Guilt-free Bottle Feeding: Why Your Formula-Fed Baby Can Be Happy, Healthy and Smart

by Madeleine Morris

You are not a bad mother if you can't breastfeed. For decades mums have been told that 'breast is best', that breastfeeding is the single-most important thing we can do for our children. Despite this huge pressure on modern mums, the vast majority of us end up using formula. And we feel guilty. In Guilt-Free Bottle Feeding award-winning journalist Madeleine Morris and paediatrician Dr Sasha Howard challenge the simplistic message of 'breast is best', revealing what everybody knows, but nobody says out loud - that bottle fed babies can grow up to be perfectly happy, healthy and smart. With a thorough yet accessible analysis of health science, parenting sociology and the modern media, the authors provide a balanced, much-needed and long-overdue voice, showing mothers who don't exclusively breastfeed why they are not failures. A mix of political and practical, Guilt-Free Bottle-Feeding also offers comprehensive advice on feeding, including: * Choosing a formula, and choosing a bottle * Sterilising and preparing a feed * How to promote bonding while bottle-feeding * Moving from breast to bottle, and mixed feeding In an era where the pressure on mums is greater than ever before, Guilt-Free Bottle Feeding resets the conversation around infant feeding, supporting all families regardless of how they feed their babies. This is not an anti-breastfeeding book. This is an anti-guilt book.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 2014

Reviews

[Chris Quinn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an interesting read into the research done on both breast and bottle feeding, as well as a brief section at the back about the types and preparation of formula. It does a good job of showing that the research into the benefits of breast feeding could be more rigorous, while the downsides of formula are not as bad as made out. Obviously it's going to be much more beneficial to women who are feeling guilty about not being able to produce milk, or have issues with breast feeding (1 in 20 cannot, many more have issues), but it's useful for any parent looking into breast vs formula or thinking of moving onto formula after breast feeding.

See full review at: https://irlchrusty.wordpress.com/2015...

[Isobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book will help you feel empowered and educated about bottle-feeding and formula feeding. No more feeling bad about using formula!

This book is a scientific, detailed essay about: why it's okay to bottle-feed; breastfeeding throughout the ages and across the globe; the changing family structure in the West; the role of the Catholic church, the media, the internet, celebrities and health professionals in promoting breastfeeding; why formula is demonised.

The authors have crammed this book with thoughtful discussion on the social aspects of feeding babies, and everything that you ever wanted to know about formula and bottle-feeding.

No thanks to my hospital for total lack of assistance with feeding my newborn son, and also no thanks for the lack of education on how to properly sterilize bottles. Irresponsible, considering the huge percentage (the majority!!) of parents who end up bottle-feeding.

Peace ✌️🍼