Breast Feeding

[Em78]

i do worry that all the pressure on women to breast feed could well be contributing to pnd if they are unable to for whatever reason.

i bfeed and alwasy wanted to but was always prepared that if it didnt work out it wasnt the end of the world and i didnt want to spend those first few precious weeks in a battle myslef over it as my sister did.

as it happened i was very lucky and had no probs at all. i have always been relaxed about it though and dh gave hime expressed milk in a bottle every night from 5 weeks, then when he started taking about 8-9 ozs i gave up expressing for that feed and let him have formula - he never even noticed by the way. now he has a fair bit of formula as i'm back to work part time. but i still feed whenever i'm around.

i just wish the hv's etc could add to their little speeches that it isnt the end of the world and you are not going to ruin your babies life if they are bottle fed.

xx

 

[nicki]

quote]Like others have said breast is best when best for MUMMY as well as baby if mummy is unhappy the whole family suffers!!!

Well said Freya. I was unable to breastfeed for longer than 8 days as Isla lost over a pound and a half in less than a week, my milk was poor, she was tongue tied and couldnt latch on and as a result i had blisters on both nipples and blood coming out of one nipple. I was in agony and cried every time i fed her.

I did not choose to bottlefeed BUT had to. I bottlefeed for the sake of Isla and have beaten myself up over it no end (se my previous post in the feeding -new mums section) and am still suffering depression as a result of the unfair critisism i have faced and the rubbish in the press about babies who are bottle fed being less intellegent and less healthy. Isla is very advanced for her age (8 weeks) and already holds her bottle of milk, sleeps through the night, smiles and laughs and is just cutting her first tooth.

All i can say to the breastfeeding mums on the forum is welldone!

Nuff said..... [/quote]

Well said Kelly and I totally sympathise, I was in a very similar situation to you. After Jamie stopped b/f I expressed or tried to but that wasn't very successful, the amount of tears I have shed over it all is enough to fill a bath tub
I also got Matitis twice & the pain was unbearable but I still carried on trying until I was told to bottle feed as Jamie was losing weight because he wasn't getting enough milk & it was stressing us both out, when he did start to bottle feed the difference in him was amazing, he went from a very unhappy, crying baby to a very content one.

I still wish I could be b/f but it just wasn't to be. I have been very upset because of some peoples views on bottle feeding & that it's not good enough etc & it really made me feel like I was a bad mother & I was failing my son. I now realise that i'm not.

My brother was b/f for about a week & took his then O'levels at 15, and took his 4 A levels a year early too & is an air traffic controller so being bottle fed certainly didn't hinder his intelligence or mine come to think of it.

 

[Lauz_1601]

I also gave up breast feeding, at 2 weeks. I feel bad about it sometimes especially reading things like this but at the end of the day it was the best descision I made because we were both happier and more settled for it. at least I gave it a go.

 

[beanie]

I think that the idea that breast fed babies are less likely to be obese and more likely to be intelligent could be due to the types of women who choose to breastfeed. i am sure more middle class woman and women from higher socioeconomic backgrounds are more likely to breast feed and therefore the parents are more likely to be intelligent and healthy eaters themselves (not trying to discriminate here just saying MORE LIKELY!) so it follows that they will have more intelligent and better fed children.

Thats partly right Freya. Recent research has shown that bottle feeding can lead to obesity, mainly as babies don't always learn to regulate their feeding (i.e. don't guage when they are full) and some mothers just go by what the tin says and will try and feed baby more then they want so their tummies get stretched and they need more. Also bottle fed babies can tend to be weaned earlier so babies get more calories then needed. However this are just some of the factors, genetics and diet are also important, a breastfed baby just eating junk will also be obese.

The thing about the intelligence is that studies have shown differences of 5 - 10 points between children who are bf and children who were ff. These studies took into account variables such as birth weght, parents level of education and mothers smoking. this does not mean that ff babies are stupid or unintelligent or bf babies are cleverer.

I just wanted to clear that up that ff babies aren't going to turn out obese and have a low IQ.

 

[michelle82]

i think you could go on forever arguing the pros and cons, the reality is every baby is different and all the research in the world and our will to do the best for our babies may never make any difference. We could still end up with obese or unintelligent children. they could be gay or straight, tall or short we dont really have a lot of say in it. its like when kids rebel against parents it shows being strict isnt always the way forward oh the woes of parenthood! we're never going to get it right all of the time and the reality is when our LO are teenagers we'll all be wrong anyway and 'out of touch with the yoof of today!!!'

 

[pips]

i breast feed most of the time (am back at uni and cant express)
she's on the breast right now!
wont go on about my views on breastfeeding, just wanted to say my nipple is purple

*to those pg ladies who want to breastfeed dont let that put you off, its quite funny actually*

 

[babsi]

When I was pregnant breastfeeding wasn't that important, all I was bothered about was having a healthy baby.

I gave up about after a week and I have no regrets. Kai is a very contented little boy who rarely cries. I couldn't be happier with the way things have turned out. And I have no regrets that I made the right decision.

I did try expressing, that probably lasted about 4 weeks and suddenly all I was getting out was 1 oz a day so just have gave as my nipples were sore as well. What I didn't realise at the time was that I had to express for every feed, all I was doing a third each day. I wanted to spend time with Kai, wanted to go out not be tied to a breast pump 8 times a day.

But now I will not give a reason for not breastfeeding, it is my business how I feed my baby and even if it was because I didn't want then it is my choice.

Also part of the reason the WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding as it is near enough impossible for some countries to get formula nevermind the sterilizing etc etc.

 

[beanie]

Also part of the reason the WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding as it is near enough impossible for some countries to get formula nevermind the sterilizing etc etc.

Babsi can you please tell me where you got that info from. Its just that I have been looking into the Nestle boycott and the arguement is that they are advertising their formula in under developed countries as being superior to breastmilk and make it easily available, so mothers choose to use this instead of breastfeeding. This causes the infant to be at risk of illness and death as they use unsterilised water etc. I thought that the WHO's official line was that they recommend exclusive breastfeeding as it is the optimal way of feeding infants, and because of the benefits of breastfeeding. If you could give me a link or something that would be great as it would really help in my course. Thanks

 

[emilia]

So much info... found a few links,

www.babymilkaction.org/

multinationalmonitor.org/hyper/issues/1987/04/formula.html

 

[Sitech]

I wouldn't want anyone to beat themselves up over not breastfeeding their baby. I tried with my first two but didn't persevere and then chose to breastfeed again and was quite determined to do so having seen a friend breastfeed and saw the benefits to both her and baby. She always seemed less stressed and the baby was happier etc.

After breastfeeding my last child for a long time, I cannot help but tell you guys how much easier it was once you get over those first four months of sore, cracked nipples. If you actually squeeze some milk out and rub it over your nipples, this helps to alleviate the soreness and then they sort of desensitize and no longer hurt. It's also very relaxing and a time when you have to sit down and take the time to enjoy our baby.

For me... I wish I had done it with all my children, not just the last one.


Kind Regards
Si

 

[Urchin]

Wow I had sore nipples for about 2 weeks max, I guess I was very lucky!

Edit: ARGH! the curse of a new page....now you're all just thinking about my nipples

 

[Tasha20]

l really want to breast feed and im going to give it ago, im most wantto do it because of the first week after birth you have collostrum which has all the anitbodys your baby needs , if I can do that ill bethe happiest mummy in the world I know its not for everyone and will be hard but im going to try my best x

Thankx for the info ladies x

 

[Urchin]

l really want to breast feed and im going to give it ago, im most wantto do it because of the first week after birth you have collostrum which has all the anitbodys your baby needs , if I can do that ill bethe happiest mummy in the world I know its not for everyone and will be hard but im going to try my best x

Thankx for the info ladies x

Good for you!
If you need any advice when the time comes, you know the place to ask now!

 

[beanie]

Urchin's nipples, Urchin's nipples, Urchin's nipples.....

 

i do worry that all the pressure on women to breast feed could well be contributing to pnd if they are unable to for whatever reason. ..... i just wish the hv's etc could add to their little speeches that it isnt the end of the world and you are not going to ruin your babies life if they are bottle fed.

I'm glad someone mentioned this actually. I was so so determined to breastfeed, I wanted 'the best' for my baby, and was told it was 'the right and natural thing to do'. Then when my son was born 6 weeks premature he just wouldn't and couldn't latch on. The hospital forced me to keep trying with him even though I could see how distressed and tired he was getting and it hurt as he just could not suckle properly as his mouth was so small.

I expressed for a few weeks and kept trying to breastfeed but he just couldn't, he was too poorly and tired, and by the time he'd got stronger, he wasn't interested as it's harder work than a bottle. And my milk dried up.

Switching to bottle feeding so early was the best thing for him and me, as I got a break sometimes and my partner felt he could bond more, and Damien still got my milk for a few weeks.

I still beat myself up over it as I wanted to do this, and when people see me with a bottle (my partner's non-immediate family, my non-immediate family, public/friends) they ask if I breastfed at all, and make me feel bad again that I couldn't do it.

I strongly applaud anyone who manages to breastfeed, it isn't as easy as they say it is, and well done to those who are still exclusively feeding months down the line.

Sorry wrote more than I realised - I'll be quiet now

 

[K X]

I had to give up too Blistered nipples etc, it was agony. I felt guilty, but you know what, I DON'T now, because babies thrive on formula too! My Rebecca is a healthy little girl (apart from Reflux) and I enjoy feeding time now, whereas before I dreaded it. Ladies you shouldn't feel guilty, least you tried.

Now I certainly wouldn't breast feed until 5, everyone to there own, but I just don't think it's right.....

Oh and the intelligence thing is crap, that really does annoy me, do you seriously think making comments like that are going to make us parents that can't do it feel good???? Oh our babies aren't bf so they will grow up thicker than their bf counterparts??? BULLSH*T- I was a SMA baby all those years ago, and I got my 5 A-levels at school!! So no harm in the formula ladies!!

 

[Tasha20]

Thankx Urchin I certainly will !

As for the ladies who have tryed my mum was the same she tried and tried but joanne wouldnt latch on and was really distressed but when she was on bottle she was really content and happy.

I really do feel for you ladies who couldnt do it and wanted too my mum was really upset when she couldnt do it becuase she never really got the chance to do it with me or my sisters because of her domestic relationship with my dick of a dad so she really wanted to give it ago with joanne in a new relationship, it doesnt ever go to plan I know that, seen my mum go through pregnanacy 3 times in the past 5 yrs and had pre clampsia twice
Which i suppose has given me abit of a push to try and do it.

If my baby wants to do it then I will, its up to the little one

xxx

 

[beanie]

Oh and the intelligence thing is crap, that really does annoy me, do you seriously think making comments like that are going to make us parents that can't do it feel good???? Oh our babies aren't bf so they will grow up thicker than their bf counterparts??? BULLSH*T- I was a SMA baby all those years ago, and I got my 5 A-levels at school!! So no harm in the formula ladies!!

I already explained earlier about the intelligence. Taking into account other variables there has been shown to be about a 5 point increase in IQ with breastfeeding. That is not the same as saying formula fed babies are stupid. If a baby has low intelligence then no amount of breastfeeding is going to turn them into Einstein, the same as if a baby is very intelligent then formula will not decrease their IQ.

This thread is is a good chance to explain the benefits of breastfeeding to expecting mums, and there are proven benefits. It is also a good place to show new mums that breastfeeding isn't very straight forward and that at times formula is needed. It is a very emotive subject but we all need to be respectful about ewachothers choices. Putting someone down or saying their choice is "not right" is not what this thread is about.

 

[Em78]

oh just thought i'd mention this as i was glad someone told me!

i was having a few probs with the way they showed me to get him t atch on. he'd do it but not all the time. anyway i just kept on trying the way i'd been told and was getting a little frustrated and midwives etc just said to keep trying. my oh asked his sister (she bf both her two) to give me a hand. she said she had never got on with that method of latching on either and showed me another way. have since found lots of ladies who did the same!

alex took to that way no probs and we have had no worries with bfeeding since.

so just wanted to say dont be afraid to get help from others or try different methods yourself and dont worry if its not the way the hv's tell you. as long as its comfy for you and babes is getting the milk then its all good!

x

 

[michelle82]

i would like to add that whatever choice any of the expectant mums make then you will not be putting your baby at a disadvantage. its a personal choice and one you have to be happy with if you are struggling either way then talk to your HV/midwife. Your babies and your health is always more important than what other people think so dont let our opinions or others hinder your choice.