Breastfeeding vs Formula

*I am not a doctor, I have done my research but nothing of what I am going to talk about are facts for everyone. These are my PERSONAL opinions and experiences.*

One of the biggest decisions a mother has to make is how they are going to feed their newborn baby. You essentially have 2 choices: breastfeeding or formula. Immediately my heart was set on breastfeeding. I thought it was best for my baby, the healthiest for him and honestly the cheaper way to go. I read a bunch of books, watched videos on YouTube and talked to other breastfeeding mothers. Then a few weeks ago my aunt came over with some things she picked up for Ryder. One of the items she brought happened to be a box of formula. I asked why she would need to buy that for me. She and my mother looked at me and I knew it wasn’t going be a fun discussion. I was put on ADD medicine in the 4th grade and then added a depression medication in 8th grade. When I found out I was pregnant I stopped my medication. I’ll admit that I have seen a difference since I stopped the medications, especially with my depression. Some days are better than others. Some days I want to go out and do things; other days I just want to sit in my room. That being said, my depression is not severe. My doctor and I do not think I am a threat to myself or Ryder. My mother, aunt and I discussed the high possibility of me having to deal with postpartum depression. We also  discussed the possibility that I might have to immediately go back on my medication once I leave the hospital, but that meant would mean no breastfeeding. I did some research to see if there was any medication that is safe to take while breastfeeding. All of the medications said this medicine is a “safer” choice if you are going to breastfeed. None said “safe.” To me there is a huge difference. I was crushed. My heart was set on breastfeeding Ryder and now I might not be able to. My family said it was my choice, I didn’t have to go back on my medicine if I wanted to breastfeed. I decided it would be best for me to be in my right mind, happy, enjoying my son and formula feeding, than to be miserable, miss all the good things and be breastfeeding.

Soon after I came to terms with me having to formula feed, I came across a controversial argument on Facebook about breastfeeding. As I was reading the comments some things mothers were saying were pretty nasty. There were comments like “every mother should breastfeed” and “its wrong to formula feed”. These things made me feel like crap. Is it really better for the baby of a crack addict to be drinking his/her mother’s breast milk? No, I don’t think so. Is it better for my son to be getting my breast milk but having his mother not be completely in her right mind? Again, no, I don’t think so. People try to say formula is not good for babies and it causes a bunch of different health problems. Well from my personal experiences, the 2 kids in my family that were breastfed have ADD. A friend of ours breast fed her 3 children religiously and all 3 of them have autoimmune digestive health issues. The kids in my family that were formula fed are perfectly healthy, physically and mentally. If formula was not good for babies doctors would not have it in their offices and people would not be able to buy it. I will not be using formula as an easy way out or because I just don’t want to deal with breastfeeding. I probably will not be able to breastfeed. There are mothers physically can not breastfeed, so I feel that saying it is wrong for any woman to formula feed is offensive. People may think my decision is not the best for MY baby. But in the end, he is MY child, so I feel that I know his, and my, needs best.        

~Ryder is almost a month old, strictly on formula and he is amazingly healthy and growing at a perfect rate~