Chrissy Teigen, television host, model, cookbook author, and whom many say is the Queen of Twitter in the United States for her "unfiltered, unvarnished honesty," wants people to "normalize formula."
She tweeted, "Ok, I'm gonna say something and you all are definitely gonna make it a thing but here goes: normalize formula."
She then replied to her own Tweet with the following: "Normalize breastfeeding is such a huge, wonderful thing. But I absolutely felt way more shame having to use formula because of lack of milk from depression and whatnot.
"People have surrogates, people have trouble breastfeeding, and all you hear as a new, anxious mom is how breast is best."
Chrissy said she remembered pumping to the "highest" mode because she "didn't trust milk was going into their mouths" if she did a direct latch.
"It drove me mad I could only get an ounce."
ok I'm gonna say something and you all are definitely gonna make it a thing but here goes: normalize formula.
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 29, 2020the stress of it, combined with the guilt that you cannot do nature's most natural thing for your own baby is too much. I dunno why this is my crusade now. I just remember the sadness I felt and want you to know you are doing it right if your baby is fed, mama.
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 29, 2020Oh I’ll just respond to myself, actually: the point is not how great breast milk is. WE KNOW THAT. the point is FORMULA IS OKAY ... *weeeee are not talking about youuuuuuuuuu*
— chrissy teigen (@chrissyteigen) November 29, 2020Chrissy's tweets led moms and dads to share their experiences, adding their gratitude to Chrissy for speaking out.
Thank you! My wife was so stressed out when she couldn’t breast feed, and switching to formula was such a burden lifted from her shoulders. And I got to help with feedings, which was awesome.
— SenatorBogina (@SenatorBogina) November 29, 2020YES!! I struggled SO MUCH w breastfeeding, when I finally saw a lactation specialist she calmed me while I was crying and said “all that matters is that you feed the baby, whether it’s breast milk or formula, just feed the baby, that’s it”
— ????????????Suburban Mama???????????? (@mama_suburban) November 29, 2020Thank you! We had to use formula with both of our children, and the feeling of "failure" on my wife's part was devastating. Formula is great, convenient and lets me carry some of the feeding burden.
— Andrew Rumbach (@AndrewRumbach) November 29, 2020But some pointed out that "formula is more normalized" than breastfeeding.
The problem is, formula *is* more normalized than breastfeeding. Look at children’s books, shows, etc. do you see more bottles or breasts?! #normalizebreastfeeding
— Dorothy Smith (@dorothy_smith_) November 29, 2020Yes but also normalize breastfeeding wherever the mother needs to and is comfortable doing it.
— Eleanore Prescott (@sueisdone) November 29, 2020I think the point is if you can breastfeed, it is superior to formula because of the health benefits. It's important to be honest about that. That's why health professionals encourage it. But absolutely no shame for those who need to use formula instead.
— Defeat fascism 2020 ???????? (@socalmd54) November 29, 2020Formula has always been the norm. the attacks i took from nurses and my family and from anyone at the mall or a restaurant for breastfeeding exclusively was intense. if not for my husband , i would have bailed. how about everyone do whatever tf they want.
— Rosemarie Jensen (@live4literacy) November 29, 2020Did you have a competent lactation consultant? Because milk, other than colostrum, normally doesn't come in for a few days. Pushing breastfeeding without offering proper information and reassurance makes "breast is best" hollow lip service.
— Valerie Jung Finnigan????????????????? (@valeriefinnigan) November 29, 2020Others agree with Chrissy that no one should shame a mother's choice. But they also stress that breastfeeding education is crucial, especially against formula milk marketing and advertising campaigns with millions to spend.
Formula IS the norm.
— Elizabeth Grattan (@egrattan) November 29, 2020
Every person’s autonomy means no one needs to nurse if they don’t want to (or can’t).
But we need actual laws to protect nursing parents in society & even those are disregarded.
Suggesting we need to normalize this billion dollar industry is... wild.Side note: In the Philippines, we have a law in place, better known as the Milk Code that seeks to set up an environment where moms can nurse and have everything she needs to breastfeed her baby successfully. It also provides restrictions on formula milk marketing (read about the Milk Code here).
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOWAmid the heated debate between breastfeeding and formula feeding, netizens point out that it ultimately comes down to this: stop shaming a mom's feeding choice.
As an OB nurse, I can tell you, fed is best. Want to breastfeed? Awesome! Want to formula feed? Awesome! A little of both? Awesome! As long as you're not feeding your baby Mt. Dew, you are winning.
— Erin Wevers (@hecticbuthappy) November 29, 2020Normalize motherhood. Women are shamed for absolutely every choice we make as mothers. Every. Single. One.
— Michelle (@Michelle_RJones) November 29, 2020Absolutely, breastfeed if you want. Use formula if you want, above all do what YOU think is best for you and your baby and let everyone else.... pic.twitter.com/IyuCtjyPSZ
— Lisa Hurst (@LisaDHurst) November 29, 2020Chrissy, married to American singer John Legend, spent some time away from her social platforms after sharing the pain and grief of miscarriage in October.
Chrissy was praised for her courage to speak out and share heartbreaking images about pregnancy loss, a subject that many still do not know how to talk about. Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, who also revealed she miscarried in July 2020, wrote about how continues to be a taboo subject in The New York Times.
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