Is it True Breastfeeding is Best? Well, Fed is Better
Although science often shows us statistics showing that breastfeeding is best when it comes to feeding your baby, there’s one important thing some overlook: FED is better. What’s your opinion on breastfeeding?
Photo by @honeysaurus, wearing Country Rose
Surely, women and parents could argue all day about the benefits of breastfeeding. The facts are clear on the subject, but there is more to the argument than whether or not breastfeeding is best for your baby. As many women can understand, being responsible for feeding another human being is HARD. Perhaps you’re happy and able to spend every day with your baby, nursing them as often as they need to be fed, but if you return to work or your own health changes, so does your breastfeeding plan.
The echo of the common phrase “breast is best” reminds many mothers to do everything they can to breastfeed until their child is at least six months old, as about 57% of mothers do in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Problems arise when mothers are “shamed” for not breastfeeding long enough - at least as long as social norms dictate - or when life changes impact their plans. The matter is that not every woman can abide by a specific breastfeeding plan, and that does not make them a bad parent.
The Benefits of Breastfeeding
Science shows us that breastfeeding is best, but as with anything, these facts cannot apply to every mother. The Agency for Health Care Research and Quality found these (and many other) benefits of breastfeeding:
- 72% lower risk of hospitalization for respiratory tract infections among infants who were exclusively breastfed for six months
- 64% reduction in infant gastrointestinal infections
- 38% reduction in sudden infant death syndrome
- 15-30% of breastfed infants were less likely to develop adolescent or adult obesity
- And much more!
In addition to these breastfeeding statistics, studies showed that breastfeeding may lead to higher IQ scores and improved neurological outcomes.
Given the science, can we all agree breastfeeding is an exceptional way to feed babies, and it’s a gift for mothers to be able to provide nutrition to their children? OK, great! Now, think about what would happen if you suddenly had to be on medication that would prevent you from breastfeeding or if you simply weren’t producing the amount of breastmilk your child needed.
Reasons Mothers Stop Breastfeeding Early
Despite attempting to breastfeed their children, some mothers stop earlier than intended because:
- They have issues with the baby latching
- Their bodies are not lactating as expected or they experience delayed onset
- The mother is on medications that may not be good for the baby
- The mother is experiencing postpartum depression and breastfeeding contributes to the symptoms
- Their workplace does not provide an adequate for mothers to pump breast milk
Would these circumstances make you feel like any less of a mother? I hope not, but society has trained us to feel otherwise.
Photo by @deetox.your.life, wearing Llama Cactus
Why Breastfeeding is Best but Fed is Better
The “breast is best” ideal puts a lot of societal pressure on mothers to breastfeed their babies and continue to breastfeed exclusively for at least the first six months. While the message and campaign are designed to help women embrace the benefits of breastfeeding and has the best intentions, it can alienate mothers who are simply trying their best. The Fed is Best Foundation is built upon the belief that we should all support mothers in choosing clinically safe feeding options for babies, and there is nothing wrong with this mission.
There are many concerns over the science of the “fed is best” movement, focusing on the foundation’s message that newborn babies should be fed formula after birth if the mother experiences delays in her milk supply. Despite being a very controversial subject, surely everyone can agree that babies need proper nutrition after birth, and if formula is what it takes to ensure that, then parents and doctors will do what they must.
Photo by @audreyshook_, wearing Tuscan Teal
Put an End to “Mom Shaming”
Every mother and parenting team is entitled to make their own decisions about how to feed their child - whether it is with breastmilk, formula or a combination of the two. That said, every mother should do her due diligence to ensure they are making an informed decision that is best for their own health as well as their child’s. If you experience any problems that may cause you to change your breastfeeding plan, consult your doctor to determine a solution that is best for your health and your family.
At PP, we’re all about conversation! We’d love to hear your thoughts on breastfeeding and the “breast is best” versus “fed is best” movements, but please be respectful of all mothers. Remember, you never know what someone else is going through.
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Comments
Girl Mom 2 said:
Breastfeeding is hard. And its painful. But there is no question, when it is an option it IS the best and only choice for your baby.
Mom of 4 said it best! 🙌🏽👏🏽
Alyssa said:
I love that this conversation is changing societies expectations on feeding our babies.
My baby is going to be six months old next week and I’m thankful I have been able to breastfeed this long. It was not easy at all and many times I told myself give up. I’m proud to have come this far, but I praise moms breastfed or not.
This is why formula was made and studied on. People need to get it out of their head on TELLING people what they THINK is best for someone else’s baby. If you have a nasty opinion about how a baby should be fed then please keep it to yourself.
Thank you.
Sara said:
I struggled with latch. My baby kept losing weight. I switched to exclusively pumping. It’s hard, Exhausting, I live life on a schedule. However, my baby getting breast milk is more important. So I do what I have to.
Jillian L. Mourning said:
I agree to some extent. If a mom doesn’t want to breastfeed, can’t, or has trouble that’s completely okay and her decision. She shouldn’t feel guilty for it.
If a mom wants to breastfeed for years, that’s okay too.
The problem with “fed is best” or in this case “better” is that fed is expected. Feeding your baby over letting them starve is a better choice and is an expected responsibility of parenting.
Science says breastfeeding is best, but as long as a mom does best (whatever that looks like—breastfeeding or formula) society should be okay with that.
The other side of the coin is that pro breastfeeding doesn’t equate to anti-formula, though that’s what many assume. I can be proud of a milestone in breastfeeding or being able to donate extra and it doesn’t mean I’m shaming a mom who doesn’t or can’t. If someone posts a picture of them completing a marathon it doesn’t mean they’re calling me lazy or less than because I didn’t (and never will,) it is simply celebrating their accomplishment.
If a mom is doing her best for her children, that is wonderful and should be celebrated.
Jillian L. Mourning said:
I agree to some extent. If a mom doesn’t want to breastfeed, can’t, or has trouble that’s completely okay and her decision. She shouldn’t feel guilty for it.
If a mom wants to breastfeed for years, that’s okay too.
The problem with “fed is best” or in this case “better” is that fed is expected. Feeding your baby over letting them starve is a better choice and is an expected responsibility of parenting.
Science says breastfeeding is best, but as long as a mom does best (whatever that looks like—breastfeeding or formula) society should be okay with that.
The other side of the coin is that pro breastfeeding doesn’t equate to anti-formula, though that’s what many assume. I can be proud of a milestone in breastfeeding or being able to donate extra and it doesn’t mean I’m shaming a mom who doesn’t or can’t. If someone posts a picture of them completing a marathon it doesn’t mean they’re calling me lazy or less than because I didn’t (and never will,) it is simply celebrating their accomplishment.
If a mom is doing her best for her children, that is wonderful and should be celebrated.
MumOfFour said:
No, babies do not need formula the first couple of days after birth— per the NICU, per LCs, per every expert. In a handful of cases, maybe. For a healthy baby, no. Using formula those first couple of days is why so many women wind up with supply issues. No one tells them that EVERY time they give a bottle without bumping, they are telling their body to make less. Half the women I know fall into this trap and wind up drying up. They feel like they failed, but they WERE failed by people who pushed formula they didn’t need on them and by people who didn’t tell them that, when they do need/want to give a bottle, they have to pump to maintain supply. Every time. Please don’t share dangerous myths like this.
MumOfFour said:
Breast is Best is not an attack and doesn’t need to be countered by Fed is Better. Moms who use formula are not so insecure as to need the benefits of breast milk downplayed in order to feel okay feeding their babies. Breast is Best is important because far too many people still believe that nursing has no benefits or even is inferior to formula. So many nursing moms have been asked, “What, you can’t afford formula?” as if the only benefit is that it is free. So many nursing moms have been told that nursing beyond a couple of weeks/months has no benefit and is “purely for their own satisfaction”. I’ve done it all. I’ve exclusively nursed, I’ve exclusively bumped and bottle fed expressed milk, and I’ve exclusively formula fed. At no point during formula feeding did I feel it necessary to act like formula was just as good for my baby’s body. It wasn’t. Period. It wreaked havoc on her digestive system until we found one that worked, and it was full of sugar and corn syrup solids. Breast milk would have been tailored to her current needs and would have been better for her. But it wasn’t an option at the time. It is what it is. PLEASE stop trying to build others up by breaking others down. We have worked too hard and too long to re-normalize breast feeding to turn around and act like it’s no better nutritionally than formula just because a handful of moms want to be judgmental and make others feel bad about how they feed. Breast is Best. Fed is literally the bare minimum. Not feeding is against the law. Come on. Defend formula moms, yes. At the expense of nursing moms and the education and awareness we have been fighting for for two decades, NO!
Lisa said:
I absolutely agree with this! My son had a tongue tie and severe trouble latching, but I fought through a LOT of pain and heartache to force us to exclusively breastfeed. I wish I could have taken a little stress off myself and just formula fed to supplement – but it felt like I would have been a failure. Instead I fed him 12 times a day and pumped 6-8 times – which meant I barely left my house. Let’s change the view on this and help mamas see that using formula isn’t a negative; it’s simply a choice parents get to make when they have a child. It’s THEIR choice, and THEIR business.