HappyMamaTo3 wrote:
>> I'm curious as to why he thinks formula is actually *better than*
>> breastmilk. I've never heard anyone say that before. *As good as*
>> breastmilk maybe, but not better than.
>
> I am not Carolyne, but I can offer at least one answer. There is a whole
> generation that believes the formula helped children gain weight faster
and
> is therefore better and richer. Lots of newborns will initially gain
quick
> weight in the first days on formula while breast babies will maintain as
> they benefit from colostrum. The convenient aspect of formula feeding is
> sometimes the biggest draw for FF. FF babies sleep longer at night. FF
> babies go longer without being fed during the day. I am not saying in
ANYWAY
> that Ramesh feels any of those things, just what are coomon monikers of
> choosing formula feeling.
You are pretty much reading him 100%, Cindi! :-) I believe there is a
cultural/social aspect in play with this as well. Plus I think DH really
enjoys being able to feed Sarah and bond with her at that time as well.
What I really don't like is that when she takes that supplemental bm/f
mix it really makes her groggy and sleepy--she's not being force fed,
she is rooting and acting hungry and usually will finish off the
bottle...just seems like a bit too much food to me. But at least she's
started gaining weight a bit more quickly so that's good.
Most of the time I hear, "Make things easier for yourself!" in regards
to the FF. As if BF is such a chore for me. ;-) It really isn't, and I'm
making plenty of milk now for both and BFing is my favorite time with
the twins, especially when tandem feeding--in fact, the LC called to
check on Sarah and has already given suggestions for weaning Sarah off
the bottle supplements soon, since she's back up to her birth
weight...DH is worried that as soon as we do that though she'll start
losing weight and be in big trouble--I get the feeling he'd have me
pumping for the remainder of the time I plan to be BFing the twins! But
I sincerely doubt that will be necessary--kind of redundant if both
babies are gaining weight properly now and thriving, IMO. ;-)
>
> You know, it has only become the last ten years that the real value of
> nursing has been promoted by the AAP. It was not until 1997 that they
> published the first polict encouraging a change toward nursing from
formula
> feeding. Some doctors and virtually all midwives had long advocated
breast
> feeding, but at the time it was really an underground movement and was
> virutally expected that you would bottle feed.
>
> Rachel was born before the change over and I had to be my own advocate
for
> breast feeding Rachel. Because of her birth complications I really had
to
> put my foot down and ask them not to nipple feed her formula if it was
> necessary to augment so they would gentle tube her and she would be
> satisfied. When we went home on Tuesday after she was born on Saturday
she
> was happily breast feeding. We did augment because of her weight and her
> because she was jaundiced. She breastfed until she was a year old. One
of
> her first sentences became "I need you skin." She would beg for me to
take
> off my ****rt and let her lay on my chest.
>
> Ian though was born after and it was different. Even though he was in
NICU
> for the first two weeks, I pumped and they fed him only BF for the first
> week. No supplementing was necessary. It was a relief to see nurses
> encouraging me and not trying to convince me to FF. At the one week mark
> though I became really ill and because of the massive medication doses
my
> breastmilk wasn't suitable. I continued to pump until I was done taking
abx
> and the variety of treatment. At that point though, it wasn't something
Ian
> could adapt to. He wasn't interested. Period. So we stuck with formula
and
> he isn't any worse for it.
>
> Opinions change and the opinion on BF and FF is still changing. I think
> slowly it will completely change over. We can hope.
>
> Cindi
>
>
>>
>> but at least
>>> it's just a small amount of the dreaded 'f' word. :-) Seems to be
working
>>> since we took Sarah in for another weight check today--she weighed 6
lbs
>>> 4 ounces, just 2 ounces short of her birth weight, so the
>>> supplemental feeding is working. Ped. and LC are at a loss as to why
>>> Samuel is thriving and Sarah needs extra--she could have a higher
>>> metabolism, and she tends to fall asleep a lot while nursing, they
aren't
>>> sure. DH is enjoying the time he gets with her when he gives her
>>> her bottle after nursing, he was pretty worried about her not gaining
>>> weight but was relieved at her weight gain of 5 or so ounces in just a
>>> few days. :-)
>> When I was in the hospital after the twins were born, I was determined
to
>> nurse them exclusively. I would not allow *any* formula-feeding at all.
>> (The hospital was *very* b/fing-friendly, so that helped.) We had
latch-on
>> problems (despite working with several lactation consultants in the
>> hospital), so I pumped and gave them the BM via a dropper and spoon
(and
>> then by bottle, to get more milk into them). When the twins started
losing
>> too much, though, I had no choice but to supplement with formula (we
>> couldn't be discharged until they had gained enough). Once home, I gave
up
>> on trying to nurse them and my plan switched to pumping for them and
>> supplementing with formula as needed. (I started out giving them 100%
BM,
>> but over time the ratio of BM to formula became 75%/25%, 50%/50%,
25%/75%,
>> until I was feeding them formula 100% of the time.)
>>
>> It can be disappointing when you're not able to b/feed all your
children
>> exclusively (I had nursed Rayna til after she turned three, so I was
>> bummed that I could not do the same with the twins), but really, ANY
>> amount of breastmilk a child receives is A Good Thing. What's im****tant
is
>> that your babies are thriving. You're doing SUCH an awesome job with
them!
>> :)
>>
>>
>>> Maya has been blessed with our wonderful neighbors and her friends'
>>> families inviting her over for activities like VBS, and the movies,
etc.
>>> and sleepovers...so very very few meltdowns or upset feelings over the
>>> babies getting so much attention. She is enjoying helping out with the
>>> babies and has really helped me as a 'gofer' since we got home. :-)
>> That's great to hear. :) She sounds like quite a good helper to you and
a
>> great big sis to the babies. Rayna was the same way after our twins
were
>> born and was a lifesaver to me with fetching supplies, etc. Having a
>> "mommy's helper" around really, really helps with twins!
>>
>>
>>> We finally got our professional pics from the hospital last week, they
>>> turned out so cute! :-)
>>> Samuel in his first suit:
>>> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=35jcsnb&s=4
>>> Sarah in her pink/white dress:
>>> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2vx2iyq&s=4
>>> Twins Together:
>>> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1znosj5&s=4
>>> Official Birth Announcements:
>>> http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2uqn9er&s=4
>>>
>>> Enjoy! :-)
>> Totally adorable!! :) Thanks for sharing!
>>
>> Mary
>>
>
>
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