If you coulodn't breastfeed your baby

[kittenbaby77]

No... I would prefer formula over donor milk for my baby but I did work very hard on this breastfeeding thing and luckily I make it to breastfeed my lo.

[mommaroo2Lou]

I have many friends who EBFed and smoked occasionally during (most after infancy). So maybe if I knew the person and it was not an all day every day thing, yes I would feel it was still preferable to formula. But for a person who smokes daily, I would not. I know it is still better for a smoking mom to BF but I think those benefit v risk calculations are different for donor milk because of the lack of physical contact. But I really think it is a very personal choice and so many factors in any given situation.

[Kätzchen]

Originally Posted by EmilyMae12 What? There are women (like myself) who physically could not provide enough breastmilk for my child (due to PCOS and insufficient glandular tissue). So, if you can carry a baby, it is not a given that you can breastfeed. Sorry, I just get very heated about this because my DD could have died if not for formula (she lost 1.5 lbs in a week and was starving as I tried to nurser her round the clock). And believe me, all the drugs, supplements, water, pumping, old wives tales and LCs in the world could not make my breasts produce more milk. I chose I would not use donor milk, because it personally makes me uncomfortable and I think milk from a smoker would be more dangerous than formula.

Right. This is why I would question it. It is INCREDIBLY rare for a woman to not make enough milk. I would want to know why. I have very close ties to an amazing mama whose daughter was born a month after my first. She had hypoplasia and couldn't provide enough milk. I understand the horrors of the weight loss and and ftt. I pumped and provided 100% of that sweet baby's supplementary milk for two and a half years. I would gladly do anything in my powers to help another truly struggling mother provide breastmilk.

I say all of this as a mother who would not give up breastfeeding for anything. I did the bleeding/skin loss, awful pain, being admitted for serious mastitis, and pumping every two hours for four years, only to continue by choice. As someone who dealt with a very serious and life threatening feeding and swallowing disorder, severe ppd, while never successfully nursing my first baby. Yup. Breastmilk is very, extremely important to me.

[lilannies mama]

I never ever ever ever ever got any milk in. My dr prescribed so many meds & herbs & teas & I got very very little milk it was enough to feed my preemie 2 oz a day the rest had to be gave with formula. I'd given anything to have breast fed her but it didn't happen for me so I went with formula but of course it never crossed my mind to get donated milk. The nicu nurses just immediately went to the formula option cause my poor baby was starving cause I could not provide for her. I have never felt so awful that when my baby needed most to thrive I couldn't give what she had to have so it does happen.

[MyLovely]

Originally Posted by Tris I probably wouldn't ever use donor milk. If I couldn't BF I would FF without guilt.

This. I would only take donor milk from close friends, so I highly doubt that they would be able to provide enough. Then again, I'm in the camp that breastmilk is best whenever possible (and would go to great lengths to provide it), but if it's not, formula is a perfectly acceptable alternative.

[Palooka]

I am all for donor milk, but not from a smoker. Studies have shown smoking actually damages your DNA, and the damage is apparent several generations on. Not talking about second-hand smoke, but epigenetics where environmental influences can cause genetic changes, in the same realm as pesticide exposure. Yes, the chemicals in cigarettes are that bad. Don't get me wrong, I used to love to smoke a cigarette while getting drunk with my friends way back when. I'm not judging. I just don't want that milk and those chemicals in my baby.

I would use formula before giving donor milk from a smoker.

[EmilyMae12]

Originally Posted by MyLovely This. I would only take donor milk from close friends, so I highly doubt that they would be able to provide enough. Then again, I'm in the camp that breastmilk is best whenever possible (and would go to great lengths to provide it), but if it's not, formula is a perfectly acceptable alternative.

I guess I could see getting milk from a very close friend, but at least for me, the odds are slim that I am close to someone who happens to be lactating. (My one BFing friend had her own issues keeping her supply up for her baby). I honestly went through hell and back trying to BF (and no I am not just talking about pain, bleeding, etc, because I kept going THROUGH all that, despite PPD and having to go back to work . . . only to be able to pump a maximum of 2-3 ounces a day (TOTAL and on a good day, both breasts and this is pumping 3-4 times a day). I feel like I get super defensive because I hear about "trying harder" and "giving up and I could not have tried any harder than I did.

Whether you FF by choice or by necessity or if you care capable of BFing indefinitely and pumping to donate to you, because being a mama is not easy!

[Mom2Connor]

I would never, ever, feed my baby body fluids from another person. Even if I had a sister who offered. I am aware it isn't the popular opinion on this forum but that just totally grosses me out. DS grew up on formula and is a happy, healthy, thriving toddler now. I have no problem with formula at all.

Smoking is a disgusting health risk and I most definitely would not use breastmilk from a smoker, if I was going to for some reason.

[qsefthuko]

I can't stand smoking. Nastiest habit around I think. Anyway I am all for breastmilk and donor milk when possible. However, not when the person doing the donating is on drugs. Nicotine is a drug. I also would hesitate accepting donor milk from someone I don't know as I cannot control what they are taking and have to take their word for it they are ingesting nothing that could harm my child. So if I or a close friend couldn't provide my kids with milk then I would use formula.

[qsefthuko]

Originally Posted by Mom2Connor I would never, ever, feed my baby body fluids from another person. Even if I had a sister who offered. I am aware it isn't the popular opinion on this forum but that just totally grosses me out. DS grew up on formula and is a happy, healthy, thriving toddler now. I have no problem with formula at all. Smoking is a disgusting health risk and I most definitely would not use breastmilk from a smoker, if I was going to for some reason.

Considering your stand on human donor milk are you vegan? Because I don't understand how human milk is worse than cows milk, or eggs, cheese, butter, etc.