A question I've been asked many times in the last few months. To be fair, people try to be a bit more subtle and ask when I'm thinking about stopping or ask whether I'm missing chocolate or dessert, but I can see that they really don't get it. They don't get why I'd continue to breastfeed when it means I have to say no to dessert, drink black tea in Costa (no cake) and check every packet in the supermarket. To them it's so simple, get some hypoallergenic formula prescribed and whack out the family sized bar of Galaxy.
Of course I miss dessert, I miss goats' cheese and hot chocolate, I miss yogurt on a morning and Parmesan on my pasta, milky coffees and pizza. I fantasise about having a day off our 'diet' and think about what I'd eat. But knowing that my baby is healthy is worth it a million times over, I don't think people fully understand that. It's what being a mummy is all about to me, putting someone else first always, not just when it's convenient.
Ultimately breastmilk is what is best for any baby. Formula, and later pure cows' milk, are a very close second. Cows' milk is very similar to human milk in terms of its fat content and vitamins etc. If Henry didn't have his allergies I wouldn't hesitate in giving him a cup of cows' milk after his first birthday next month. If breastfeeding wasn't practical with going back to work, giving the odd cup of formula wouldn't bother me either. But Henry can't have either of those. Third best is soya formula and I have 2 issues with that...the fact that I'm still not 100% sure that Henry's not allergic to that too, but also the issues I have with the hormone levels in soy. But that's a post for another day. So fourth choice, after breastmilk, cows milk/formula and soy milk is hypoallergenic formula....
Here are the ingredients of one of these formulas that I found online...
Corn Maltodextrin (35%), Casein Hydrolysate [Derived from Milk] (18%), Sugar (15%), High Oleic Safflower Oil (10%), Medium-Chain Triglycerides (10%), Soy Oil (8%). Less than 2% of the Following: C. Cohnii Oil, M. Alpina Oil, Calcium Phosphate, DATEM, Potassium Citrate, Xanthan Gum, Magnesium Chloride, Monoglycerides, Salt, Ascorbic Acid, L-Cystine Dihydrochloride, Calcium Carbonate, L-Tyrosine, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, L-Tryptophan, Taurine, m-Inositol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, dl-Alpha-Tocopheryl Acetate, Zinc Sulfate, L-Carnitine, Niacinamide, Mixed Tocopherols, Calcium Pantothenate, Cupric Sulfate, Vitamin A Palmitate, Thiamine Chloride Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Potassium Iodide, Potassium Hydroxide, Phylloquinone, Biotin, Sodium Selenate, Vitamin D3, and Cyanocobalamin.
I spend my life cooking organic food for Henry, I don't add salt or sugar and I know that he doesn't eat any additives or rubbish on a daily basis. I have real issues, therefore, in feeding him this formula several times a day when there's no real reason to. Look at how much has been added, not only that, but it still contains dairy and soy, only they've been broken down and processed to such an extent that they're able to be tolerated by babies with allergies. Breastmilk is best for him, as it is for any baby, but I feel particularly strongly that with no 'second best' option, I owe it to Henry to continue to breastfeed him until he's able to tolerate cows' milk or no longer require as much milk in his diet. It's not forever, no dessert for a few more months isn't going to kill me and just imagine how good that bar of Galaxy will taste when I can have it again. It really doesn't bother me, it puzzles me why it bothers other people so much.
So for now we'll continue with the rice milk and vegan cake, the Free From aisle and night time breastfeeds. Please don't feel sorry for us or pity us, I'm beyond grateful that I can do something for my little boy, that I'm able to feed him so easily. He is the most important thing in the world and his health will always come before any slice of chocolate cake, no matter how good it may be.
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