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Postpartum Wellbeing

Family keeps telling me formula isn't good and my baby needs to gain more weight, even though the baby's weight is fine. How do I handle this?

Unsolicited advice from family is almost universal in the early months; if your pediatrician is happy with your baby's weight and growth, you can confidently ignore comments about formula, and it often helps to bring the family along to an appointment so they hear it from the doctor directly.

💡Quick Answer

  • Unsolicited family advice is near-universal early on
  • Trust your pediatrician's growth assessment over opinions
  • Formula is complete nutrition - fed is best
  • Take family to an appointment so they hear it from the doctor
  • A calm, repeated line beats arguing every time

⚠️ Caution:This is about ignoring non-medical opinion, not medical guidance - if your own pediatrician raises a genuine concern about weight or feeding, follow their advice.

🤔What Parents Worry About

New mothers often feel undermined and guilty when relatives criticise formula feeding or imply the baby is underweight. The reassurance is powerful: if the pediatrician is satisfied, the baby is fine, and protecting your own confidence and mental health matters just as much as the feeding choice.

Community Answers from Moms(5)

Here's what moms in our community shared based on their own experience.

  1. 1

    In the first few months and beyond, you'll get a lot of unsolicited advice from family. They often don't have the right awareness or exposure, and it can make you question your own decisions. If the baby's weight is fine and your pediatrician isn't worried, please ignore it.

  2. 2

    What helped me most: take the family members along to the pediatrician so they hear it straight from the doctor. Once they hear 'the weight and growth are perfectly fine' from the horse's mouth, the comments usually stop.

  3. 3

    Fed is best. Formula is complete nutrition - it's designed to meet all of a baby's needs. Combine-fed and formula-fed babies grow up perfectly healthy. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty about it.

  4. 4

    Track growth by the pediatrician's charts, not by relatives' opinions or how 'chubby' another baby looks. Every baby has their own healthy build and curve.

  5. 5

    It happens to all of us. A calm 'the doctor is happy with her weight' and changing the subject works better than arguing each time.

About These Answers

The information shared on this page comes from real experiences of mothers in our community. While we strive to provide helpful insights, this content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult with your pediatrician, healthcare provider, or other qualified medical professional for any questions regarding your child's health or development.

Last reviewed: July 28, 2026

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Family keeps telling me formula isn't good and my baby needs to gain more weight, even though the baby's weight is fine. How do I handle this? | Real Mom Answers | Mom Insider