For moms, guilt strikes whenever you can’t give your kids something that they truly need. On my case, it includes breastfeeding.

It’s been 4 years and a month but I am still carrying that guilt for I was not able to breastfeed my daughter. I gave birth via Caesarian section so I was asleep during the first hours of my daughter. They gave her a very expensive formula milk for her to ‘shut up and sleep’ because she was already wailing therefore disturbing other babies in NICU. I tried to give her breast milk the following day and the day after but I stopped because of personal issues and all, also known as post-partum blues. I felt that I was not giving her enough so we switched to infant formula.

Her pedia considered a less expensive formula because she was concerned about our finances and reminded me that babies will get the same nutrients in milk advertised by giant milk companies even if I give her store brand formula. She even added “It’s not about the milk…” and I believed her.

Now, on to my question: Should I be guilty for giving my child infant formula? I guess not. But I’d definitely breastfeed my next baby for I believe that breast milk is still the gold standard in infant nutrition. I am even more thankful that a lot of programs are now geared to promote breastfeeding among mothers that even the WIC has supported this by deducting 20% for formula subsidies in order to increase breastfeeding rates among families.