Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

This doesn't bother me -

If you are really, truly ok with your decision as a parent - you don't doubt yourself - you don't worry about what 'other people' did, and you truly do not care what other's opinions are of your choice ...... and no nurse in the hospital is going to 'make you feel bad' ......I never once felt guilty or paid a second of attention to the looks I got when they handed me that formula - thank you very much, be on your way please !

I knew I didn't want to nurse. I was willing to try to pump, but the nurses at my hospital didn't want to be bothered w/ me b/c I ddn't want to "at least TRY' to nurse - so I was on my own w/ the pump. I was miserable - I got 4 oz of milk a DAY for 3 weeks (w/ each baby) - My kids were formula fed.

I don't make excuses, I don't explain myself I don't say "I gave my kids formula b/c I tried to pump but didn't get any milk ........" - I just didn't want to do it. I don't care what you think, I don't care if you feel that you're a better mother than me, I don't care if you don't think I made the best choice for my kid .......and quite frankly, my KID doesn't care what you think either .......

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

I don't disagree that BM has great benefits and encouraging woman to BF is wonderful.


What bothers me is that this is going to end up stressing a lot of new moms out bc their choice is going to be questioned and make it challenging for me to get formula bc for whatever reason BFing is not for them. Of all ways to save the city money, this is where he butts in, when it comes to someone's own body?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

I do think it would be nice if we could get more of the moms receiving WIC and/or public assistance to embrace BFing. It must be costing municipalities a fortune to provide formula to all those babies and children.

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

I have not read this entire thread nor have I read the article, so forgive me if I bring up something that is redundant.

However, I *think* I might understand one aspect from where he is coming and TRUST ME, I am NOT a Bloomberg fan AT ALL!!! With that said, I do believe a lot of hospitals offer formula. But what happens to the girls/women from lower income areas who no longer have access to free samples of formula? They resort to feeding their babies with juice. Juice has no nutritional value and leads to numerous health problems such as cavities and obesity. So maybe by NOT pushing formula and showing these girls an alternative, future health problems may be avoided hence saving the city money down the line and lowering insurance premiums.

Just a thought...

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

I'm grateful for the initiative, it's not a law, it's an initiative from the World Health Organization.

Formula is an acceptable form of nutrition but not ideal for the human body...cows milk (which formula is made of) is made for calfs, soy formula has high levels of estrogen which should not be given to little boys...also soy is a very genitically altered crop.

Breast feeding is VERY hard in the beginning and I have to say that those FREE EFFING samples of enfamil that kept arriving at my house from my 30th week (which I NEVER requested) on weren't helpful in encouraging me...I had to have my husband throw them out so that I could keep going.

All this being said, we are all grown women and if you choose to feed your child formula then live with the fact that it's not the ideal form of nutrition (at the same time it's not poison so don't attack someone for making that choice). If you can't breastfeed but would like to give your child breast milk, there are lots of donor banks available to help (Eats on Feets and Human Milk for Human Babies) to name a few.

Message edited 7/30/2012 12:52:50 PM.

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Please take a lesson from some of the other women who responded to this thread Grill girl.....it IS indeed possible to agree (even if partially) with Bloomberg's plan and state so MATURELY and NICELY without coming off as an obnoxious ****.

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

"What do we tell our staff to do when mothers (families) request infant formula?
While breastfeeding is healthier for both mothers and babies, staff must respect a mother’s
infant feeding choice. Educating mothers and families about breastfeeding and providing
encouragement and support, both prenatally and after birth, is the best way to ensure
breastfeeding success in your hospital.
While in the hospital your staff can:
• Assess if breastfeeding is going well and encourage the mother to keep trying.
• Provide education and support to mothers who are experiencing difficulties.
• If the mother still insists on receiving formula, document it in the chart along with the
reason and distribute only the amount of formula needed for the feeding.
• Train staff in breastfeeding support (CLC, IBCLC) who can be available to assist new
mothers at all times regardless of day, night or weekends. "

Lactch on NYC Q&A

This is the actual page and it never says they will be talked to at every feeding, just that only what is needed will be given in terms of formula. What's wrong with that?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Posted by BriBri2u

Posted by jgl

Posted by Grill


I do however agree that formula should NOT ever be offered at hospitals unless a mother/baby can not nurse for a medical reason.

So i should be forced to BF even if it makes me incredibly uncomfortable to have a human being sucking my on nipples?


Your statement really pisssed me off!

Oh give me a break... You do realize you are taking away a woman's right to choose when you make a comment like this?

People like you who know just go on and on about how great BFing is and that everyone SHOULD do it is one of the many reasons why I chose to NOT to do it.

You (pushy BFing advocates) are all so annoying with your preaching of benefits and guilt trip to people who are not comfortable with the idea.

I might have been more open to it once my DS was born, but I was constantly being asked if I was going to BF him and was preached so many times in the hospital about it being THE best choice, that making the decision to not was a very easy one.

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

I formula fed my DS for no other reason than that's what I wanted to do.

That said, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity and resources to research the choices for myself and make my own decision.

I understand that some women are not so lucky, or motivated to research these types of things.

So from that perspective I don't necessarily disagree with the initiative. But it kind of depends on how it's handled in the hospital.

If it's as simple as me saying formula please, and the nurse asking if I'm aware of the benefits of breastfeeding and/or would like more information, and then I say no and she gives me the formula with no more questions for the rest of my stay, then I don't think it's a big deal.

But if it's more like pushing and trying to shame mothers into breastfeeding then I don't agree.

And while I was confident in my decision and wouldn't have been affected by a pushy nurse, many women aren't as self confident, and they shouldn't be punished for that.

I also agree with what some others have said that hospitals really need to provide better support for breastfeeding. Every hospital should have at least 1 and probably more lactation consultants on staff at all times. Why is that not part of the initiative? Getting people to breastfeed is not as easy as just "hide the formula".

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Message edited 7/30/2012 1:25:06 PM.

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

At the end of these types of thread that always go the same way....with the same people...my biggest issue with this thread is that we are waging a war on EACH OTHER! Why can't we just be supportive of the mother standing next to us regardless of if they are feed from the boob or not?!?! At the end of the day isn't that what every mother needs? Support?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

Re: Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

there is no dispute that breast milk is the best for infants. so while i agree with the premise behind the initiative, i do not agree with bloomberg's approach. there should be more lactation consultants on staff at the hospitals, formula should not be offered unless it is specifically requested, breastfeeding classes should be offered for free (isnt there a charge for them?), etc.

Not sure if it's been posted already...did you hear about Bloomberg's latest initiative?

From the initiative website: Mothers who decide to formula feed and cannot afford formula will be referred to WIC (Women, Infants and Children), a food and nutrition program for low-income families.

so what happens to a mother who can't afford formula but has no milk supply? she leaves the hospital with nothing but WIC paperwork to fill out. she then has to wait to be approved (let's hope she is) before she's able to get formula for her baby. how long do you think that will take in the great bureaucracy that is NYC?