Bottle-feed at your own risk?

[meloneyb21]

I just got this from this month's REDBOOK:

"WARNING: "Breast-feeding is the ideal method of feeding and nurturing infants." You could soon find those words on bottles of baby formula if legislation proposed by Senator Tom Harkin (Democrat, Iowa) passes. Sure, the health benefits of breast-feeding (for mother and child) are undeniable, but is a law-mandated warning label going too far?"

Then it had the survey question:
Is it fair to label bottle-feeding "risky behavior"?

I don't believe it is fair, but what do you think?

 

[epcotfan]

Totally not fair at all.

 

[lulugirl]

I think it's absurd.

 

[mrsv98]

Well, since I had thyroid disease in my 20s and couldn't make enough milk for DD, then I guess I should have let her starve to death instead of indulging in "risky" behavior.

 

[Planogirl]

This is silly. Are they going to label both the disposable and reusable bottles? At what cost?

More importantly when will the government finally get out of people's private lives? This is getting tiresome and indicates more and more how badly we need a change on BOTH sides.

 

[TurboKitty]

Considering how many valid reasons there are for bottle feeding, I see this as a serious mistake.

I believe breast is best, but giving anyone the ammunition and invitation to question the choice is very wrong in so many ways. Some things we, the public, don't need to know, and as we didn't have a direct hand in the conception of the child, should not be handed a reason to find out.

 

[rie'smom]

This has gotten ridiculous. Do the politicians do this so they can say they were able to get x number of bills passed.
I bottle fed my 3 kids and all are fine thank-you very much.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Issuing a "warning" is over the top.



Next up on the agenda:

Snickers bar labels
WARNING: Carrots would be much better for you.

 

[meloneyb21]

IS IT FAIR TO LABEL BOTTLE-FEEDING "RISKY BEHAVIOR"?

YES, says Nancy E. Wight, M.D., neonatologist and medical director of lactation services at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women, San Diego.

"I think it's a great idea. Using formula is a risky behavior. It's a life-and-death issue and a healthcare cost issue. Babies who are breast-fed have less asthma, obesity, and ear infections. Breastfeeding is not just a lifestyle choice, it's a medical issue. We as doctors have an obligation to give women this information."

NO, says Frank R. Greer, M.D., pediatrician and professor of nutritional sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"While breast milk is more beneficial, formula is not in any way dangerous for an infant's health, and in many cases is the only option for families during the first year of life at some point in time. Personally, I would be strongly opposed to a 'warning label'...and cannot believe that this would pass."

I think that would be very irresponsible....

 

[Syrreal]

You know, living is dangerous to your health too. You WILL end up dead.

As far as the warning label, it's ridiculous.

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

ABSOlUTELY RIDICULOUS!

 

[FreshTressa]

This is silly. Are they going to label both the disposable and reusable bottles? At what cost?

More importantly when will the government finally get out of people's private lives? This is getting tiresome and indicates more and more how badly we need a change on BOTH sides.

Once again, I totally agree.

 

[dreamcometrue]

that's just absurd! It will make women that can't breastfeed for medical reasons like they are bad moms! I breastfed my 2nd child for a year, however, I was not sucessful at all with my first. I had a horrible infection right after he was born, and had to pump and dump for 10 days. After that I produced very, very little milk, and he was so used to formula/bottles. I was very depressed over it and I think a warning like that on baby formula would have sent me over the deep end!

 

[minkydog]

This has gotten ridiculous. Do the politicians do this so they can say they were able to get x number of bills passed.
I bottle fed my 3 kids and all are fine thank-you very much.

I daresay most of the Baby boomer generation was bottle-fed and we didn't all turn into morons This is intrusive and ridiculous. Just one more reason to scare new parents. There are very good reasons for bottle feeding infants. I think we all know that breast milk is superior, but that doesn't mean that formula is something horrible. Back in the old days, when formula was harder to come by mother's made their own out of canned Pet milk, water,& corn syrup. There was no iron in it or vitamin C. In fact, most babies were started very early on cereal & orange juice to get their vitamins--we would never do that today! We know better.

There is no reason to make new mothers feel insecure about the way they feed their infants. Formula isn't poison(except for those very few infants who are truly allergic to it.)

cathy--breastfed all three kids, but not opposed to bottles

 

[poohandwendy]

I think it is stupid, but not something that would upset me at all. I was bottlefed and my kids were breast and bottlefed.

But I am confused, is the label going to say that bottle feeding is risky behavior or is it just going to say "Breast-feeding is the ideal method of feeding and nurturing infants"? Because that isn't really the same thing as saying bottlefeeding is risky.

 

[princesspumpkin]

It's only fair if labels are also put on all cars and trucks which were not rated as the safest to drive. Or put labels on foods that weren't assessed as the safest food in the world to eat. Or put labels on all of the planes that weren't voted the safest to fly on. Or better yet, put labels on people who have been proven to NOT be the best partners (so that we knew not to choose them to date ).

I totally understand the reasons why the medical professions strongly advises people to breastfeed. As a maternity nurse, I totally see why people choose to bottle feed.

Personally, I nursed for a year and a half and never bought formula. But you BETTER NOT tell me that I had to or I was putting my baby at risk!

 

[mamatojon]

I think it is silly and totally over the top. And I breastfed both of my kids, my son until he was 20 months and my daughter until she was 21 months. I am a huge advocate of breastfeeding and support for new moms, but this is totally going about things the wrong way - absolutely polarizing and ineffective. Not every mom will nurse, and that's really okay! I think the recent steps in improving formula quality coupled with hospital LCs that truly know what they are doing, community support and referral services possibly through the health department are really going to be more effective at getting new moms past the problems that occur during early breastfeeding.

Geez, the last thing that I would have needed had my problems breastfeeding not been resolved was dirty looks and accusations of neglect or harm because I picked up a can of enfamil or something.

 

[mommy*RN]

That's just silly. Aside from health reasons why someone cannot breastfeed, there is the issue of adoption. I was adopted as my parent's could not have natural children of their own (male sterility), therefore I was bottlefed. I really think my mom would have felt horrible having to feed my sister and I something that said THAT on it...another finger of shame pointed at her and my dad (they got a lot of crap from family about adopting...). Guess we'll be seeing a lot more failure to thrive babies (of mom's having difficulties with breastfeeding) since parents won't want to engage in risky behaviour with their newborns...

 

[SandraVB79]

Over here, bottlefeeding your children is seen as "pure evil", if you want to bottlefeed your baby, you don't have to expect any help or sympathy from the nurses at the hospital or so.

I have been bottlefed. It didn't prevent me to grow (I'm 1m85, which is tall for a girl), I am not dumb, I have not been ill more than the average kid, ...
Actually, I have the intention to also bottlefeed my kids. That way, the dad can also be involved in that part of the baby's life. And if the nurses at the hospital will dare to treat me like crap, they will regret that attitude dearly!

But well, me bottlefeeding my kids will not be the worst thing that will happen to them. After all, I have already been told here on the DIS that I will be the worst mom known in the history of mankind, because I have no intention to take my children to Disney before they are 5 or so :

 

[Goobergal99]

Ok now I am starting to think that George Orwell may have been right