Seriously?

About two weeks ago, Lily was cluster feeding like crazy.  It was really difficult, painful, and it felt like forever.  Things calmed down and her growth spurt ended.  The next day, I received an unsolicited package of formula from Enfamil.  I cannot express just how happy I was that it came after the cluster feeding nightmare, during which time I was seriously questioning how much I wanted to breastfeed because it is hard.  To try and deny that is insanity.  Breastfed babies eat more frequently, sleep less deeply, and are much more mama-intensive.  I'm told it gets better at the six week mark, but it took everything I had to get through that growth spurt.

So when I received that package of formula that I didn't request (against international law, I might add) I was pissed.  The formula companies are betting on some poor new mom like me receiving that in the throes of what I was going through and deciding that maybe it's worth it to just give one bottle of formula.  The thing is that if you don't feed a newborn (or any baby) on demand, it can mess up your body's cues to the brain to increase milk supply so that you don't have to continue to cluster feed because your body increases milk supply and the baby gets more at one feeding.  So that mother who gave her baby "just one bottle" of formula can very easily end up having less milk and eventually exclusively formula feeding.

For the record, this post is absolutely not intended to knock mothers who formula feed.  Sometimes breastfeeding can't or doesn't work for any number of reasons and having formula available is absolutely necessary and a great thing.  But it makes me livid that the formula companies in this country blatantly ignore international law to send unsolicited samples to new mothers when the mere presence of that formula in the home significantly increases the likelihood that breastfeeding will fail.

Since I didn't get anywhere even remotely in the vicinity of the birth that I wanted, not struggling with the ability to breastfeed has been a huge blessing (even if it has been trying).  My hope is that all women who desire to breastfeed have a supportive partner who will help them make it through the difficult periods even if a box of formula ends up on the doorstep.  And if it does, consider donating the sample to a crisis pregnancy center or other center for women and children in need.