people drinking it -ewwwl
at the end of the day you do what you want for your own child, who cares what everyone else is doing it isnt your problem

Kristin - posted on 07/30/2010

I just don't like the way it tastes so I drink almond milk.

Christi - posted on 07/30/2010

i formula fed my son because i never made a drop of milk. i saw three different lactation consultants and never made anything. at one, we switched to cows milk. there is nothing wrong with it. you over protect your children they will become sheltered damaged individuals. your choice but in my opinion it is really rediculous. people have been drinking cows milk for literally hundreds of years. unless you are lactose intolerant it will do nothing other than build strong bones and give good vitamins.

Kayla - posted on 07/30/2010

i was once told think of it this way... a human produces milk to grow a baby from under 10 pounds (usually) to around 20 pounds in a year thats only a 10 pound difference.... a cow produces milk to grow a 100 pound calf to over 1000 pounds in a year.... i definitely agree cows milk is bad for humans. i dont drink it and my youngest is full blown allergic his asthma almost landed him in the hospital many times until i pulled him off the cows milk and all related products. and have done the research and expiermenting. rice milk is the most nutrient although binding for a time... soy milk is ok for girls but is high in estrogen so i recommend not for boys (booobies not right) and goats milk ok but still an animal, but i dont really like the rice milk texture so i use it in cooking like mac and cheese (occasionally he does ok) and tomato soup... etc. there are also almond and oat and some more. so there is my input. oh and my son stopped nursing at 6 months (to my dismay) i put him on formula has issues and put him on milk and by 9 months he was on the other varieties and by one year we settled on rice milk with a goat milk here or there to loosen the stool til his body got used to it now hes great and has no issues with asthma as long as i remember to stay away from cheese... lol... so theres my input on milk.

Nicole - posted on 07/30/2010

I tried to breast feed my son but it didnt work out for me i was in alot of pain from having a c-section and he would on eat from on breast. So that one was really sore so i wasnt able to continue. Sometimes i wish i had kept breast feeding because in some ways the nutrients the baby gets from the milk from the mom is better. Then again they e get the same stuff the the formula but thats just my opinion i mean back before they even made formula what do you think they fed babies after the mother stopped breast feeding? she fed them cows milk. like i said my opinion but if u want to try starting to breast fed again go for it...

Taya - posted on 07/30/2010

My son is 10 months old now and teething worse than ever. He bit me a few times, and now refuses to breast feed. He prefers the bottle because he can chew on it. And he can put it down and come back when he wants more. At first I was able to pump and put it in a bottle, but now he just takes formula. I'm not to thrilled about giving him formula, but it's what works right now. As long as you know you are doing the best that you can do you shouldn't regret it.

Jennifer - posted on 07/30/2010

Each child is so unique.. how can we even begin to state that one thing is right or the other? I agree with just doing your own research and finding what works for you. I desperately wanted to bf my son, but I was not awakened in the middle of the night after he was born.. the next morning when the nurse came in I asked why I had not been woken up.. she said "Oh honey you are so young and tired.. we just gave him a bottle so you could rest.." I was FLOORED, ANGER is a mild way to explain my hurt.. I tried to bf after that but my son would not take and I was then led into bottle feeding.. I did use soy milk as my son had reactions to milk.. it was hard and there was SO MUCH PRESSURE as to which was better.. I got alot of hateful comments from mothers and grandmothers from all over when they would see me giving my son a bottle.. I was a single mom and I was hurt that someone felt they could just decide for me what was best.. whatever you think is best for you and YOUR CHILD.. do it and keep doing it.

Mandy - posted on 07/30/2010

Cecily, completely think it is a personal choice, my kids were bf until 6 months and then formula, but the formula didn't agree and both were on moo juice (cow milk) at about 8.5-9 months. I think you just have to gauge each baby and see what is best for them. I got plenty of bad feedback about the move to moo juice, but my kiddos weren't doing well with formula. I just talked to my doc and weighed the options as there mom and did what I thought was best. No shame in that :) Happy healthy babies come from all sources and there is no "right" answer that works for everyone. Good luck on finding a solution... I will say the comment about cow milk for calves gave me a funny visual of my own children hehehe with little cow heads ;). And you are so right there every baby is different by far, your future ones (if you have more) may need something completely different. Once again good luck and ignore the negativity.

Tiffany - posted on 07/30/2010

I started breastfeeding but only could do it for a short while so went onto formula feed, he is now on cows milk and have no regrets how i have done it.

Jessie - posted on 07/28/2010

I think if you want to try to relactate you should go for it. I also think that if it's not possible you shouldn't beat your self up over it. You tried to nurse and that is great. I had to supplement my son with formula while he was at daycare after he was 6 months old. I just couldnt pump enough to send with him. I understand the guilt because I felt guilty about just a few bottles of formula a week but I came to terms with it as I know I did the best I could do under the circumstance. My son turned one this month and still nurses 3-4 times a day and now has cows milk at daycare instead of formula and also in his sippy cup with his meals. I started him on the cows milk because I feel it is a better alternative to the formula. Just my choice but we all do what we feel is right for our child. best of luck

Danielle - posted on 07/28/2010

When I got pregnant I quit smoking, drinking, and drugs cold turkey the moment I found out. I completely turned my life around and became a responsible adult. I ate very healthy, remained active, took prenatal vitamins and extra folic acid. I read all about motherhood and babies to try to prepare myself as much as possible. When I gave birth I went through many grueling hours of labour before delivering by c-section. I forced myself to bounce back and recover so I could be the best new mother I knew how to be. I've dedicated every single day since then to my son who is the light of my life. I formula fed him, he's healthy, and has thrived. I don't feel guilty!

Rhiannon - posted on 07/28/2010

I'm sorry if saying that my kids are healthy and formula fed is not being supportive. Sorry, wasn't trying not to be :P It is more a case of thinking that knowing other mum's have not had problems with feeding their kids formula (ie health problems or even regrets about it) might be encouraging.
It isn't a case of feeling inferior or superior, no matter what your choices of feeding your baby are. It never occurred to me that a decision either way could be worse or better than what I have done because each decision is made by the parent who feels it is right for them. I am sorry if I made anyone feel otherwise.

Jenna - posted on 07/28/2010

I think if you are able to relactate and that is what you want to do, then by all means go for it.

Tyrae - posted on 07/28/2010

I do know that when I was a baby my mother couldn't breast feed me, and I am highly allergic to almost every formula out there, so I had to have cows milk. It's not that bad really, there are a lot of hormones and drugs in milk but those hormones and drugs are also in the meat of cows too. All the steroids they pump into cows so they grow bigger so that the farmers can get more money. It is one of the many many reasons people are having so many health problems these days. But it doesn't mean that you should stop entirely...

Candice - posted on 07/28/2010

your welcome :)

Cecily - posted on 07/28/2010

hmmm, id rather do it drug free. herbs seem to be ok. idk if he will latch back on, that was one of the issues in the beginning and as a new mommy it was so overwhelming.

im not worried about the other ff'ing moms who say their kids are happy and healthy, lets be glad that they r. i read those posts and move on to the more supportive posts like urs! thank u!

Candice - posted on 07/28/2010

What I'm not liking about some of the responces to your post cecily is that the formula fed moms who don't regret doing it seem to feel like you regreting your choice to formula fed somehow makes THEM inferior. so that have to resond with "I don't regret ff'ing and my kids are happy and healthy" it just seemed to me like they were trying to make it about them, rather than supporting you.

If you want to relactate then GO FOR IT! there are many sites out there (www.kellymom.com) that have info on how to do it.
Basically all you do it put baby back to the breast. some women mind need some help from herbs (fenugreek and blessed thistle are two) or drugs (in Canada we have Donperidone, but you might get Reglan (sp?) in the states)

Jenna - posted on 07/28/2010

Fair enough, Cecily. I wasn't sure of your ethnicity. I just know that factor can play a huge role on how any type of dairy product affects the body. As mother's we all do what we feel is best for our children, and that is all we can do. :)

Cecily - posted on 07/28/2010

no it was about my regret, and i am korean so the article suits me. and still, cows milk was made for cows, human milk was made for humans, but thats my opinion. im not saying im right, just stating my opinion and i know there are moms that agree even tho they arent korean. i regret it and thats me, if u dont, good for u! im happy for any mom who finds HER WAY! every mommy and baby is different, and everyone finds their own way.

Rhiannon - posted on 07/28/2010

I formula fed both mine from 5 months with both out of necessity. But I wanted to anyway and have no regrets putting them onto formula. Eldest started cows milk the day he turned 1 and the youngest started at 10 months. No regrets and my children are healthy and happy.

Jenna - posted on 07/28/2010

I read the article, but I have one big issue with the author. He is Korean by ethnicity. That alone is a huge reason why cow's milk was not a primary form of nutrition in his family's upbringing. Cow's milk, most dairy products actually, are not well-suited for many ethnicities. Even caucasians are beginning to have more lactose intolerance due to the generational gaps between when cow's milk was a regular food staple in the "old country". Traditionally, East Asians and Native Americans have nearly a 90% lactose intolerance rate. In the U.S., caucasians generally have a 1 in 5 chance of developing lactose intolerance. In reality, the caucasians with the least sensibility to dairy products is European caucasians, and this can be attributed to the way the milk is farmed all the way to the geneaology of the population.



So, as much as reading one doctor's article on how milk is bad for you, I would really research it better on your own terms, for each person's own situation. There a lot of issues pro/con on the health of cow's milk, and other milks, so just do as much research as possible if you aren't sure.



My personal choice, and by no means do I think everyone should do it: I formula fed. My son switched to whole milk at 1. Still drinks his whole milk every morning, but I do not rely on his milk for his complete nutritional needs. So, to each his own. We all do what is best.

Cecily - posted on 07/28/2010

sorry it took me so long to reapond to my own post. my son is 7.5 months. its funny u ladies mention relactation bc my breast started lactating again about 3 weeks ago. im not preggo. im going to the dr to make sure everything is ok, then im thinking of relactating! i know he is a little older, but breastmilk is still far better than soy or milk formula! thanks ladies!

Candice - posted on 07/28/2010

That's great Ashley.. but Cecily does regret formula feeding her child. Many ff'ers do regret it (not all) i FF'ed my oldest and regret it horribly! i in turn decided that i wasn't going to use formula with any other babies so that i would never feel that regret again... and i haven't! it was a personal goal for me.

I do believe, as Cecily does that Cow's milk is meant for calves.. not humans.

Ashley - posted on 07/28/2010

i formula fed both my babies and switched them both to cows milk at a yr old......with no regrets!!!!!!!!...:)

Candice - posted on 07/25/2010

I'd suggest relactating as well or milk banks.
You can switch to soy formula as well.... nothing says you have to give him cow milk based formula

Genia - posted on 07/25/2010

how old is your child? have you ever heard of re-lactating? i don't know what kept you from breastfeeding, so it may not be an option for you, but just wanted to put the idea out there. Anyways though, don't beat yourself up. We all try our best and you can't avoid every "bad" thing in life. Love your baby, try to be as healthy as you can without killing yourself, and don't sweat the small stuff. =)

Emma - posted on 07/25/2010

just read the article why not try organic cows milk?

Emma - posted on 07/25/2010

well a lot of people have survived up to the age of 80 plus drinking cows milk and it never killed them!