What If There Was No Formula?

[eden smith]

Yeah donated milk i guess but blimey it would be tough

 

[snowfia]

I was talking abut this with my mum and she was saying how the grandmothers would re lactate to feed the babies to give the mum a break ahaha.
I think it would be better if there was no formula tbh. Or at least if it wasn't so widely available

 

[TheNewMrs]

I was talking abut this with my mum and she was saying how the grandmothers would re lactate to feed the babies to give the mum a break ahaha.
I think it would be better if there was no formula tbh. Or at least if it wasn't so widely available

Same.

 

[nickyXjayno]

if there was no formula it would be just like it is in the wild. you'd have runts as for whatever reason some animals just don't grow well & formula is more fattening. you'd also have starvation.

 

[Kess]

I think it would depend hugely on the rest of the circumstances of this fictional no-formula world as to whether it would work well or be a disaster. Something as seemingly unrelated as whether the culture was more individualistic and I'm-all-right-Jack-ish or more community focussed would have a big impact on availability of donor milk, for example. And are we talking low-tech tribal groups where you all know each other and hunt/gather (more opportunities for wetnursing but no breastpumps for babies who can't latch)? Or a modern society, perhaps one where the economy is such that mothers HAVE to work as non-mothers aren't paid enough of a wage to make up for it and society doesn't provide enough financial support for mothers? Or do you think child care providers would be lactating women and they'd feed all their charges? Or all workplaces having creches and babies being brought to their mothers for feeds?

It's an interesting thought experiment.

I am glad formula exists as it can be a lifesaver, but I do think a lot of problems stem from it having been controlled by private companies - advertising, cost, etc. Ideally to my mind some seperate independent body would administer infant feeding stuff, e.g. make sure there were lactation consultants within easy reach of all locations nationwide, organise milkbanks and donor milk, send doctors/MW/HV on regular training courses so they have up-to-date knowledge, and provide subsidised formula to those with medical/psychological/other needs that mean EBFing is not suitable for them (though hopefully most would opt for donor milk). They would produce a book too on TW and BLW that summarises the recommendations and research (salt intake, age to wean, and so on). Oh to be Grand Dictator.

 

[Celesse]

Without formula I would have 2 dead babies. DD was a non-latcher to begin with, DS was a poorly baby and was tube fed for a time. Access to a BFing relative would not have made a difference. I suppose if EBM had been easily available that could have been used instead whilst I increased my supply. However it would have needed to be via a bottle or tube and not from the breast.

Ultimately I was able to turn it around and am still BFing both. But it was access to bottles and formula that kept my children nourished, whilst I increased my supply with an electric pump and domperidone.

Hypothetically though, 100 yrs ago DD would have died during labour (EMCS for distress), DS would have died from the infection that made him poorly within his first week, then I'd have died around 3 weeks pp from an infection from a retained placenta, so giving formula wouldn't have been an issue. Cheery thought hey!!

 

[nicb26]

Maybe women would be encouraged and supported to stay at home with baby, rather than pushed back into work asap. That would be lovely.

 

[TheNewMrs]

Maybe women would be encouraged and supported to stay at home with baby, rather than pushed back into work asap. That would be lovely.

Not in a patronising way, but I do feel so sorry for mums who have to go back to work when they'd rather stay home with baby. I'm so thankful to be able to stay at home. It must be so difficult to leave your squishy baby to go to work if you do it out of nessisaty...

 

[CatandKitten]

Yeah trust me, NewMrs, it sucks sitting at work thinking about your little girl and her little smiles and giggles. Thankfully my employer and coworkers (even the men) are very supportive of breastfeeding and let me have plenty of time to pump during the day. I am so glad I at least get to offer her that if I cant be there.

 

[MrsPOP]

Without formula my LO would have died of starvation. I had the milk and pumped 24/7 (couldnt produce enough to satisfy her though ) but she flatly refused to latch even in the 18 weeks that follow as I desperately tried to relactate with her! A wet nurse wouldnt have helped us, it would have had to be donor milk if we were 'back in the day'. it's nice to know people wish there was no formula, regardless of how many babies would have died as a result due to starvation or home-made formulas etc!

I was talking about this the other day with my DH about donor milk as a BnB buddy of mine had her baby in a hospital not far from me and she received donor milk whereas we were readmitted to one of the best children's hospitals in the UK for jaundice and weight loss and were just given SMA whilst I was stuck on a pump ridiculous considering it's a WHO recommendation to offer donor milk in that circumstance.

I think moving away from 'I wish there was no formula' to better training for health professionals is key. If the BF support nurse who was meant to look after me and my LO actually bothered to look at our BF attempts or even look into my LOs mouth to see her Lip Tie maybe my story would have been different

 

[TigerLady]

I'm definitely very pro-BF and encourage it strongly. However, never would I wish there to be no formula. It is absolutely a life saving tool when it is needed. I do think it is used much more than it is needed -- but that is no reason to eliminate it altogether. Better education for both medical professionals and moms-to-be is definitely the way to go.

 

[Pixles]

I think, formula should only be avalable to buy with a prescription from the Drs after youve proven you cant. or have a bloody good excuse. I think the fact its easy to get. and that bottles are "pretty" attracts to meany who then dont want to try breastfeeding. and alot. regret it after!.

I would happily breastfeed or donate milk for free to anyone who needed it! and im not the only one.

If there was no formula then we would find a way! ... if we couldent. we wouldent be here! period!.. Are we dead? i think not!

 

[modo]

Wow some of the posts here are super insensitive

 

[SnuggleMum]

Wow some of the posts here are super insensitive

Which ones, out of interest?

 

[readytotry]

I'm v pro breastfeeding but I'm also glad there is formula and that it is available to whoever wants it FOR WHATEVER REASON.
I don't think it is necessary to restrict women's choices in how they feed their baby to support those who want to breastfeed. I do think formula should be decommercialised but access shouldn't be restricted. I think the first stage in "normalising" breastfeeding in society should be offering full support to those who want to, not trying to convert those who don't.

 

[Pramaholic86]

I think, formula should only be avalable to buy with a prescription from the Drs after youve proven you cant. or have a bloody good excuse. I think the fact its easy to get. and that bottles are "pretty" attracts to meany who then dont want to try breastfeeding.

Seriously?

 

[Ourlittlebump]

Formula was created as a 'last minute' alternative for women that COULD NOT breastfeed not those that simply chose not to.
I do feel it's been abused as the years have gone by but do think that it's necessary.

I think the main problem now-a-days is that women don't even consider BFing...this wouldn't happen if formula was on prescription and more babies would be breastfed

It's such a sensitive topic this thread will more than likely get locked soon anyway. I guess the BF vs FF battle will never end *sighhhh*

 

[TigerLady]

I wouldn't even go as far as making it available only by prescription. I think that is unfair to mothers who actually find they need it. Especially when they find that unexpectedly.

IMHO, the answer to increasing BF, especially full term BF rates include the following:

1. MOST IMPORTANT! Normalizing BF, esp full term BF, in our societies.
2. Better education of medical professionals, moms-to-be, and new moms.
3. Better support for new moms.
4. Decommercializing formula. I don't feel it should be allowed to be given away the way it is, advertized the way it is, or marketed the way it is. I don't think there should be ANY shame if a mother and baby has the need to use it, but at the same time, I don't think using it should be glamourized or portayed as just as good as breastmilk or made to look like an easy and equal alternative to BF.

Making formula very hard to get doesn't help anyone and only hurts many. Making a less attractive first choice is a much better route. It should be seen as a back up tool used when BF cannot work for some reason.

As for fancy bottles making a difference, I don't really think that matters either. My kids received breastmilk in a fancy bottle while I was at work. Bottles aren't anti-BF per se, imho.

 

[MrsPOP]

Ah but pixles who will decide what a 'bloody good excuse' not to be BF is? At what level of BF difficulty (normally due to lack of professional help) do we decide to give prescription formula? For example with me 'well MrsPOP your baby is severely jaundiced, has lost more than 1lb in her first 3 days of life and is incredibly drowsy but you have milk in your breasts so nope, not good enough. Nope, it doesn't matter you can't pump enough milk and your daughter screams every time you try to latch her, you have milk in your breasts, deal with it' I developed PND due to my BF failure, I imagine that would have been much worse if I would have to prove some poorly trained healthcare professional that my reason was 'good enough'.

And of course prescriptions cost the NHS a lot of money. Why not put that money into training healthcare professionals properly? It would prevent more BF failures, reduce the need for formula and everyone is a winner! Plus, it would create more jobs to boost the economy! I was failed by poor BF support, not enticed by formula and if you visit the thread in my signature you will see just how many ladies have had to resort to formula against all their wishes purely through being let down by the people meant to help us.

I also don't think bottles are pretty. They're ugly, horrible things.

 

[TigerLady]

Oh, and just to add...

Making formula available only by prescription would be MUCH MUCH MUCH more problematic in a place like the US where health care is not nationalized. Our health care system is highly complicated and very, very expensive. Mixing up the ability to feed a baby into that mess would be an utter nightmare.