Does anyone else wish they received more support in choosing to formula feed? When discussing that I'd switched to formula when DS2 was 7 months old, I am really sick of comments questioning my need to really switch to formula... I get the feeling that they are sure it was something I was goaded in to, rather than a choice I made for the best for all of us.

I did actually stop BF due to health issues for both of us, but overall I found formula so much more beneficial for us. I think because i BF DS1 for over 2.5 years, I had my own expectations in regards to BF DS2, but also felt under a lot of pressure to continue with DS2, perhaps because I'd done so "well" with DS1.

Ironically in hinesight I wish I'd weaned DS1 well before the "full term BF" the WHO recommends. Apart from being very healthy, ie, never sick.... it was of no other benefit to us, and I really doubt he'd be any sicker if he'd been put on formula at 12 months. Yet i kept feeding him due to constant support in it being "best" and "better". I genuinely don't believe it was the best thing for us. Tandem feeding, a whole other story was a horrific experience and of benefit to none of us. Unfortunately I plodded along with that for 7 months because i kept hearing how "well" i was doing and how great it was for them. It honestly wasn't, and its also something I wish I hadn't done.

I found the support to keep BF valuable, but looking back i have realised that some of the comments were rather harmful. In making statements such as "you're doing the best for him, them, BF is the best" I kept going, yet if you came in to my home, you would have seen it wasn't the best for us. I put off going on other medications for PND due to them not being safe for BF just so I could keep BF. This prolonged my PND and being mistreated it became Atypical. I wish someone had said "whilst BF is nutritionally better, it may not be the best option in your situation", I would have looked at switching sooner, instead of stubbornly trying to continue something that was not beneficial to any of us.

Even if i hadn't stopped BF for health reasons, I'd like more support in simply choosing it. Do you feel supported in having chosen to use formula? Unfortunately I've felt stigmatised in that I must be using formula because i couldn't BF. I could BF, but it just wasn't best for us. So I chose formula, which has been better for everyone. I can't see that DS2 is at any detriment because of it. He is just as healthy as DS1, and ironically a better eater and sleeping, could be co-incidental but i'm not complaining!

I used to be a real advocate in supporting the BF mum who's having difficulties to keep BF. But i'll no longer encourage her to keep going and tell her she's doing a great job. Because i don't know whats going on in her house, i don't know her situation, so whilst BF is nutritionally best for human babies, i can't say with all confidence that it's the best way for her to feed her baby. And if she switches to formula, she'll still be doing a great job because she's made the best choice for her and her family.

I think we need to be supported in choosing what is best and better for us taking in account all the factors. And while i'm feeding my baby a bottle, i'd love to hear that i'm doing a great job. Funny enough its not something i've heard since i switched to formula, yet i certainly am.

I used to feel a great deal of sadness and sense of failure when i realised i would not be feeding DS2 in the same way as I did DS1. But now i am so glad i can see the other side of the coin! It has given a great perspective on the concept of feeding a baby and how it affects every aspect of our lives. And funny enough, instead of wishing I'd BF ds2 for longer, i now wish I'd BF DS1 for less! I wish at the time i'd received more support when toying with the idea of switching to formula.