'is breast best'

[Nurse 26]

I havnt watched this yet but agree with what most of you breast or formula as long as baby and mummy are happy and healthy yhats all that matters.

i also agree with iriki that there needs to be much more support for mums in hospital for bf. i was ignored and even told off for shutting the curtain to feed my baby in hospital. got no help or support. didnt even see a midwife in ward till 7 hours after ii arrived at post natal ward just had to get on with it. its discusting. still makes me angry. i was the only bfing mum in the whole ward of prob 25 ladies. i was lucky in that harry was a good latcher but in no way was my bfing experience easy i had many issues when i gor home didnt get more than 2hours sleep for about 3weeks but would do it all again in a hearbeat. i dont think it matters when you stop it you will feel sad about it

 

[My1stBaby]

I dunno whether to watch it now or will it just annoy me!

Max has been ff since day 5. Ff didn't make him sleep much better so I didn't stop bf just to get more sleep. He was miserable and never latched properly- I wasn't gonna keep making my baby upset.

He's 21lbs 8oz, a very very healthy weight and he's 2 months ahead of his development- I'd say whatever it is they put in formula works a treat !!!! My mum only bf me and my sis for 3 days each time, we are both healthy intelligent girls with degrees, good jobs and a happy life. So I really don't think there's a difference between bf and ff

Xxx

 

[Lolly85x]

I agree with everyone - breast or formula - either is fine!
I FF from day 5. My boobs never leaked, never got swollen, he was feeding constantly, he was getting upset, I was getting upset, we gave him a bottle of formula and he was a different baby. And we never went back. My milk definitely never came in.
I am actually very happy with my decision as I have a very happy and healthy baby, and I also feel I am doing things with my baby I wouldn't if I was BF, but that's me personally knowing I wouldn't be confident feeding whilst out.xxx

 

[Maria1977]

I watched this programme when it was on last year. Like Iriki I'm very pro BFing, but don't think less of women who chose to ff. however a woman chooses to feed their baby is a personal choice and that should be respected.

I do agree with the bond thing, but not to mean that ff mums don't bond with their baby, of course they do. From conception to birth a woman bonds with their baby. I think the physical bond is different, like if my baby is ill my body will produce antibodies to help heal LO. That is what I take the 'bond' they are talking about to mean. Not at all the emotional bond we all have for our babies.

First time BFing is hard. After pregnancy, then labour then hitting the ground running, BFing is not always a smooth journey. I found it tough, would've quit but I get OCD about things and I couldn't make that switch to ff. honestly though, second time BFing is easy. And I love it and it is a shame that BFing doesn't get a lot more support in this country. When my youngest is a few months older and I have a bit of time I am going to look into BFing support. It's something I do love and enjoy and if I could help someone else feel the same I'd live that.

Xx

 

[knopk@]

Just my tuppence worth really - I started topping up at 7 weeks due to supply not being sufficient and very thankful for formula.
However i think in.most cases breastmilk.is still the best. Its like if you go.into.the PC shop and say get a CD that will scan for problems and suggest sutions. Or you get someone out to look at your PC and sort it for you ie personalised service.
Therw is nothing wrong with.formula however there is a reason.the rules on.making it up.are so.strict as its not sterile and proportions have to be right. With breastmilk you get foremilk.and hind milk.plus antibodies and bacteria to live in.your babies gut(just recently discovered)
I was gutted i.couldnt exclusively BF but formula does a decent job hovewer if i could, i.would exclusively BF.
I.rambled on a bit.but my point is you do whats best for your baby but in UK there isnt enough support, just propaganda mostly.


Tapatalking so cant see signatures

 

[redbear]

That bond thing pisses me off completely as well. What the f**k do they thing ff mummies do?! Feed their kids with their eyes closed at arms length?! However you feed your baby you can still look deeply into their eyes and get smiles and cuddles in just the same way. In fact, my daughter got a whole load more smiles and cuddles when various health professionals weren't trying to force her to latch on for the first 10 days when she didn't want to, resulting in hysterical screaming!

Agree with this, i tried to ff but had no milk and watching her screaming because i couldn't feed her left me with some issues, however i am happy now and so is Alice, we have an amazing bond she is my little buddy.

I think if they mean physical then yeah i can see that as in your boobs produce milk when they cry etc, but emotional no way- i think its just something they try tell people to promote bfing everyone loves there baby the same no matter how its fed. My friend BF for a couple of month and she said she resented her daughter because all she did was cry for feeding, wasn't interested in cuddles or anything because as soon as she smelt the milk it set her off, she said she only got a bond when she stopped bfing and moved onto ff.

I get very upset by comments from people when she was younger asking why she was ff, and then some would say 'you dont have to make excuses' i bloody wasn't i really didn't have a drop of milk! I did 4 days later but she was already used to the fast flow of the bottle and wouldnt take me so i expressed for a few week. I feel like walking around with my notes stuck to my head sometimes lol x

 

[mummy2b19]

i had to stop because i was put on a very very high dose of steroids due to my bells palsey. this made Alex put on loads of weight but as i decreased the steriod dose she stopped gainning weight i dont know if stopping the steroids made my milk no good or it was always like this and it was the steriods making her put weight on in the first place but i was bf and expressing even after 30 min feed on me she was taking an 8oz bottle of bm at only 4 weeks old. i was also never told that the most important time to bf is through the night and Alex set through from 2 weeks old my hv knew she was sleeping through and never told me to wake her to fred her or even express during the night. if i had not been given the steriods i belive i could still be bf i hate myself for not feeding her myself and this i feel is partly to blame for my depression. it really upsets me that i get horrible looks for being a young ff mum and i hope with my next one i will be getting horrible looks for bf because lets face it either way people are going to judge. i often feel like i have to give a valid reason for not bf and i hope people can understand why i felt i couldnt carry on xx

 

[knopk@]

Funnily enough I never had comments when he was having a bottle but did have comments when I was BFing. I dont give a flying monkey though. You cant win either way

 

[Mrs Wibbily]

Breastfeeding is such a taboo subject and the controversy around what is best for your children and you as a mummy is something that only a mother can comment upon.

I am very pro bf but do not in anyway express my opinions in a way which would make ff mummies feel bad. I had an absolute shite time with bf my little one but as one earlier post said the OCD kicked in and I could not for the life in me give my baby formula. I was already dealing with the feelings of being a failure having had a section so I wouldn't let myself "give in" (my feelings not a reflection of mums who chose ff)!!! I bought the formula and bottles and stood staring at them. I would cry for hours and hours about the battle I was having in my head! I know many women will read this and think why didn't you just do it and save yourself the heartache.

Honestly though after pushing through the first 6 weeks. It was brilliant. I constantly from day one could not express more that 4oz in a full day and that was combined from both breasts but as my LO put on weight and was happy enough I carried on. I managed to do it for 13 months and I'm glad I didn't choose formula. I understand though that not everyone can do this and ff is the best for them and their baby and that's cool.

As long as mum and baby are happy that's what's most important. xx

 

[Roo3]

I tried to bf my baby, but due to the birth his head and jaw were sore and he wouldn't latch on properly. I never felt comfortable with me breast feeding anyway and was only going to do it for a week max. I made the decision when lo was 12 hours old to switch to formula. He gulped it down! I was never made to feel guilty about ff my child at the hospital or afterwards. I am quite jealous of women who bf, but I just don't feel comfortable doing it myself.
Me and my lo have an amazing bond, he is so happy.
Ff enabled my oh to feed his son, form a strong bond and also gave me a chance to rest so I could concentrate on bring the best mum I can be the rest of the time.
If I have another baby, I may try to bf for the first few days but I think it's highly likely ill ff from the word go.
Mums shouldn't be made to feel guilty for the choice they make regarding feeding their child. As long as baby is fed, cared for and loved surely nothing else matters?

 

[Maria1977]

Breastfeeding is such a taboo subject and the controversy around what is best for your children and you as a mummy is something that only a mother can comment upon.

I am very pro bf but do not in anyway express my opinions in a way which would make ff mummies feel bad. I had an absolute shite time with bf my little one but as one earlier post said the OCD kicked in and I could not for the life in me give my baby formula. I was already dealing with the feelings of being a failure having had a section so I wouldn't let myself "give in" (my feelings not a reflection of mums who chose ff)!!! I bought the formula and bottles and stood staring at them. I would cry for hours and hours about the battle I was having in my head! I know many women will read this and think why didn't you just do it and save yourself the heartache.

Honestly though after pushing through the first 6 weeks. It was brilliant. I constantly from day one could not express more that 4oz in a full day and that was combined from both breasts but as my LO put on weight and was happy enough I carried on. I managed to do it for 13 months and I'm glad I didn't choose formula. I understand though that not everyone can do this and ff is the best for them and their baby and that's cool.

As long as mum and baby are happy that's what's most important. xx

Can relate to this so much. I had the formula in the cupboard as we did have to top up with cup feeding, my son was tongue tied, couldn't latch n when he did he would drop off or fall asleep.

His birth ended in emergency section which did make me feel like a failure, maybe that contributed to my determination to BF?

 

[Mrs Wibbily]

Can relate to this so much. I had the formula in the cupboard as we did have to top up with cup feeding, my son was tongue tied, couldn't latch n when he did he would drop off or fall asleep.

His birth ended in emergency section which did make me feel like a failure, maybe that contributed to my determination to BF?

That's what did it for me, went through almost 3 days of labour and ended with failed forceps and emergency c section, so there was no way i was going to "fail" at something else!!! x

 

[knopk@]

Lol ladies, sounds like me except for when lo dropped 2 centiles for weight.
I am going to talk to a bf support midwife before i give birth to see if they will prescribe domperidone. Its the only thing i havent tried.
I really dont want to faff with bottles second time round, it drives me nuts

Tapatalking so cant see signatures

 

[My1stBaby]

I never realised having a c-sec is also seen as failing! Blimey!

 

[Mrs. KM]

Whatever makes Mom and Baby happy is best in my opinion. I topped up my lo with formula until she was 6 weeks old and then she refused the bottle. Unfortunately I never had enough milk for her (never ever felt engorged or leaked) and she was only gaining an ounce or two a week. She refused a bottle until she was 6.5 months old, and I was soooo relieved when she took it. Now she is formula fed during the day and bf through the night if she wakes and for her first feed of the day. I have not felt engorged since switching to formula either. I am sooooo happy that she is taking formula and is now gaining weight well and is so much happier. As for the bond, I can honestly say that I prefer giving her a bottle. When I feed her she looks up at me and caresses my face etc. When I bf she tends to play with my shirt and completely ignore me haha. My point is that I don't think there is anything wrong with ff at all. I plan on attempting to bf again with my next lo, but if I have the same issues I will gladly switch to ff much earlier and won't feel guilty or put so much pressure on myself as I did this time. xx

 

[mummy2b19]

I never realised having a c-sec is also seen as failing! Blimey!

i really felt and still do feel like a failer for having a section. giving birth is what our bodies are built for and i couldnt evven do that xx

 

[titch]

Can relate to this so much. I had the formula in the cupboard as we did have to top up with cup feeding, my son was tongue tied, couldn't latch n when he did he would drop off or fall asleep.

His birth ended in emergency section which did make me feel like a failure, maybe that contributed to my determination to BF?

That's what did it for me, went through almost 3 days of labour and ended with failed forceps and emergency c section, so there was no way i was going to "fail" at something else!!! x

I felt exactly the same after an emergency section I felt devastated and a failure, I was so determined to BF. Absolutely everything was against me and I failed at that too. I long to even know what it feels like to BF, even if it is pain, its just as much a mystery to me as before I became a mother. I was so ill and stressed, my milk never came in, I never got engorged, every midwife in that hospital attempted to hand express, I never moved on from those thin 1ml syringes, electric pumping for weeks, then the breastfeeding advisor recommended domperidone to get me a milk supply going, I thought it was the light at the end of the tunnel, then my GP refused to prescribe it. I was told I could change GPs, but I didnt have the energy to fight, I had no support and my family were living away, although supportive as they could be from the distance. That was the nail in the coffin, I wish I couldve had milk in my boobies!

My boy is 2 now, and I still cried watching this programme.

 

[Mrs. KM]

For me, the whole issue with the "breast is best" campaign is that it makes women who are unsuccessful with bf feel even worse about not bf. The majority of women do attempt to bf which is great, but for those who it just doesn't work out for, it seems that the emotions and guilt is worse because they feel like a failure and they aren't giving their baby the best they could. I think if you have tried to bf then you have given your baby the best you could. I just wish there was a way to say breastmilk is best but formula is really great too. I completely agree that women need as much help and support to bf as possible, but when it doesn't work, they still need emotional support and need to feel proud of themselves as a mother no matter how their baby is fed. I don't know if I am making sense... I just wish that Moms who ff didn't feel guilty about not bf. xx

 

[titch]

me too, Im actually very proud of my son, he's developing very well, hes awesome. I vividly remember being in the postnatal ward and every time i went to the loo for that week Id walk past a poster explaining the benefits of BFing, and feeling so so sad about it. Plus the woman oposite me used to BF her child and flick through a magazine with the other hand she went home before me thankfully! But it was hard to see. Our babies were born on the same day, and we'd made friends on the antenatal ward.

 

[Emily0505]

As long as mummy and baby are happy and baby has a full tum then that is all that matters.

Bf is not for everyone.

Ff is not for everyone.

Express bf is not for everyone.

Combi feeding is not for everyone.

Every mum and baby are different, so its lucky really that there are so many feeding options available. Everyone can find one to suit.

XX