Disclosure: Post sponsored by Lunchbox but all opinions are my own. Please see above for additional disclosure.
Over the past fifteen years my parenting style has changed significantly and sometimes in ways that I never imagined. I remember discussing feeding solutions with a friend a few years back and making a statement that began with “I would never….” — she stopped me to say
“Children have a way of making a lier out of you.”
I didn’t immediately catch what she was hinting at, but boy was she ever right! Each of my six babies had their own feeding needs and I have had dozens of “I would never” moments. When my oldest was a baby I said things like:
“I would never use any other brand of formula.”
“I would never use any bottle other than [xyz]!”
“I would never use a pacifier on my baby!”
“I would never breastfeed a baby — I just can’t!”
When he was born, he hated the bottles I bought, my mother-in-law was sneaking him pacifiers, and at nine months old he was consuming $50 a week in formula. I bought new bottles, ignored the pacifier, and switched to Walmart’s private exclusive formula brand, Parent’s Choice. Parent’s Choice is nutritionally comparable to all the expensive baby formula brands, including Enfamil®, Similac® and Gerber® national brand infant formulas. Before I made the switch I took a long look at the nutritional information on the back of the Similac® container and compared it with the Parent’s Choice package. With my side-by-side comparison, I saw no differences!
Years later when my youngest daughter was a baby I was a full-time breastfeeding mommy with a new set of “I would never” moments. I said I would never use formula or a bottle again… oh my, guess what? I did. Baby number six and I were away from each-other this summer and I wasn’t able to get a breast pump before my trip. My husband quickly purchased a pack of new bottles and Parent’s Choice formula to feed him until I returned. You know what? Parent’s Choice is easy to digest and has been well tolerated by millions of babies, including my youngest.
What’s the moral of my story? As important as it is to be informed, it is also equally important to allow yourself to parent to the best of your ability in each individual moment. Parenting styles change, each baby’s needs are different, and your life today may be nothing like the life you live tomorrow. It is each parent’s choice to decide how to feed their baby. This 2016 commit to letting go of “I would never” parenting statements and be happy with your parenting choices you are making today!
Did you know? Higher price doesn’t equal higher quality. Parent’s Choice meets all infant’s formula nutritional standards and the recommendation of the AAP – the American Academy of Pediatrics. Use the Parent’s Choice Baby Formula Finder to select the best formula for your baby.
Value sizes of Parent’s Choice Premium Powder Instant Formula, Parent’s Choice Advantage Tub Powder Stage 2 Formula, Parent’s Choice Sensitivity Canned Powder Infant Formula and Parent’s Choice Gentle Infant Formula each have special savings for under $20 at Walmart now!
