Breastfeeding

Mrs_Arcanum

fluffnutter wrote: »

Very true, but not to be relied upon as a contraceptive!

Why I carefully worded it :rotfl:

Anacrusis

pinkshoes wrote: »

All I will say is that once you make the decision to switch, make sure it's the right one, as once your milk dries up, there is no turning back. A friend of mine has a son the same age as mine, and she stopped breastfeeding at 8 weeks as he took so long for his feeds. At 6 months, she now really regrets not getting help from a breastfeeding clinic or expert to see if she could continue, but c'est la vie!

It was a challenge but a friend of mine did re-establish breast feeding with lots of help from La Leche League. I don't know how long she had stopped for though.

So I wouldn't stop thinking you can start again later, but if you have stopped and now regret it, it might be worth getting in touch with LLL to see if they can help.

trumpton

I thought it was pretty widely known that there are, statistically, fewer cot deaths amongst breast-fed babies. There are big health benefits to breast-feeding which is why they push it so much. I think everyone should give it a try, but if it doesn't work after you've really persevered, then those who choose formula shouldn't be made to feel bad about it.

Valli

piglet25 wrote: »

How a woman chooses to feed her baby is her own decision and sod all to do with anyone else, as long as the baby is happy and healthy, I bottle fed all mine by choice and they are all fine and dandy and not for a minute did I feel selfish.

I wholeheartedly agree - although I did BF my two, my choice (and partly because I CBA to bother with formula and bottles)

By the same token though I got castigated by a pregnant mum (I'd been asked to go and speak to the ante natal group about breastfeeding) because I'd had a c-section...not even an elective one though - it was an EMERGENCY c-section under general anaesthetic. She had the temerity to ask if I 'deserved' a healthy baby because I had not given birth naturally.

It SHOULD be the mother (and father's) choice. This constant haranguing for 'incorrect' (in their eyes) choices SHOULD STOP. NOW. Parents have a hard enough job anyway, it's exhausting caring for a tiny baby and awful if the breast feeding isn't working out and the baby is screaming with hunger. What a nightmare that must be.

Desperate_Housewife_2-2

I think it should be the mother's choice seeing as it is her thats doing it. Women choose not to breast feed for many reasons, it is better for the baby to have breast milk as it is designed for human babies whereas cows milk is designed by nature for large animals (cows) with small brains..not perfect but will do and sustain the baby if breast milk is not available.

I read a great book by Sheila Kitzinger when I was at the end of my tether with breastfeeding (mastitis, cracked sore nipples, colcky baby and c section) and it gave me the knowledge and strength to continue, which by some small miracle I did for 10 months as well as working full time!

Having said that, its not for everyone and society seems to shun breastfeeding women while glorifying naked topless models etc etc... I got kicked out of John Lewis cafe once for attempting to breastfeed my daughter (discretely) and told to do it in the baby changing room (read toilet) so there you are, a sad indictment on todays attitudes in the modern world...

My advice to new mums is to make your own decisions, health visitors are invited into your home to help not to dictate and should be shown the door if they start with nazi tactics. Oh, and if you do decide to breastfeed, seek help if poss as it is hard and takes patience and perseverence. Good luck

fluffnutter

Desperate_Housewife wrote: »

Having said that, its not for everyone and society seems to shun breastfeeding women while glorifying naked topless models etc etc... I got kicked out of John Lewis cafe once for attempting to breastfeed my daughter (discretely) and told to do it in the baby changing room (read toilet) so there you are, a sad indictment on todays attitudes in the modern world...

If this was since October 2010, they're breaking the law.

barbiedoll

fluffnutter wrote: »

If this was since October 2010, they're breaking the law.

That's absolutely right but it's surprising just how many places are still hassling BF mums.

One of my new mums was told off in the registry office when she was there to register her child's birth. The young lad on reception told her that she would have to go and sit in a cupboard because "there will be a wedding party here in a minute and you can't do that in front of them"
Bloody cheek! :mad:

With regard to whether women should breastfeed or not, I can confirm that there are indeed some women who simply cannot feed their babies. I have looked after two women recently, who just did not produce enough/any milk, despite the help of BF counsellors, midwives, and GP support. There appeared to be absolutely no physical reason why their bodies didn't do what they were supposed to do and both of them were terribly upset at the time. As I told them, formula feeding has been around for many years, Victorians used to give their babies evaporated milk and water! We're lucky enough in this country to have clean water, safe formula and electricity to enable us to safely sterilise feeding equipment so it really is up to the individual. At the end of the day, babies need to be fed, if that has to be formula, then so be it, it's not the end of the world. And let's face it, any of us who have breastfed our babies know how it feels when they grow up and start stuffing their faces with McDonalds, fizzy drinks, crisps etc, sometimes you wonder why you bothered in the first place! :rotfl:

(If anyone gets any hassle from midwives at the hospital, do as one of my women did. When told by the hospital midwife that she must try to breastfeed her baby, she promptly told her to ***k off and mind her own business!)

Luciferswench

marywooyeah wrote: »

! Breastmilk is full of nutrients, but doesnt always have as much iron as formula depending on the mother's diet.?

Babies are born with a 6 month iron store to counter act the lack of iron in breastmilk it may begin to deplete at 6months but thats when weaning starts.
All breastmilk contains everything baby needs.

wik

I have 3 children and was able to BF all 3 for quite a long time, 10 months, 11 months and 13 months, to be honest I was far to lazy to bottlefeed, the thought of having to get up in the middle of the night to start mixing bottles and warming them up!! :S

May I also make a comment regarding the fact that some mothers dont wish to breast feed, and bring up the subject of 'wet nurses' they have been used since ancient times, and are still used in some places today. Both for women who couldnt or didnt want to BF..

wik

smileylondongal

When I got pregnant I was fully on board with the Breast is Best campaign even before I knew what it was! I bought all of the equipment I needed for expressing, refused to buy formula and was completely happy to be on the understanding that my child would be breastfed for its first year.

He took to the breast within 2 hours of delivery and for the first three days, he latched on perfectly and got what he needed. Then the jaundice came and everything changed. We had to mix feed in the hospital, despite me asking if this would interfere with my breastfeeding and very quickly my boy's feeding changed. He began to refuse the breast despite the help of two breastfeeding consultants and an array of midwives. I literally cried every day seeing him struggle despite expressing a fridge-full! We were discharged and I managed another 5 weeks.

Who can possibly push through the mental anguish and carry on, seeing their child suffer? The consultants admitted he might have nipple confusion and I fully believe this to be the case. So I fed him formula and he thrived.

We hope to have another in a few years - would I consider not trying again? no of course not, it is completely baby dependent. However, I won't let another child suffer and if I have to feed them formula then so be it. It won't be through want of trying. BUT I will have the confidence this time to challenge any medical professional who questions it, particularly in the sarcastic and judgmental way I was treated this time.