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What you are seeing is an actual image floating around the internet. An image showing that breastfed babies are smarter, healthier, and happier. Breastfeeding has been around as long as the humans species has. In the span of the human race bottle feeding has only been around for an extremely short amount of time. Before formula if you didn't breastfeed you would find some one that would do it for you. Strange concept now a days, huh? Yes, the research does show the many benefits of what breastfeeding can do. These benefits are nothing that science hasn't been able to reproduce with formula.
Now back to that image. This image was found on a site that is anti-bottle feeding. It is a large forum for breastfeeding mothers to talk smack about those who bottle feed. Now my issue here isn't the debate of which is better, breastfeeding or bottle feeding. My issues is this stigma that seems to be catching fire. There seems to be a crucifixion of sorts of mothers who bottle feed over breastfeed. There are many reasons why one may decide to bottle feed which can vary from their comfort level, their work schedule, medications they are prescribed, the baby not latching, to even not being able to produce.
As a mother I wanted to breastfeed. I was not producing, met with lactation nurses, and tried all the tricks. Nothing worked. I was deeply upset by this. I felt I was not doing enough for my daughter. Formula had caused stomach issues to arise in my daughter. I though for the longest time 'If I could just breastfeed my daughter would not be having these issues'. These are the cards I was dealt with though. After a while I came to terms with it and realized that I have to to what I need to for my daughter. She needs to eat and I would do anything and everything to provide for her. So does bottle feeding my child still make me a 'bad mom'?
I have seen multiple comments about how 'bad' formula feeding is. I have seen bottle feeding mothers being told they are doing it out of laziness to neglect. Bottle feeding mothers are recently becoming looked down upon. To be quite honest that is not fair. Breastfeeding seems to be less of a way to provide children with nutrients and more of a fad. Since when did breastfeeding become a source of power to shame others? Sadly, it seems more and more breastfeeding mothers are becoming less humble and more snobby.
"I am going to breastfeed cause every one seems to be doing it and says its like good for the baby." I pulled this off of a Facebook page of some one that I used to be friends with. I will leave them nameless but just an example how it seems more and more people are breastfeeding for the wrong reasons.
There is no need to look down upon mothers who bottle feed. Now from my personal experience I find that when the claws come out, it is more mother vs. mother action. I hear breastfeeding over bottle feeding debate betweens mothers more often than not. When it comes to this idea that bottle feeding mothers are 'bad mothers', I have actually seen it from both sides (parents vs. non parents). I just do not understand what is the need. Especially between mothers! What I find most ironic is the recent Facebook flood of how breastfeeding in public should be more mainstream and less frowned upon. I honestly agree 100 percent but it is a bit hypocritical that we can support breastfeeding in public but not bottle feeding for mothers that may have no other option. There is no need for judgmental attitudes on either side. Mothers should be supporting each other on the incredible, but sometimes incredibly difficult, journey of raising and nurturing their children.
This 'breastfeeding bullies' phase needs to go! There is already enough stress and and anxiety in being a new mother. A million questions of what to do and what not to do, what is right and what is wrong. How to feed a baby should not be one. How a mother decides to feed her child is her choice to make, not her friend from high school or the nurse in L&D. If a mother decides that formula is going to best suit her and her child's needs, that does not make her any less of a mother. Formula or breast milk, a baby will thrive. A baby doesn't always do best in a situation with an unhappy mother though. Let us stop picking each other apart and trying to make each other miserable!
*Image provided by Google Images
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