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

flitter

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

IHateDida wrote: »

Absolute rubbish! :mad::mad: :mad:

Try reading some of the posts on the pregnancy/post birth thread - you will find very few who formula feed as their personal views or cultural reasons get in the way. Most mums (including myself) go through an enormous amount of guilt when they find they are unable to breastfeed (for whatever reason, mainly medical) and posts like yours are just utter claptrap! :mad:

Totally agree, I was lucky enough to be able to breastfeed both of my children, my SiL who had complications couldn't breastfeed and she always felt guilty. I expressed milk for her first child as my niece and my youngest were born on the same day, she was really thankful as she always thought breast was best. Her younger 2 have been formula fed and she was made to feel guilty, even though she had no choice in it.

I also have a friend who not long ago had a baby and she got absolutely no support in hospital when she wanted to breastfeed. The nurses were rude and she said she felt like she was being groped when they were trying to get baby to latch on. The nurses didn't have time to discuss techniques, positions or even what to do if her breasts hurt, which they did a lot, they wouldn't let her give a bottle as a stopgap so baby wasn't hungry and wouldn't let her out of hospital until baby had fed properly. Eventually she give up and said she was going to bottle feed, more so she could get home and stop being hassled.

I don't really blame the nurses, they simply didn't have the time to spend with her and help, and I agree with what others have said, put the money into support. A lot of people want to breastfeed, but don't have someone to support and teach them. By the time my friend got out of hospital she was so fed up with the idea she just stuck to a bottle, rather than trying to breastfeed like she really wanted to.

Having said that, I know people who have breastfed and people who have bottle fed, and the kids that were breastfed are not noticeably healthier or better behaved than the ones who weren't. I also don't think people should be made to feel guilty even if they choose bottle feeding for pure ease, parents have enough stress just trying to be good parents.