[Jessicaaa]

My sister-in-law is formula feeding her baby (now 14 months). The baby does it baby food, but she still gives him a bottle or two.

During thanksgiving I was suppose to stay in the same room as her and the baby, but I walked in and was attacked by the horrible smell. (she had gone to bed earlier than me) I couldn't sleep in that room. My Aunt said if she breast fed then the baby wouldn't smell so much. I thought it was because she doesn't bathe/change clothes/diapers enough. -- She's always been a smelly girl.

What do you think? Is it the formula or lack of hygenine?

[mcmama]

Speaking as a mom who nursed two babies, and a former daycare provider, I can tell you yes - formula poop stinks way worse than breastmilk poop. My experience was that the formula fed babies were gassier, too. The stool they pass is much more solid than the breastmilk stool.

I bottle fed daycare babies their mother's frozen breastmilk. They really had no problems with stinkiness or discomfort.

All those ads which promise that the formula is "close" to breastmilk are just bunk. The proof is in the pooping!

[twinzplus3]

Yep--lack of hygeine will make a baby smell--of course. . .but formula fed babies stink. Or at least their poop does! Breast fed baby poop smells almost like creamed corn. I can't say its pleasant as one book describes it. . .but it's not horribly unpleasant--it wouldn't make you leave hte room.

[PamConnell]

However, once a baby is on solid foods the poop would be starting to smell bad anyway. Totally breastfed babies don't have smelly poop but most babies after 6 months are on some other foods.

[QueenAngie]

Maybe they both needed to bathe, get rid of the diaper pail, and change sheets?

Yes, formula babies have a worse stool smell than BF babies. Same for burping. But it shouldn't have been that bad.

[MiracleBaby06]

I agree that formula fed babies do have more stench as ive done both with my daughter and some diapers make it worse but its never been unbarable, although the diaper genie can be though. now that shes on soilds its even stronger of a smell but still not horrible. maybe he didnt get changed before going to bed and its been sitting. poor lil guy if this is the case

[zonamytte]

I recently was at the home of someone who's baby boy is 3 days younger than my ds(7mos) - he is formula fed and he was quite stinky - his burps smelled like rotten puke/ he farted a ton and it was honestly unpleasant to hold him...DS is bf and does not stink like that - not even his poops smell half as bad as the burps from this baby...

Sounds to me like your SIL needs to open the windows to get some fresh air in the house!

[JeanLynn81]

My mother always told me if I don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.

But I just wanted to say that my dd is formula-fed and definately does not stink! People have came into my room and said they couldn't even smell diapers. I don't use a diaper genie-just throw them in the trash and take it out twice a day.

[MarieMatthews]

Thanks for your comments, JeanLynn81. It's a little tiring hearing about how non breast feeding moms and their non breast fed children are inferior to their breast feeding/breast fed counterparts. I wasn't going to respond because it's a losing battle but I just wanted to throw some support your way. I'm sure there are breast fed babies out there who "stink" or have "rotten puke" smelling burps.

[twinzplus3]

Whoa ladies! I'm sorry you're offended but no one EVER said that breastfed babies were superior to formula fed ones. What was said was that breastfed poop--before any solids get in there--smells less. One's poop hardly qualifies one as being superior or inferior.
Just like it is tiring for you to "hear about superior breast fed babies" as you put it, it's tiring for me to walk on egg shells around overly defensive moms. If you're happy about your choice to formula feed then you certainly have no need to be defensive. Afterall, no one can make you (or your baby) feel inferior without your permission!