SMA Progress - Tesco wouldn't sell it today!!

Mips

LillyJ wrote: »

Ah thank you, will do.

I am waiting for a phone call hoping she has gone in to labour on her own as she wants a water birth and can't do that if she has to be induced
She wants to have immediate skin to skin so that should help too (if she can of course). We have been on lots of shopping trips to get her nice summer tops with wider straps to allow for the maternity bras, not very MSE, but fun none the less!
My only worry is her weight, she is very slim (size 4-6) but isn't naturally that way (she was a 12 when we were at school). So I hope she manages to eat enough while breastfeeding as I know she has struggled whilst pregnant to keep her weight up. She nearly wasn't allowed to go in the midwife lead suite due to her low weight:eek:

I will forward her the info that you have given. She really hopes she manages it, not even considering the fact that they will have to rebudget totally if she has to start buying formula as well!

Tell her to drink Complan, fortisip.. Nestle build up drinks... they got me through Breast feeding when I couldn't eat with fatigue

Meals in a drink - you need the energy for the hungry little sod that is attached to the breast like a leech

Mips

Katyag wrote: »

Is that a sly dig at non breastfeeding mothers??

I would say it is bias - from a smug breast fed journalist

gingerkirsty

Not a sly dig at all. Personally I felt it addressed a lot of the points being discussed here, including the merits/need for follow on milk, without me having to type owt.

Carmina_Piranha_3

i'm as cynical about the formula industry as the journalist but i don't like what she's written.

1 - the rate of formula-fed babies dying in bangladesh and botswana doesn't compare with the rate here, obviously.

2 - i am poor but i don't 'know the least' - cheeky cow! i know lots of breastfeeding mothers from my own 'poor and stupid' socio-economic group.

3 - i don't believe that women are being forced into bottle feeding against their will. it's more likely that mothers are making a choice and then feel that they need to defend their choice, so they pretend they actually wanted to carry on breastfeeding.

lily - if your friend needs to buy formula i think it's cheaper from a clinic, although somebody would have to confirm that because my boy is almost 3 so the rules may have changed. i got him some cheap formula from the baby clinic where he went to be weighed periodically. everybody could get it, whereas when my eldest was a baby you could only get it cheap if you were on certain benefits.

daphne_descends

Carmina, I mostly agree, however 80% of women start breastfeeding, so we know that 80% want to - it is poor support and undermining of breastfeeding (usually by formula companies) that means that most of then stop before 6 weeks.

LillyJ

fac73 wrote: »

Carmina, I mostly agree, however 80% of women start breastfeeding, so we know that 80% want to - it is poor support and undermining of breastfeeding (usually by formula companies) that means that most of then stop before 6 weeks.

But in some parts of the country this figure is as low as 50% (eg Wolverhampton) I am afraid it is related to socioeconomic group and that isn't some sort of slant on anyone, it is fact.

That is why people need the information to make their own choice, and people in higher socio economic groups have greater access to such information.

It is the same as saying smoking is more prevalent in lower socioeconomic groups (which it clearly is from every piece of research), it is often the people with the least amount of money that would benefit from these things the most ie stopping smoking/breastfeeding, at least money wise.

gingerkirsty

LillyJ wrote: »

But in some parts of the country this figure is as low as 50% (eg Wolverhampton) I am afraid it is related to socioeconomic group and that isn't some sort of slant on anyone, it is fact.

That is why people need the information to make their own choice, and people in higher socio economic groups have greater access to such information.

It is the same as saying smoking is more prevalent in lower socioeconomic groups (which it clearly is from every piece of research), it is often the people with the least amount of money that would benefit from these things the most ie stopping smoking/breastfeeding, at least money wise.

Sadly that is very true and there is very recent research that shows infant death in the poorer parts of the UK could be reduced by an increase in breastfeeding.

In regard to 'follow on milk' I believe there there have been a number of surveys that show that parents give it before 6 months due to not only the fact it is cheaper but because it is on a level with breastmilk. It isn't suitable under 6 months for the same reason as cows milk - too high in minerals etc. It exists not because babies need it but because it can be advertised.

brummiebabe

I am the original poster on this thread & can't quite believe the debate it's started!!

I've now had 3 children - I tried beastfeeding with DS1 but didn't like it, & knew it wasn't for me!! He was therefore brought up on formula, as were DS2 & DD (from birth!)

I never used a follow-on milk with DS1 & 2 - they both had fantastic appetites & never saw the need for follow-on milk. With DD however, she was not at all interested in solids & even at 7 - 8 months old, wasn't really 'eating' - so, after discussion with the H/V I put her on follow-on milk due to increased iron levels in it etc..

Had she not had this problem - I wouldn't have used it either. If a baby is eating solids well, then I think it's totally unnecessary!! All of mine went onto cow's milk at 1.

Would agree that breastfeeding is the 'ideal' but is not for everyone!! I made the choice (as do many others) that I didn't wish to do it. This made the first few months of my children's lives less stressful (for me) - if a mum is really stressed then I don't think it's great for the baby!! Yes I was looked down on (by hospital midwives, 'NCT' mums etc) - but it was the right choice for me & my babies!!!!:A

LillyJ

Just to thank everyone, my friend had her baby last night and I have passed all the info on to her about breast feeding and she asked me to pass on my thanks.

Mips

LillyJ wrote: »

Just to thank everyone, my friend had her baby last night and I have passed all the info on to her about breast feeding and she asked me to pass on my thanks.

Oh bless! Congratulations :T