These Tweets Show That "Fed Is Best" When It Comes To Infant Feeding

How you feed your baby isn't nearly as important as making sure your baby gets fed.

ICYMI: Ravishly recently hosted a Twitter chat all about infant feeding. We loved talking with panelists Joni Edelman, Erin Khar, and Carrie Saum of Our Stable Table. All three of these mamas have unique experiences around infant feeding, which was an important message that we wanted to communicate through this chat. No matter how you choose or need to feed your baby, what's most important is that your baby is fed. Fed is best — no ifs, ands, or buts about it!

There was much commiseration over all the judgmental bullshit that comes with creating a human and then feeding them food (so radical, we know).

What have your experiences been with infant feeding? How did you deal with the inevitable judgmental bullsh%t?

Seriously, will the shaming ever end?

Related: Breastfeeding Is A Reproductive Rights Issue — And I Am Pro-Choice

Donor milk is one of the most underrepresented methods of infant feeding out there, but it is vital for babies with allergies that make traditional formula an impossibility. Donor milk can help some of the most vulnerable babies (and their parents!) stay nourished and strong in the face of difficult health challenges. Our panelist, Carrie, knows this story all too well. Her son was born with FPIES, a severe allergy to just about everything. Contact with the wrong foods could make E vomit to the point of shock, threatening his life.

Why donor milk is so important

Carrie and E's story also highlights the complexities of infant feeding. When we see someone — usually a mother — feeding their baby, we're only getting a glimpse of the story behind that scene. Any judgment we make is based off a very limited understanding of the intimate relationship between parent, child, and food.

Related — For Food Allergy Awareness Month: My Son Has FPIES

Managing editor Erin has a different infant feeding story. Her sweet baby Franklin was born early, so he spent his first weeks on the planet in the NICU, where feeding conditions were not ideal.

Our Editor-In-Chief Joni Edelman keeps it real when it comes to the science of "Breast Is Best."

One more time for my friends in the back...

The "Fed Is Best" #RavChat was one for the books. Thank you to everyone who participated, and be sure keep your eyes peeled for our next chat — we'd love to see you there!