Lack of support for formula feeding

Suzanne Barston, Blogger and Author, explains what drove her to become an advocate for women who formula feed, and answers questions that other formula feeding women may have
Breastfeeding Advice | Lack Of Support For Formula Feeding
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Lack of support for formula feeding

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When I was a breast feeding mom or even a pumping mom, I found so much support, from my friends to my physician to everything online just told me how I was doing the best thing for my child. And as a pumping mom, there was a little bit less support, but there was this, well, it's second best, but you're doing something very noble, because it's difficult. Then when I switched to exclusively formula feeding, it was like - whoomp. No support. And not only like no support, but it was negative. Like I would plug in a question like how often to feed my baby, or just technical things about formula, and everything that came up would be, formula is poison. You should be breast feeding. And this very prescriptive and regimental kind of advice. So that was when I decided I didn't want any woman to go through what I went through. So I started a blog that was a support source for formula feeders. And I also started a book about why this society has sort of done this to women. Because I feel like you can be the biggest breastfeeding advocate in the world. But once that decision has been made, to punish a woman for formula feeding is just punitive. And it can ultimately harm the child. Because if they're not getting the support they need, they're not going to be a good mom. And being a mother is hard enough as is. We don't need to be cat fighting and making each other feel bad for our choices.

Suzanne Barston, Blogger and Author, explains what drove her to become an advocate for women who formula feed, and answers questions that other formula feeding women may have

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Suzanne Barston, CLC

Blogger & Author of Bottled Up

Suzanne Barston, CLC is the former Editor-in-Chief of Los Angeles Family Magazine, a Certified Lactation Counselor, and a freelance writer specializing in parenting, women’s interest, and science/health topics. She is the author of Bottled Up: How the Way We Feed Babies Has Come to Define Motherhood, and Why It Shouldn’t and blogs as her alter ego, the "Fearless Formula Feeder". "FFF", as it’s known to an international fan base representing over 40 countries, supports parents dealing with issues of guilt, fear, conflict and uncertainty regarding infant feeding difficulties and choices through critical assessments of research, pithy commentary, practical advice, and a weekly series allowing parents to share stories in a cathartic way. She is also the co-creator of the #ISupportYou movement. 

Barston was raised outside of Boston and earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University in 2000. After living and working in Chicago and London, she now resides in Los Angeles with her husband, the photographer Steven Barston, and their two obnoxiously cute children. She and her husband were featured on two award-winning online reality series for Pampers.com, A Parent is Born and Welcome to Parenthood, about their pregnancy and first years as parents. Suzanne's writing and her work with FFF and Bottled Up have been featured in the New York Times, the Huffington Post, SheKnows.com, Babble.com, Pregnancy & Newborn Magazine, Parenting, Babytalk, OhBaby!, Fit Pregnancy, The Observer, Yahoo Shine!, Australia's Good Weekend magazine, and on a variety of radio programs including KPCC's "Take Two", numerous NPR affiliates, "Parenting Unplugged", "Positive Parenting", "Mom Enough", "For Crying Out Loud", "Voice of Russia", and more. Suzanne was honored to be one of the keynote Voices of the Year in 2012 for the annual BlogHer conference.

She currently works both as a writer and as an Infant Feeding Counselor. 

 

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Transcription: 
When I was a breast feeding mom or even a pumping mom, I found so much support, from my friends to my physician to everything online just told me how I was doing the best thing for my child. And as a pumping mom, there was a little bit less support, but there was this, well, it's second best, but you're doing something very noble, because it's difficult. Then when I switched to exclusively formula feeding, it was like - whoomp. No support. And not only like no support, but it was negative. Like I would plug in a question like how often to feed my baby, or just technical things about formula, and everything that came up would be, formula is poison. You should be breast feeding. And this very prescriptive and regimental kind of advice. So that was when I decided I didn't want any woman to go through what I went through. So I started a blog that was a support source for formula feeders. And I also started a book about why this society has sort of done this to women. Because I feel like you can be the biggest breastfeeding advocate in the world. But once that decision has been made, to punish a woman for formula feeding is just punitive. And it can ultimately harm the child. Because if they're not getting the support they need, they're not going to be a good mom. And being a mother is hard enough as is. We don't need to be cat fighting and making each other feel bad for our choices.