Looks like the government finally made a move to ban milk powder from China:
The Health Ministry has banned all inflant formulas, milk and milk products from China to safeguard against poisoning by the toxic industrial chemical melamine.
And this is after so many days of the whole saddening poisoned milk issue over in China causing the death of four babies and thousands of sick babies. It is sad that people would stoop so low to make a fast buck, to the point of poisoning small, innocent babies (whether knowingly or unknowingly – both also equally bad).
That’s why I have always been a strong advocator of breastfeeding. Whenever I have friends who are expecting, I’d remind them to breastfeed. And I’d even provide them with the numbers of some breastfeeding support group people in case they need more expert help and advice compared to my…err..novice experiences.
My journey towards fully breastfeeding my son was by far an easy and smooth one. During my pregnancy, I encountered a lot of infant formula salespeople trying to push off their DHA, whatever-A formula on me and when I tell them that I planned to breastfeed, this is what I get:
“You won’t have enough milk, better buy some to spare”
“Our infant formula is better, it contains more vitamins, etc,etc…”
“It is better to mix with infant formula or else your baby will be malnourished…”
At home, luckily my husband fully supports my intention to breastfeed. As first time parents, we attended a pre-natal class and we are well aware of the benefits of breastfeeding, both to the mother and the baby. Nothing will ever stop me from breastfeeding my son, unless I kick the bucket lar….
So, we did get a small tin of infant formula for the eventuality of me kicking the bucket due to any labour complications…we never know. With all the advances in science, women still die from labour complications.
Anyway, I chose to deliver my son in a baby-friendly hospital, Penang Adventist Hospital, and yes, the hospital even has a breastfeeding support group. The initial two-weeks after my son was born was an absolute torture. I had very little milk and he demanded to be fed practically every hour.
Still, I will not allow any infant formula to be fed to him. I was sore and frustrated. I was also drinking gallons of liquids in the form of soups, milk and water. But I persisted. My son was growing quite well and poo-ing many, many times a day, so I knew he wasn’t malnourished even though my milk supply seemed little. In order to stimulate my milk glands, I made very sure that I breastfed him direct. And then, finally the milk came.
When I went back to work, it wasn’t easy to continue breastfeeding. I get obstacles all the way but still I persists. Finding time to express milk while at work is a real challenge. Also, it was not easy to find a place to express milk since the toilets at our office block are filthy!
On top of that, I get a lot of negative reactions from some people. My babysitter is the number one objector to my insistence that she only give my son my EBM (expressed breastmilk). I became so paranoid that I checked my son’s poo everyday (breastfed babies have very loose stools) to make sure that she gave him EBM and not secretly gave him infant formula. Since I did not give her any infant formula for my son, luckily she is too stingy to go buy infant formula or use another child’s formula to feed my son! But everyday, she’d argue with me and tell me that breastmilk is not as good as infant formula.
She’s not highly educated and was clearly bought over by all the TV advertisements so I tried to be patient and explained the difference to her. Still, she continued to argue with me about this for more than a year!
I also get a lot of strange stares and discouraging comments from relatives and friends when I told them that I fully breastfed my son. We did not buy infant formula at all. He depended fully on breast milk for the first six months and even after he started on solids, he still drinks breastmilk.
We only started giving him milk powder when he is about 18 months old. That is when he starts weaning himself off. He doesn’t want to suckle anymore and he had stopped drinking from a milk bottle at one year old! He drank milk with a cup and spoon. He also started hating milk of any kind and we had to add Nestum and oats to it before he’d drink it.
So, what did I really gain from all these difficulties? Well, we saved hundreds since EBM is free! My son is very much healthier and stronger than babies fed on infant formula. It is obvious, the other kids at the babysitter’s are always falling sick but my son is less affected. I lost quite a lot of the baby weight. For awhile, I got a double D-cup chest 
! And no, my breasts do not sag after I stopped breastfeeding. It ‘bounced’ back to its original size.
And yes, we do not have to worry about contaminated milk powder because EBM is as organic and natural as it gets!
Just look at this horrifying scenario:
China said this week that milk powder tainted with the melamine, which is used in plastics, had sickened at least 6,200 babies nationwide and killed four over a period of many months.
It is so scary what all these milk companies put in their milk! Next time, breastfeed lah. If not, remember to buy milk from countries with stricter regulations and laws such as Australia and New Zealand. Otherwise, to be really on the safe side, go buy organic milk powder. It may be expensive but think about it, is your baby’s life worth saving that few bucks on milk powder? You mean you want your baby to consume milk powder with….
Melamine added to milk and other food products gives the appearance of higher protein levels.
This is not paranoia. When it comes to innocent, weak little babies, we have to be careful what we feed them. If you really want to save money and be on the safe side, BREASTFEED lor.
I hope the Chinese government punishes the perpetrators really sternly. Lifelong jail sentences should be appropriate. After all, they murdered four babies and harmed thousands others!
This is why men are so attracted to women’s breast. We have been conditioned since we were babies to look for a woman’s jugs!!!!
[...] Ban on infant formula from China, why not breastfeed to be safe [...]
[...] Ban on infant formula from China, why not breastfeed to be safe [...]