breastfeeeding

wanting2save

It is not easy at all, i bottle fed my first child even though i had assumed i would breast feed. It was quite upsetting at the time but as someone else has previously mentioned she is perfectly fit and healthy. I totally breastfed my 2nd daughter till 11months (when she weaned off and had cows milk instead) and absolutely loved every minute of it.

If i were ever to have any more i would definately go for the breastfeeding option as i personally found it soooooo much easier.

I am now a breast feeding supporter and the course which i went on to train to do it was very informative to me even though i had successfully breast fed a child. I do now feel that if i had been armed with all the info i have now that i would have persevered with DD1 but hindsight is a wonderfull thing.

I would say to any future new mums to get as much info as you can, find out where the supporters are in your area and get chatting to women who have been there. It is hard (not the get your boob out and shove it in babies mouth that i thought it was going to be) but well worth it if you can get going.
But i just want to add that mothers who decide it is not for them should not be made to feel bad that they arent breast feeding if persisting is making you unhappy then it is much better for baby to be bottle fed and have a happy mummy!!!

x

siren13577

I was told SMA Gold was the nearest substitute to breast milk and that was the only type Liverpool Women's Hospital provided to the mums' at the hospital. I co-fed, which worked for us, I still expressed but found when I was too tired or hadn't expressed enough my partner could still get involved as could his nana and aunties etc. Breastfeeding isn't for everyone, my sister couldn't do it either and was withered with the whole thing so we just ended up getting formula and dr browns bottles (the best bottles imho and worth every penny)

Good luck and if you are going to try you can get loads of support online or at your maternity hospital

WELSH-DRAGON_2

I breastfed all my 4 children, the last one came off the boob at around 2 years and 6 months. I didn't buy any formula work and when I returned to work I had the first aid room, my own fridge and an electric breast pump so I could express milk for when I wasn't around.

During maternity leave for DD3 I campaigned for a mothers room where mum's could breastfeed without having to sit on a toilet.

I also wrote a little piece for Mother and Baby which was published on breastfeeding.

It wasn't easy to begin with, but with perservance I managed it and even trained as a young mum's counsellor to talk to young mum's about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Welshy x

keelykat

WELSH-DRAGON wrote:

I breastfed all my 4 children, the last one came off the boob at around 2 years and 6 months. I didn't buy any formula work and when I returned to work I had the first aid room, my own fridge and an electric breast pump so I could express milk for when I wasn't around.

During maternity leave for DD3 I campaigned for a mothers room where mum's could breastfeed without having to sit on a toilet.

I also wrote a little piece for Mother and Baby which was published on breastfeeding.

It wasn't easy to begin with, but with perservance I managed it and even trained as a young mum's counsellor to talk to young mum's about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Welshy x

I think you're fantastic! I think my sister wishes she'd had more help/advice, instead of pushes nurses who didnt really give a damn.

keelykat.

WELSH-DRAGON_2

Thank you keelykat, I once said to a young mum that breastfeeding was like wearing a brand new pair of shoes, uncomfortable (with maybe a few blisters) at first and abit sore, but after a short time it felt OK.

DD1 had a terrible habit of headbutting my chest but not latching on but with help and from reading a great book published by NCT we got there in the end

Welshy x

Lexi321

There are alot of reasons why breastfeeding is alot better. Of course babies will normally grow up well either way but if you can breastfeed (and it is actually a fact that most women can if they are given enough support) then I think that it's the absolute best start a baby can have. At the trust I work at by the way we don't have formula milk, bottles or anything to give to mums unless the baby needs it, so you'd have to bring your own in.

alwaysonthego_2

lottee wrote:

Understand what everyone is saying, I only BF for 3 weeks & that was enough for me. The relief of not having to do it anymore far outweighed the cost of having to hand over the cash for formula!

Alwaysonthego, I take my hat off to you, but what about all those teeth ???!!!

painful lol. They learn after while not to do it, but I can say for certain I deffo will not be getting my nipples pierced

wanting2save

alwaysonthego wrote:

painful lol. They learn after while not to do it, but I can say for certain I deffo will not be getting my nipples pierced

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

lottee

alwaysonthego wrote:

painful lol. They learn after while not to do it, but I can say for certain I deffo will not be getting my nipples pierced

The 'after a while' bit has put me off even more so !!! Bring on the formula please !!! Seriously, well done to all of you who stuck with it, I just felt it wasn't for me. I know 3 weeks isn't long at all, but I was literally pulling my hair at the sensation of it, the relief I felt when I saw that tin of SMA is something I'll never forget!!!

Cinders2001

I can remember that when I first B/Fed my two, that the first 10 seconds was the worst......I had to 'breathe' like you are taught to do in labour to get through it! I could have really done with the Entonox again!!

That 10 seconds feeling only lasted for about 3 days...a week max.
They are getting used to being stretched (look at diagrams as to how much baby takes in her mouth!).
Yes they can bleed and scab over and you think it will never end but it does and within a few days nothing hurts any more, and you can relax from the start instead of dreading the first 10 seconds.

For those who even have a go at it then I applaud you.
For those who do not even try...well I can't comment, as I didn't feel that I ever wanted to do anything else but b/feed so I don't know what you feel knowing that you would not.

In the end we want happy mums, dads and babs.