My Fight against the Formula Mafia - National Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2011

One thing upfront: I don't judge mums formula feeding their babies. In most cases, they have thoroughly thought about their options and decided for the one best for them and their baby.

I know that lots of formula feeding mums have to put up with negative comments for not 'giving their child the best start', but in my eyes, many of them give us breastfeeding mums as much grieve as they get. Whenever, I tell formula feeding mums that I am breastfeeding my baby, the comments start: “I'm sure she's crying because you are not producing enough millk? (No, she's crying because she is tired) I think you should switch to formula! (No, I don't think so!) Who do you want to prove anything to!?” (No one) 

To be honest, it is driving me mad. I am not proving anything to anyone! I have never felt any pressure to breastfeed. It is what I chose to do because it's just feels right. My breasts aren't just there to be put in a pretty bra – at least that's what I like to think. I come from a family with a breastfeeding background. My mum breastfed both my sister and me and she never made it sound like it was a chore. Maybe it it was her positive attitude that made it so natural for me. When I found out that I was pregnant with Amy, I had no doubt about the way I was going to feed my baby.

So why do formula feeding mums look at me like I am some sort of freak just because I am breastfeeding my baby and dare to do it for longer than a week? As soon as people find out that I am not formula feeding they start questioning how long I will survive breastfeeding. Why? I enjoy feeding my baby. I enjoy giving her the best possible start I can and I enjoy being close to her. The formula feeding mums I have come across see breastfeeding as a burden. I don't, I am proud to be breastfeeding my baby and I couldn't care less about your negative attitude!

PS: I am not addressing all formula feeding mums here. This post refers to the ones that tried making me feel like an alien for breastfeeding my baby!

If you have ever made feel bad about your choice to breastfeed, I would love to hear about your experiences. What did people say? How did you react? Did their criticism make you even more determined to breastfeed?

The Breast Milk Baby: Top or flop?

A brand new toy has hit the toy market and I am not exaggerating when I'm saying that it divides mothers into two camps. It's called The Breast Milk Baby and is a doll that stimulates breastfeeding. The baby doll has an open mouth like a breast feeding baby and comes with a bib with flowers indicating the female nipple area. If the doll is held against them, it makes suckling noises as if it was feeding and if 'mummy' doesn't burb it, baby it starts crying. 

Image: The Breast Milk Baby by Berjuan Toys

The Breast Milk Baby allows children to experience the 'magic of motherhood' and is supposed to teach little girls how to breastfeed. "The Breast Milk Baby represents a revolution in design by teaching children the nurturing skills they'll need to raise their own healthy babies" say Berjuan Toys.

I think breastfeeding is great and it should be supported if a woman decides for it, but I am not entirely sure if there really is the need for a toy like that. Seeing mum's breast-feed should give children a good enough idea of how breastfeeding works and even if there mum is bottle feeding, the media gives them an idea of how breastfeeding works. So why would little girls have to physically learn how to breast-feed before they actually have developed breasts? I'm going to be a first time mum in about two weeks and I certainly wouldn't call myself a breastfeeding pro but I didn't have a Breast Milk Baby and have a pretty good idea of how the whole thing is supposed to work. So what's the point?

Would you buy your little girl a Breast Milk Baby or do you think it is out of order to put a nipple bib on your daughter?