Meanwhile, ignorant hot-take-havers are saying things like why dont people just breastfeed then?
Well, let me break it down for you.
I breastfed all three of my kids.
One never got a drop of formula; the others got very occasional bottles.
I think Ive bought three or four packages of formula in my entire life.
And that should not be a controversial statement.
Now I will probably also be roasted as a pro-breastfeeding evil hag witch.)
What triggers milk to be produced?
Breastmilk doesnt just exist in breasts everywhere, ready to be unleashed at the turn of a spigot.
Later, when that person becomes pregnant, the breast tissue develops further.
The glandular tissue in the breast grows, with ducts branching apart from each other.
Epithelial cells turn into milk-producing cells.
Toward the end of the pregnancy, small amounts of colostrum (a precursor to milk) are produced.
Lets say you breastfeed from the start.
The baby suckles, and you keep producing milk.
(In other words, the less the baby eats, the less you produce.)
Once the baby stops nursing and/or you stop pumping milk, your body will slowly stop making it.
Can you breastfeed later, if youve stopped doing it?
In other words, the people who can breastfeed are the people who arealready doing so.
Rest assured that people in this situation have already considered this possibility and are doing it if they can.
Even so, it may take weeks to re-establish your supply.
Its definitely not a short-term solution for a formula shortage.
How long do babies need breastmilk or formula?
This is the time that pediatricians say its fine to swap out their formula for plain old cows milk.
(There are toddler formulas available, as well.)
For babies who are between 6 and 12 months, cows milk may be an option, as well.
After all, these babies are beginning to eat solid food, including dairy products.
How did babies eat before modern formula was invented?
Its true that more babies were breastfed in the distant past than are today.
Sometimes the baby at home became malnourished because their mother was unable to adequately feed both.
Its also true that babies died when they could not be properly fed.
So, yes, breastfeeding is one way that babies can be fed.
Its not helpful to tell parents who are facing a formula shortage to just breastfeed.
