Ever wondered what people did before nappies?

Floxxie

squashy wrote: »

... plus the added worry of what chemicals I am giving my baby in the formula and leeching from the plastic in the bottles, knowing I was increasing the risk of her having health problems and illnesses, increased risk of cot death, the expense of formula, the list goes on.

Squashy,

I know you mean well but there are some women who physically cannot breastfeed and really don't need to have 'horror stories' thrown down their necks. I am one of them.
The sterilising of bottles is straight forward and quick these days but I have only done it twice - I get my husband to do them. As to chemicals from plastic etc., that does not affect all bottles and given the world we live in, your baby has more to cope with from traffic pollution etc.. Health problems? This is probably based on the child's background, not formula milk and the same with cot death.

I am very pro breast feeding but do not agree with pushing people into a corner and making them feel guilty and that includes women who can breastfeed but find it difficult to cope with...at least there are researched alternatives out there.

I shall get off my soap box now...

Floxxie

fitzmum

I know its going off topic a little but breastfeeding was a nightmare for me. DS was born after nearly 3 days long drawn out labour (back to back) by a failed ventouse then an emergency forceps delivery. He then spent 5 days in special care being nasally fed due to having shock and a large head swelling and cuts to his face & eyes, I felt like I'd been in a car crash.

On the day that they felt it was okay for him to leave special care I was told that he couldn't leave hospital until he was feeding well.

I told the midwives I wanted to breast feed but of course as I'd not put the baby to breast I had no milk at all (no colostrum either). He (nor I ) had a clue what to do and we spent 12 hours with me sitting in the ward trying to get him to feed while he screamed with hunger. They had removed his nasogastric tube at 8 in the morning and by midnight both myself and poor baby were in a state. He was cup/breast fed then as best as we could and we left hospital the next day (still not feeding correctly really) but the midwives kept on and on about breast being best & as I wanted to feed him myself I was happy to follow their advice.

We continued to limp on (both of us constantly in tears most of the time as I still was not producing much milk) until 10 days had passed and my health visitor came. She was an older lady and took one look at us both and gently advised me to bottle feed for the good of the baby and me. She felt that the shock of the birth had affected us both and certainly affected my milk production.

He never looked back - I felt much more in control albeit disappointed that my plans had gone wrong. Sometimes its just not meant to be.....he's 7 now and very bright and well adjusted - certainly hasn't done him any harm!

PeskyPenguin

squashy wrote: »

Just to pick up on a couple of points you made, I agree there is a learning curve to breastfeeding but once you have cracked it I think it is FAR easier than scrubbing bottles, faffing about with a steriliser, scooping out little bits of powder, boiling and cooling water to the right temperature, reheating the bottles when baby is screaming, plus the added worry of what chemicals I am giving my baby in the formula and leeching from the plastic in the bottles, knowing I was increasing the risk of her having health problems and illnesses, increased risk of cot death, the expense of formula, the list goes on.

Nope, couldn't give a poodle pippin about getting endorphins. Only interested in my baby being fed and happy . Believe it or not, you don't need a Masters Degree either to make up a bottle :rotfl:. Like Floxxie, my DH mostly does all this for me and does his share of the feeding too (wow, welcome to the year 2008! ).

Sorry, you can cross me off the list of people to you wish to feel guilty!

Sorry for going off topic OP (but someone else did first! )

Strapped

foreversomeday wrote: »

<snip>admittedly, I haven't had my baby yet so I am yet to experience it

LMAO.

Come back when you have practical experience then.

OrkneyStar

Hmmm, this has gone a bit off topic but here goes.....I breastfed my son (in fact still do a morning/bedtime feed at 11 months). At first it was VERY difficult as he took a wee while to learn to latch properly, but as I had to stay in hosp for a few days due to c-section, we got some help from the midwives at the hosp. It was a busy hosp though and I am glad that I also had stored some good advice, from our community midwife, in my mind! It is worth perservering because I have some great memories of him drifting off to sleep and me feeling happy that he is so content. Don't get me wrong some days it is a struggle, like when he was going through a growth spurt or teething as he feeds more then, but I feel it is worth it. Saves me money and time too! I don't think I am better than anyone who doesn't breastfed their baby, for whatever reason they have for not doing so, but I am proud of doing it and won't let anything take that away! And endorphins are very nice indeed, helps relaxation and drifting off to sleep at night
Ok, back to the point of this thread.......my son is quite predictable for filling his nappy with solids and tbh I have not decided upon a potty training 'plan' yet. Very interesting to hear peoples theories though, and I suppose if you use disposable nappies then it will save money to get potty trained as early as possible (well on nappies at least, maybe not on cleaner lol).

mrcow

Strapped wrote: »

LMAO.

Come back when you have practical experience then.

Aww be fair!

I think we all have/had certain ideas on what parenthood was going to be like when we were expecting. Generally the reality of things is far more difficult, tiring and repetitive (and that's just when it's all going well lol).

Poppy9

mrcow wrote: »

Aww be fair!

I think we all have/had certain ideas on what parenthood was going to be like when we were expecting. Generally the reality of things is far more difficult, tiring and repetitive (and that's just when it's all going well lol).

As I was an Aunt from age 11 and my siblings had 8 children and I was chief babysitter I knew what I was letting myself in for.

The funny thing was I was intent on an easy life during my pregnancy havig seen a neices and nephews in both disposable and washable nappies. I didn't think about the bottle cleaning, prep etc and just thought bottle feeding easier so OH could do his share and definitely disposable nappies.

The reality was after she was born I tried breast feeding and found it quite easy. I think I did it to spite the hospital midwife who told me I had flat nipples and would find it difficult (cheeky cow they are my nipples and they are fine:D ). I loved breastfeeding but DD was easily pleased and not a very hungry baby. OH would bring me glasses of water on demand and then change the dirty nappy after feeding:T :T :T . I did find it easier to get back to sleep straight away after a night feed as normally I have trouble sleeping.

I know everyone says it's different with changing your own child's nappy but I disagree - it's still disgusting! :rotfl: I just hated doing it and could never had done the washable nappies and had to scoop bits out, I feel nausous just thinking about it.

My DD decided to give up the breast at about 4 months old. She just refused it. I tried her with a bottle but she wasn't keen on that either. I now realise she just didn't like milk much. I used to mix my milk or formula milk into her food/cereals to get it down her.

Breast feeding didn't prevent her from having allergies or colic either (like the literature says it will). She had dreadful thrush in her nappy area as a baby which still flared up till she was about 10. She's had hayfever since age about 5 and a couple of years ago developed asthma. She is lucky in that her asthma is mild and I suppose pro-BF would say it would have been worst if she'd been bottle fed but I will never know.

Felicity

PeskyPenguin wrote: »

Nope, couldn't give a poodle pippin about getting endorphins. Only interested in my baby being fed and happy . Believe it or not, you don't need a Masters Degree either to make up a bottle :rotfl:. Like Floxxie, my DH mostly does all this for me and does his share of the feeding too (wow, welcome to the year 2008! ).

Sorry, you can cross me off the list of people to you wish to feel guilty!

Sorry for going off topic OP (but someone else did first! )

Here Here!

There is far too much guilt piled on the shoulders of mothers who dare to not breast feed. I would say 99% of none breast feeding mothers do not bottle feed out of choice (myself included) and already feel bad!

So can I be crossed of the list please too?

squashy

Hang on a minute i don't intend anyone to feel guilty about bottlefeeding. I myself have bottled fed and i honestly believe it was due to not getting the right support, it was too easy for me to give up at the first hurdle. As it has been proved by just someone a few posts up, it is possible to feed successfully with flat nipples, as it is for most people who have had SCBU babies it is just the unfortunate lack of basic knowledge from some healthcare professionals. Thanks goodness for organisations like La Leche League who can put people in touch with breastfeeding counsellors should they be let down by the caregivers.

The health benefits of breastmilk should not be hidden under a bushel! To quote a comment a read on another site, if there was a supplement you could buy that offered all the benefits breastmilk does then it would be a sell out. The reality is that despite formula manufacturers claims, the powdered stuff just does not compare. The same as you wouldn't made an omelette with powdered egg if you had the option of real eggs and the tools to whip the recipe up!

I don't look down upon anyone who bottlefeeds, far from it, I sympathise that they were not successful where they so wanted to be and I am angry on their behalf about the lack of help! Just as I hope you don't look down on me for being proud of my achievements. We are all mums that want to do the best for our kids!

FunkyMummy_2

Can I just reiterate what Squashy has said. I have bottle fed and breastfed and am still breastfeeding my nearly one year old. I have had a HORRENDOUS journey!!! But I am so bloody glad I persevered as I know I have done the best by my child.
I have flat nipples and I was not helped by the hospital at all. It was down to the support from very good friends and fantastic breastfeeding counsellor that i am still feeding.

If I could rewind time I sure as hell would of fed all my children this way instead of just feeding 2 of them. I fed my daughter who was in SCBU so this is still possible with good support.

No-one sets out to make anyone feel guilty, only you can do that.