I just want to say thank you so much for your foundation’s web page and support group. I can’t say thank you enough! This is exactly the support system I have needed in my life since my daughter was admitted into the hospital at 3 weeks old due to failure to thrive.

This was worst experience of my life as a new mama and when the doctor told me my daughter could have died I was broken.

Because of the intense pressure, I felt the need to exclusively breastfeed my daughter. Yet for the 3 weeks that I tried I had no idea that I was starving my daughter ? My midwife was absolutely useless and she is a the biggest reason why this happened to us as she told me to keep breastfeeding and everything was fine. Long story short, I just didn’t have enough milk, and I didn’t find out until after my daughter was admitted to the hospital. This was the worst feeling in the world.  Formula is the only reason my daughter is alive today.  Formula saved my daughter’s life!

She is now 2 months but I still feel the guilt every day of not being able to breastfeed my daughter.  I feel like a failure. I cry most days because I am angry that my body failed me and my daughter. It’s a horrible feeling, but I feel this way due to the motto “breast is best”. However, for us this wasn’t the case. Although I know formula is the best choice for my girl, I still hate going into the supermarket to buy it as I feel like people are judging me. I also feel embarrassed taking her into a public place and feeding her a bottle. I would rather go and hide in a parent room where I will receive no judgement, isn’t this sad?  I also have scary thoughts that if I ever have another child will my breasts will fail me again. I hate this feeling but this has been my experience. For a while now I have been searching for some kind of support because of my lonely journey.  Your foundation page has brought tears to my eyes and I cannot thank you enough for your advocacy. It is something I needed when I was going through the toughest time of my life with my daughter.

-Janelle W.

#FedIsBest

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Resources:

Clinicians’ Guide to Supporting Parents with Guilt About Breastfeeding Challenges

Can Redefining Infant Feeding Goals Enable Families to Feel Confident About How They Nourish Their Babies?

https://truthandcheesecake.com/postpartum-motherhood-battle-wounds-badge-of-honour/

My Inability to Exclusively Breastfeed Was a Constant Destructive Force in My Life After My Son’s Birth – I Had a Suicide Plan

HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT FED IS BEST

There are many ways you can support the mission of the Fed is Best Foundation. Please consider contributing in the following ways:

1. Join the Fed is Best Volunteer group to help us reach Obstetric Health Providers to advocate for counseling of new mothers on the importance of safe infant feeding.
2. Make a donation to the Fed is Best Foundation. We are using funds from donations to cover the cost of our website, our social media ads, our printing and mailing costs to reach health providers and hospitals. We do not accept donations from breast- or formula-feeding companies and 100% of your donations go toward these operational costs. All the work of the Foundation is achieved via the pro bono and volunteer work of its supporters.
3. Share the stories and the message of the Fed is Best Foundation through word-of-mouth, by posting on your social media page and by sending our resources to expectant moms that you know. Share the Fed is Best campaign letter with everyone you know.
4. Write a letter to your health providers and hospitals about the Fed is Best Foundation. Write them about feeding complications your child may have experienced.
5. Print out our letter to obstetric providers and mail them to your local obstetricians, midwives, family practitioners who provide obstetric care and hospitals.
6. Write your local elected officials about what is happening to newborn babies in hospitals and ask for legal protection of newborn babies from underfeeding and of mother’s rights to honest informed consent on the risks of insufficient feeding of breastfed babies.
7. Send us your stories. Share with us your successes, your struggles and every thing in between. Every story saves another child from experiencing the same and teaches another mom how to safely feed her baby. Every voice contributes to change.
8. Send us messages of support. We work every single day to make infant feeding safe and supportive of every mother and child.  Your messages of support keep us all going.

Thank you so much from the Founders of the Fed is Best Foundation!