Comments on Analytical Armadillo - The Booby Whisperer: Non Breastfed Babies Are Happier - The News Today

It is a tricky situation. This is such a highly em...

2012-01-14T10:57:16.657Z

It is a tricky situation. This is such a highly emotive subject that quite often when we read about these things we may start to make connections with our own decisions or circumstances. Perhaps that is part of being a mother - the constant self-judgement and re-assessing choices based on new input so that we can be sure we're doing the 'best we can'. But the 'best we can' is different for everyone and ideally we'd all simply be supporting each other in that. Imparting useful information like the Analytical Armadillo does in this article is not meant to imply judgement to others and their own individual choices but simply to allow mums to make a fully informed choice. Personally I'd say kudos for you for giving breastfeeding a go. Perhaps you didn't get the necessary support to keep going and that is a shame but if you and your baby are happy now that is wonderful - your love and attention are perhaps the best gifts you can give to your baby anyway.

Well, this research fits in quite well with the re...

2012-01-13T17:23:52.509Z

Well, this research fits in quite well with the research earlier this year showing that infants who are breastfed are rated as less "naughty" by their parents in childhood than FF babies - and other research showing that they are deemed less difficult as teenagers and more sociable.

It all makes sense to me. If breastfeeding mums soothe an infant at the developmentally appropriate age, and learn sensitivity to their babies - and it is a challenging proceess, to listen to your baby and not ignore them or stuff their mouths with rubber - then the child learns sensitivity to the parent and trust in authority figures too.

Except you obviously DO care, or else you wouldn&#...

2012-01-13T01:02:02.218Z

Except you obviously DO care, or else you wouldn't feel the need to tell us and be defensive about it.

No anon I'm not comparing not having a car sea...

2012-01-12T23:40:25.184Z

No anon I'm not comparing not having a car seat to not breastfeeding - It's an example discussing risk v certainty.

QUOTE There isn't massive evidence just a few cases and links
http://milkmatters.org.uk/over-101-reasons-to-breastfeed/

I understand it's upsetting to read, my first had formula pre 6 months - but I don't think that means we should censor information because it's hard to hear. Why doesn't the NHS ensure donated milk is an option for mums that need it when they know the health implications of alternatives?

Sorry. The reduces was me. And I DO know better. A...

2012-01-12T23:14:39.555Z

Sorry. The reduces was me. And I DO know better. Arabella

Sorry it's Claire ^^

2012-01-12T23:08:31.276Z

Sorry it's Claire ^^

Ok so your comparing not having a cars eat to not ...

2012-01-12T23:07:42.095Z

Ok so your comparing not having a cars eat to not breast feeding. I think the risks are a little greater there. There isn't massive evidence just a few cases and links. I love to see women breast feeding and I wish I could of done it myself. But I just hate hearing how bad it if you don't breast feed.

QUOTE So it's my mums fault I've got RA ? ...

2012-01-12T22:01:06.069Z

QUOTE So it's my mums fault I've got RA ? I will have to tell her how selfish she was. My nans were breast fed one has RA- in which my MEDICAL CONSULTANT thinks my RA derived- my other died of cancer... You have no right pointing the finger. And I don't feel one bit guilty about my choice.

I didn't state anyone was selfish, nor did I point any fingers or suggest you should feel guilty? You're the only one who has said anything along those lines.

You stated you were all FF and had non of the issues linked with not breastfeeding - I just pointed out that actually you did.

QUOTE Oh and my great nan has dementia... Also breast fed. My partners grandparents are both as fit as Olympic athletes at 75 and guess what formula....

This is called anecdotal evidence, a bit like those people who say "my gran smoked till she was 102 and was fine!"; does that mean all the mountains of evidence suggesting tobacco causes cancer is wrong?

We're dealing with risks - not certainties. Just like lots of people who smoke wont get lung cancer, and lots who don't smoke will anyway - not smoking isn't a guarantee you wont get cancer but it still remains smoking increases the risks.

Using a carseat doesn't guarantee you won't have an accident in which your baby is badly hurt, but we know the risks are less than if you don't use one - it's exactly the same deal.

To the last Anon - breastfeeding doesn't reduce the risk of any illnesses. Not breastfeeding increases the risks - same difference but holding milk of our own species as the norm for comparison and not the alternative milk from cows.

PS please sign off your ANON posts with a tag name or suchlike, it gets too confusing with lots of Anons and no other reference.

Have I not just said I DON'T feel guilty. I am...

2012-01-12T21:02:50.693Z

Have I not just said I DON'T feel guilty. I am proud of myself and of how well my baby is doing

Look. The no one on this blog is trying to make an...

2012-01-12T20:45:57.648Z

Look. The no one on this blog is trying to make anyone feel guilty or point any fingers. Breastfeeding feeding WILL reduce the risk of many many illnesses but no one would claim that it will stop you or your children getting them. All that is being done is the provision of information so parents can make educated decisions. If you feel guilty about your decisions then that is your problem, not a fault with the facts or the information. Arabella

Oh and my great nan has dementia... Also breast fe...

2012-01-12T20:31:09.589Z

Oh and my great nan has dementia... Also breast fed. My partners grandparents are both as fit as Olympic athletes at 75 and guess what formula....

So it's my mums fault I've got RA ? I will...

2012-01-12T20:28:25.726Z

So it's my mums fault I've got RA ? I will have to tell her how selfish she was. My nans were breast fed one has RA- in which my MEDICAL CONSULTANT thinks my RA derived- my other died of cancer... You have no right pointing the finger. And I don't feel one bit guilty about my choice.

No one can 'make' you feel guilty.

2012-01-12T20:21:30.165Z

No one can 'make' you feel guilty.

The only person who can make you feel guilty or ba...

2012-01-12T20:05:19.575Z

The only person who can make you feel guilty or bad about your decision is YOU. If you made a decision as to what was best after looking at all the facts and your personal circumstance then you have nothing to feel bad or guilty about. Breast feeding is the norm and anything else is not as good BUT there are clearly cases where other factors weigh so heavily that the decision comes down on the other side with no guilt or blame. If a mother has chosen to give her baby formula because she simply wants to then she should own that decision and not run around saying people are trying to make her feel guilty by trying to educate others of the benefits of breastfeeding. Arabella

QUOTE Myself, my partner, our siblings and our par...

2012-01-12T20:02:25.021Z

QUOTE Myself, my partner, our siblings and our parents and most of our friends were all bottle fed and have and never have had any 'implications' as you say due to this. I salute all women able to breast feed, but I found it hard as I suffer from Rheumatoid arthritis END

But rheumatoid arthritis is one of those "implications" you and your fiends and siblings have never had?
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.20621/full
Scroll down to conclusions:
"In this large cohort, breast-feeding for >12 months was inversely related to the development of RA. This apparent effect was dose-dependent, with a significant trend toward lower risk with longer duration of breast-feeding. Irregular menstrual cycles and earlier age at menarche increased the risk of RA. Other reproductive hormonal factors were not associated with RA risk."

QUOTE Therefore yes I see all articles about how good breast feeding is and how 'bad' formula is as judgment to those mothers who choose to formula feed.

Ok but I'm confused - should we skew reality so as not to upset mothers who CHOOSE (your words) to not breastfeed?

Should we pretend risks of alternatives don't exist - and do we start pretending before or after women have made this "choice". Of course happiness matters, but that doesn't therefore mean all the other implications of not feeding don't exist does it?

I empathise with your situation, I can understand how if there are no medicines compatible with breastfeeding a mum would choose to take the meds, particularly if she isn't aware of other options like donor milk sharing and particularly if she's under the impression it hasn't impacted on her/siblings/friends and truly believes it to be "nearly as good" - I'm not judging anyone in the slightest, formula companies spend A LOT of money so mums believe that.

I do think if an article discussing facts in a rational non judgemental way MAKES a mum feel guilty, that perhaps suggests she is judging herself.

"There is nothing wrong with formula feeding, especially nowadays" - that really depends how you define wrong? Is it still a substandard product compared to human milk? Absolutely. I think the missing constituents that regulate the immune system, kill cancers and impact on longerm health are pretty important, you show me the evidence they're not and we can talk again. http://www.analyticalarmadillo.co.uk/2010/12/when-you-can-prove-formula-is-nearly-as.html

Ask yourself, if these things don't matter, why are formula companies working on genetically modified cows to product milk more like breastmilk?

Feeling like the choice you made for your family and your circumstances at the time is right - is a personal decision only each mother can make. Suggesting this therefore means we have to pretend formula is fab not only prevents people making any sort of informed choice, but leaves mums feeling crap longterm.

Myself, my partner, our siblings and our parents a...

2012-01-12T19:18:10.364Z

Myself, my partner, our siblings and our parents and most of our friends were all bottle fed and have and never have had any 'implications' as you say due to this. I salute all women able to breast feed, but I found it hard as i suffer from Rheumatoid arthitis and I prefered in all honesty to be able to pick my baby up and start my medication again than breast feed. Therefore yes I see all articles about how good breast feeding is and how 'bad' formula is as judgment to those mothers who choose to formula feed. I wouldn't think twice next time about bottle feeding. My baby and myself and partner were 100% happier after I gave up breastfeeding, that should be what should matter. Not people publishing articles making non-breastfed babies mothers feel guilty. There is nothing wrong with formula feeding, especially nowadays.

The first thought I had when I saw this study and ...

2012-01-12T18:57:50.169Z

The first thought I had when I saw this study and the media spin was "more docile doesn't equal happier". My daughter was the mellowest, most easy going baby you had ever seen for the first few months of her life... while I was on morphine and demerol and breastfeeding. Once the pain meds were no longer needed and cleared out of BOTH of our systems, she became a very intense, demanding and ENGAGED baby. She had likes and dislikes and expressed them very passionately. She had expectations of comfort and attention and care and became downright irate when they weren't being met. She had discovered the world around her and did NOT want to go to sleep and miss out on it.

I could easily have framed the change in terms of her being 'happier' before when she was dopey and a little bit high from the residual medications in my milk, but I would have been WRONG. She was harder to comfort and get to sleep, more irritable and demanding, but she was obviously happier, more stimulated, more stimulatING, and just generally MORE afterwards.

(And before anyone starts to bash- I did do my research before I took the medications and I decided that the benefits of breastfeeding far outweighed the fact that she would be dopey/drowsy/slightly buzzed while I was on the medications. I also checked and double checked and triple checked and BOTH the morphine and the demerol are extremely low risk during nursing. I absolutely needed the medications- even with them, I was stuck on a walker, if I was so much as an hour late taking them, I was unable to move AT ALL. It wasn't an ideal situation, but it was what we were dealt and I'm secure in my choices)

It definitely IS tough, particularly given current...

2012-01-12T18:29:01.205Z

It definitely IS tough, particularly given current maternal expectations and the state of support most typically receive.
Which part of my post suggested judgement? I'm happy to support mums making an informed choice, but that doesn't mean I have to pretend the vast chasm of health implications don't exist does it? With every best intention, being happy doesn't negate or undo any of these?
AA

I tried breast feeding and found it tough. Now bot...

2012-01-12T18:11:44.880Z

I tried breast feeding and found it tough. Now both baby and myself are happier. That's all that matters to me. Judge me if you will but I quite frankly don't care....

Finally a positive read on this subject. I was ap...

2012-01-12T15:39:45.695Z

Finally a positive read on this subject. I was appalled by all the media coverage relating to Breastfed babies are not well behaved. I found it disgusting that the media use this to bring our countries rates of breastfeeding and other poor rates, just straight back down again further. I for one am not swayed by the media hype on this and will continue to breastfeed my 13m old daughter who is child #4 of breastfed babies in my household. I worry for the young mother's out there who are mis-informed by dangerous media writing who seem to be more pro-formula than pro-breastfeeding. I wonder just how much the formula companies paid them to write that story.

Mentioned (positively!) this blog in my blog today...

2012-01-12T10:42:18.390Z

Mentioned (positively!) this blog in my blog today http://eurolac.blogspot.com/2012/01/huilende-borstbabys.html

I think possibly Anon above me had googled 'br...

2012-01-12T10:22:14.280Z

I think possibly Anon above me had googled 'breasts with nipples' again :p Interesting reading, particularly the bit about the infant arousal suppression in ff babies.

this is the biggest BS i ever heard

2012-01-12T08:48:20.801Z

this is the biggest BS i ever heard