Paid to Breastfeed: would it have encouraged you to do it?

minimoneysaver

Due to back problems which go back to my own birth, I was advised not to bf. Although one of the nurses pushed and pushed at hospital, only to be told by my consultant that it wasn't the best option for me. I'd had to have a c-section as I wasn't allowed to deliver naturally, so my stay in hospital was three nights.

When I got home my baby was crying one night (at about 5 days old) and I was stuck upstairs waiting for my mum to bring a bottle for her. I decided to put her on my breast and believe it or not I was producing enough milk to feed her!

I managed to night feed by breast while laying down and day feed by bottle for SIX months!

All of the medical staff involved with me told me it was not at all possible, but to be honest the human body is amazing!!! Even those bodies that don't work right ;-)

zippybungle

I do/have breastfed - I would have carried on whether the money was offered or not

I think it's a very silly idea! (the offering of shopping vouchers).
Much better idea would be to pay people to support women who do want to breastfeed and educate people more.

I have 3 kids. I was quite young when I had my first (23) and only breastfed for 2-3 months (1st time mum - did not have confidence in myself or my body, felt embarrassed in public . In hindsight, I wish I had persevered with it)...

2nd pregnancy I lost the baby at 23 weeks.....grew up pretty quickly....3rd pregnancy - breastfed baby for approx 16 months, felt more confident in myself and my body (even did the whole reusable nappy thing!! :eek:), 4th pregnancy - again breastfed baby for approx 16 months or so, easy peasy this time - total confidence in myself, felt much more confortable in public (covered myself up with a shawl in public so people wouldn't even notice).

If you are able to feed your baby, persevere with it, those first few weeks are definitely the hardest, but it gets so much easier


Zippy x

FatVonD

I do/have breastfed - I would have carried on whether the money was offered or not

poet123 wrote: »

It could be that scratching the surface of your life and the lives of other posters who hold similar views, might produce issues which others might view as very much more harmful to a child than bottle feeding. Who knows?;)

You've hinted at something like this before and I didn't understand what you meant then either. It *sounds* like you might be suggesting there is some kind of sexual element to it but, knowing your other posts quite well, I think it would be totally out of character, that surely isn't what you mean? Tell me i've got it wrong!

FatVonD

I do/have breastfed - I would have carried on whether the money was offered or not

On the subject of vouchers, I too think the money would be better spent on breastfeeding support which I found sadly lacking in hospital (I was in there for 5 days after a C section.)

poet123

I don't/haven't breastfed - no I wouldn't have done it

FatVonD wrote: »

You've hinted at something like this before and I didn't understand what you meant then either. It *sounds* like you might be suggesting there is some kind of sexual element to it but, knowing your other posts quite well, I think it would be totally out of character, that surely isn't what you mean? Tell me i've got it wrong!

:eek: No.....certainly not that, it never crossed my mind.

No, I meant if you examine the lives of people who judge others for bottle feeding there will undoubtedly be issues in their lives which will much more profoundly affect any child. Some of them have even posted about them, yet they take the moral high ground.

FatVonD

I do/have breastfed - I would have carried on whether the money was offered or not

poet123 wrote: »

:eek: No.....certainly not that, it never crossed my mind.

No, I meant if you examine the lives of people who judge others for bottle feeding there will undoubtedly be issues in their lives which will much more profoundly affect any child. Some of them have even posted about them, yet they take the moral high ground.

Phew!

more letters deemed necessary to post...

peachyprice

poet123 wrote: »

:eek: No.....certainly not that, it never crossed my mind.

No, I meant if you examine the lives of people who judge others for bottle feeding there will undoubtedly be issues in their lives which will much more profoundly affect any child. Some of them have even posted about them, yet they take the moral high ground.

Ha ha.

One of the worst mothers I know breast fed all of her four children up to the age of 4-5, until they started reception. Once they were off the breast that was it, she lost all interest in their well being and let them run amok.

But hey, as long as they were breast fed, that's what makes a good mother afterall.

Spendless

I breastfed eldest for 3 days. I had him by c-section under a GA and was kept in hospital for 6 days, the first night on the high dependency ward with both arms connected to drips. I am big busted every single midwife told me to bf a diff way. I was worn out with it. I remember watching him asleep not wanting him to wake as I was dreading feeding him. A row went off with family members whilst I was in hospital with him (I was accused of 'being in a mood'!!!!!). The repercussions from that took over 11 years to start resolving!

I changed to FF on day 4 whilst still in hospital but the whole experience of what happened interfered with our bonding process.

3 years later I refused to bf youngest. I told mw when pregnant I was not going to do it and she sais she wasn't going to try and persuade me otherwise as she could see I was adamant about it.

Would I have been tempted with vouchers. With eldest at the beginning, yes. Paying for FF was one of my concerns. I was giving up work as I could only return f-time and my salary equated to the childcare bill. At the point I changed to formula, my mental health was worth far more so no I wouldn't have persevered. With the youngest..no chance, whatsoever!

busiscoming2

I don't/haven't breastfed - no I wouldn't have done it

I never breastfed any of my three. It was a matter of personal choice and being offered a financial incentive would not have made me change my mind.

I think this is so wrong. So many women want to breastfeed and for what ever reason can't. This will probably make them feel even more under pressure and a let down if they can't.
I do wonder how they are going to police it?

I wonder how many poor women in not such brilliant relationships will be pressurised into it by their partners?

The money could be better spent elsewhere.

sacha28

I couldn't breastfeed for medical/personal reasons

I can see this topic evokes quite a bit of emotion, as it should. I guess this is the well being of our future generation at stake, but I really dislike the way the government are going about this.

I remember, after finding out very quickly that I wasn't going to be able to breast feed, going to Boots to buy formula and I wasn't allowed to get advantage points. Do you know what the (probably 16 year old) girl serving me said? 'Oh we've been told that people who refuse to BF shouldn't be allowed to gain from their choice. Therefore we won't offer points as you really should be BF'. It doesn't matter that I WANTED to but COULDN'T. No amount of vouchers would make my body work, that's the long and short of it.

Do you think they will offer the vouchers to people that have tried but have found it impossible, through no fault of their own? No, didn't think so.