Why do some breastfeeders refuse to.....?

Question

believe that there actually ARE women out there that absolutely DO NOT produce breastmilk? About 5% of the population does not produce breastmilk, at all. Do those women expect us to whip out our medical records to prove that we do not make breastmilk so that we can be free of their ridicule and and name calling?

Answer 1

Blame the women lying about it. There's a suspiciously large number of broads on here who "can't" breastfeed... Anybody who _really_ can't is going to get looked at with suspicion thanks to them.

Which see people who respond to cigarette smoke by saying "it gives me asthma!" Real asthmatics cringe...

5%, just -- no milk? No foolin'? Got a cite? (No offence.)

Answer 2

Who's name calling? Anyone who would do that has issues. It is true that about 2-5% of women have problems producing milk, but for most they just think the aren't producing enough milk and it's not the case. Of course everyone knows that breastmilk is healthier than formula, but if you don't have any, formula will be fine.

Answer 3

With my first child, I actually didn't know how to breastfeed and nobody could give me any helpful advice except to say that I should be doing it. My son was five weeks premature and had difficulty latching on the breast. Early on, I started supplementing breastfeeding with formula and when my son was three months old, I gave up breastfeeding altogether.

But the sad part was that I felt I had to lie about breastfeeding to my family and friends just to stop hearing a long rant about how breastfeeding is good for the baby and how I was 'damaging' my child and insinuating that I was unfit mother. My son is now three years old and just as healthy, active and precocious as any other child. But, even now every time my son comes down with the sniffles or has a stomach bug, there are members of my family (usually the in-laws) who allege that he is ill because he is physically 'weak' from being formula-fed as a baby!

Answer 4

Everyone has an opinion. Some just don't keep it to themselves. Don't stress about it and just ignore it. Maybe next time say something about how rude it is to butt into some peoples business when they really don't know anything at all. Mention how it's not nice to judge (this works especially on the religious freaks, no offense).

But also don't read too much into what people say. Don't assume just because someone in passing, might say that breastmilk is best, that they are talking bad about you, kwim?

Good luck

Answer 5

Well, i dont want to breastfeed no matter how much milk. anybody got a problem with that? My babies are not going to grow up SOOO deprived because i dont breastfeed. I dont really care what other woman think, my kids will have happy healthy lives. I was a formula fed baby. I had the highest scores on the tests, spelling and reading way before other kids, and i dont hardly ever get sick nor did i when i was a child. I was smart, because my mom was a very attentive mother, as i will be with my kids.formula fed babies can be the same off as breastfed babies, i dont care what anyone has to say about it, because i was, and i bet 50% of those ADD kids with the snot all over their noses in grade school probably got breastfed.Dont get me wrong, Im not saying anything against, but my point is, feeding your kid formula is not the end of the world, they grow up strong and healthy, just like breastfed babies.

Answer 6

Breastfeeding is such a touchy subject for some people! I believe it's all about personal preference. If you TRIED and couldn't... then it wasn't supposed to be. But some women are militant about it!! I am proud that I can breastfeed my baby but don't condemn people who don't or can't.

It's kinda like talking about religion... not everyone agrees! If I were you, I would just try to avoid the conversation. Don't let anyone tell you what's right for you. It's rediculous to lose sleep or worry over what other people think.

Answer 7

I don't really understand why it should matter if someone don't produce milk or just don't want to breastfeed. The point is they are still feeding their child. In the end... that's all that matters.
Personally, I have seen alot more people make nasty comments about breastfeeding.My family hated it and even the doctor began to criticize me when my son turned 6 months. He told me my son was old enough for the bottle now. My family seemed to think because they choose to bottle feed their child, I should. That's when I usually got nasty and removed the blanket. If it bothered them that much, when I had the blanket covering me.... I knew they would hate it without the blanket.

Answer 8

I don't think it is right for either side to ridicule the other, it is a personal choice that should be respected. Sure, breast is best for several reasons, but it is not the only choice and is sometimes NOT an option. I breastfed my children was ridiculed by lots of people saying I should stop and give them a bottle, and how could I possible "still" do that, even at 5 months.

Answer 9

All you have to do is tell someone to mind their own beeswax. How tough is that?

About 20% of women can't breastfeed. 5% have problems with their breasts or hormones so that they can't produce enough milk (not necessarily any milk). Others are taking medications that either interfere with milk production or are either considered unsafe (includes drug addicts) or the mother considers them unsafe. You also need to add about 5% of babies who are unable to breastfeed either due to prematurity, inability to latch, or some kind of birth defect. So, yeah, that's about 25% of women.

However, you also need to realize that up until recently, women who WANTED to breastfeed were put down, ostracized and threatened, often by medical personnel or family members, because they wanted to breastfeed. I know one gal who ended her marriage and moved 1000 miles away because of the constant harrrassment. So, you're going to have a large group of militant breastfeeders for awhile to support women's right to choose to breastfeed. Ridicule is never OK, but I've never heard anybody doing any namecalling to people who choose to bottlefeed. Maybe you're just sensitive to something that isn't there?

Answer 10

i stopped making milk. i had twins and managed 3 weeks of milk (we measured one day and found i made over a gallon and a half everyday). one day it was just GONE, i was crushed. the nurses at the clinic made me feel horrible and told me to just keep nursing that it would come. i knew there was nothing there as my babies would still drink 3 oz from a bottle after nursing. My dr finally put me at ease and said i didnt have the body (i was very THIN) to make, store and keep the milk. I know the comments and how rude some can be. there are good points to both sides of the coin and dont worry what others think. p.s. i had such swollen breasts at the beginning and the twins were so little (3 weeks preemie) they couldnt latch on,,i pumped and fed them.

Answer 11

My nursing toddler is approximately 27 months. he's an extremely lively boy, so his desire/desire for breastfeeding faded down no longer long after he began working. So, his volume of breastfeeding became into right down to waking ups, in the previous sleepings and an further in the previous dinner. in basic terms time i mandatory to nurse him in public became into if he became into lacking a snooze! And honestly, as he have been given larger, i in my view tried keeping off it because of the fact i did no longer pick to handle others, to no longer avert offending. yet whilst NIP became into mandatory, it became into completed (without blanket as because of the fact of this nursing tops have been made). Now adays he's right down to 2-thrice an afternoon and in basic terms asks for the extra milk whilst he did something incorrect, I instructed him so and he have been given disillusioned and whilst he gets injury. the priority those days, is that i'm pregnant and function yet to locate a maternity nursing suitable. I chosen to quit giving him milk whilst he became into misbehaving (assisting him locate his very own thank you to regulate on account that new toddler is coming), yet try my toughest to constantly (even in public, with all dermis showing, on account that i've got not got nursing shirts) supply whilst he's bodily injury (nonetheless he has constantly favored only being held and kissed to nursing, nonetheless sometimes asks).