MSE Parent Club - Part 2

SeptemberBaby_2

I don't involve myself in bf/ff debates but I will say that this time with Jamie I didn't even try bfing. I felt so robbed of my first precious hours with Poppy that I decided not to go through that again. It was far more important to me to have a fed baby and a happy me and I have no regrets (and am too thick skinned to worry about being judged! ).


DH won't be back until 9ish tonight and its the first time I have to bath and put two children to bed on my own! :eek:. Wish me luck . But first they are going to Nanna's for the afternoon so I'm having a spring clean and hopefully find lots more to eBay to boost my fund! :cool:

xx

Millie's_Mum

Morning all, had to post two things which really struck a chord, the running commentary thing, I used to do that with Millie and its really turned around and bit me on the bum.

She is five now and has absolute verbal diarrhoea, we get a running commentary of everything that she is doing/thinking all day and most of it is random in the extreme, I've spent the whole school holidays saying 'OK millie we don't need a running commentary thank you', and I've just realised reading this thread why she is like that!

And breastfeeding, Feelie as I think you know from the pregnancy thread, i gave up on breastfeeding with millie, it was making me miserable and despite the terrible guilt I felt, I was a lot happier once I'd given up, you have to try and decide which way is right for you, if breastfeeding is stopping you enjoying your baby will it have been worth it?

I'm breastfeeding Eloise, shes 7 wks tomorrow and its really going well but she is a different creature to millie altogether, she really wants to breastfeed and works at it with me, I never felt that with millie!

I don't suppose that helps much but just to say I've been where you are now and its really hard, but it does get better and you can't tell by looking whose child was breastfed and whose wasn't, when they get a bit bigger its not an issue anymore, All this will pass and chin up feelie!

Also interested in the odd bottle of formula debate, I can't get the hang of expressing whils feeding (not enough hands) so if I express during the day so I can go out it just makes me feel like I've been feeding all day and haven't had a feed off whilst daddy did it.

redmel1621

MFD - If you are going to give the odd bottle of formula, I can recommend Aptamil. I have just changed Kai to this after 4wks of SMA Gold, and then a week of SMA White........He is much more settled through the day now and he has only been on it since yesteday, but there has been an instant difference in him:)

Mel x

Krystaltips

Feelie, there's no reason you can't still breastfeed, it's just the mechanics of feeding from a breast and feeding from a bottle are so completely different that this is when 'nipple confusion occurs' There are some fantastic resources on this website, and I know I've said it before, but do ring the National Breastfeeding Helpline, the ladies at the other end of the phone are all trained in breastfeeding and counselling skills. Depending on where you are, there is a chance that there may be someone local enough to visit you at home and sit with you for as long as it takes, or let you know what's available for you locally.

And to re-iterate my earlier post. I am not here to tell people how to feed their children or make people feel guilty about their choices. I am as entitled as the next person to give my opinion and tell of my experiences. It's up to each individual as to how they decide to interpret what I write.

Curious_George_2

keelykat wrote: »

Once again I feel crap over the whole not breast feeding thing.... i think i may just avoid forums altogether soon as on another site also theyve been arguing over the pros and cons and some people have gotten quite nasty on there, thankfully no one is like that here.

keely.

feelinggood wrote:

I feel awful about breastfeeding

and this is exactly what shouldnt happen,
theres a lot of people out there that will bang on about breast being best, but as far as im concerned the best thing for your baby is a happy relaxed mummy who is not being put under any pressure for the right or supposedly wrong decisions she makes for her child,

ive come across some terrible breast feeding nazis in my time, i know people who have left la leche league meetings in tears because they were made to feel like they were poisoning thier precious new child by considering formula and i think thats disgusting,

it is hammered into us from the start about breastmilk being the right way to do things, but what about natural childbirth... surely thats the "right" way to do it... but some of us needed extra help, some of us had to have a c section, not the natural way... but we ended up with healthy happy babies at the end of it and im sorry if anyone disagrees but i think thats the most important thing.

That article that krystal linked to had a bit where it said the gut of a newborn is disturbed for 6 months if its delivered by c section... so according to that source i suppose by danny being breech and needing to come out of the sunroof and then going onto formula at just over a week old ive ruined him for good,
i shall expect him to underachieve at school and end up in a young offenders institute then :rolleyes:

sorry about the high levels of sarcasm....
but new mums being made to feel bad about thier milk choices really pee me off, your not harming your baby by giving in to formula, no matter what anyone says
please dont feel guilty, what ever you choose, thats the best way for YOU at that time, do you really want to look back at the first few months of your babies life and only remember what a struggle it was and how awful you felt?

ps - should anyone be considering formula, do yourselves a favour do NOT use SMA gold, its pants!

Sami_Bee

redmel1621 wrote: »

MFD - If you are going to give the odd bottle of formula, I can recommend Aptamil. I have just changed Kai to this after 4wks of SMA Gold, and then a week of SMA White........He is much more settled through the day now and he has only been on it since yesteday, but there has been an instant difference in him:)

Mel x

I used cow n gate as hubby had to do a middle of the night dash for formula and thats the box he liked best lol but my HVs let slip that unofficially they prefer Aptamil :shhh:

ella_ella_ella

Im the same as SB and refuse to write a word about the whole feeding thing! Natasha is a formula baby as will any other babies I have.

Im not against BF but I have seen really sad storys of people becoming stressed and depressed and it affecting them for years.

You only have this time once, why spend it stressing and making your self ill because people make you feel bad. Do what YOU want or think is right, not what you think you should do and enjoy your babies!

cazscoob

feelie just a thought but have you tried feeding lying down? i found it easier in the early days when they are so tiny. i have also found the electric pump better than the manual x

ella_ella_ella

I would also agree that Aptatil is the best formula to buy/try.

Natasha was on SMA Gold for the first week or two and suffered terrible consipation and tummy pains. The midwife unofficially told me to buy Aptamil as SMA is rubbish and the change was practically instant.

Curious_George_2

Sami_Bee wrote: »

I used cow n gate as hubby had to do a middle of the night dash for formula and thats the box he liked best lol but my HVs let slip that unofficially they prefer Aptamil :shhh:

LOL at the box choice!
I would happily recommend Aptamil to anyone,

if the feeding debate makes you all uncomfortable then i wont say another word, i just hate seeing posts from new mums saying how awful they feel about it, we are under enough pressure without being told outright something we are doing / thinking of doing is harmful (when its not)

although i will say its interesting the mums who dont want to talk about it are all formula feeders, no doubt been battered by the breast is best brigade before!

right, Daniel and I are off to play the drums in the kitchen (ie - he bangs pans while i tidy up lol)