Breast or Bottle?

Hobbitfeet

Just wondering how many people breastfeed their babies now?
I lived and working in Oslo Norway for a few years and it seems like everyone there breastfeeds. I seen so many women breast feeding in public on the tram, park bench, cafes everywhere and nobody passed any notice on them apart from me because I was shocked to see so many people openly breast feeding in public, which I thought was great
My sister has a 9 month old and breast feeds and I notice all the time when she does in public she gets a lot of funny looks from people and has had people move table in cafes away from her. She is very discreet about it too so I dont see what the problem is. I will be breast feeding and wonder is this still such a taboo in Ireland. Are the majority of mothers bottle feeding? Why? Why are mothers afraid to breast feed their babies?

IvyTheTerrible

Hobbitfeet wrote: »

Just wondering how many people breastfeed their babies now?
I lived and working in Oslo Norway for a few years and it seems like everyone there breastfeeds. I seen so many women breast feeding in public on the tram, park bench, cafes everywhere and nobody passed any notice on them apart from me because I was shocked to see so many people openly breast feeding in public, which I thought was great
My sister has a 9 month old and breast feeds and I notice all the time when she does in public she gets a lot of funny looks from people and has had people move table in cafes away from her. She is very discreet about it too so I dont see what the problem is. I will be breast feeding and wonder is this still such a taboo in Ireland. Are the majority of mothers bottle feeding? Why? Why are mothers afraid to breast feed their babies?

I don't know anything about numbers of mothers breastfeeding, but from anecdotal evidence from friends and acquaintences that there is a lot of negativity when women breastfeed in public. I myself heard a horrible piece on Liveline about a year ago where an older woman was complaining about a woman breastfeeding in a cafe, and that this breastfeeding woman was asked to leave the cafe by the owner.

Cottontail

I breastfed my son and will be doing so again for the next one. I can honestly say I've never had a problem when breastfeeding in public. If people give me funny looks then let them, it's their problem, not mine. But as I say, i've never had problems feeding in public.

alchemist33

I can't quote you a figure, but my wife, a midwife, tells me we're quite low on the European breastfeeding league table. As mentioned above, there are frequent stories in the Irish media about breastfeeding women getting a hard time. These stories really annoy me. I think it's a generational thing, though, and this attitude will start to die out soon.

Moonbeam

Breast feeding is a lot more effort in a lot of ways and less in others.
I breastfed both of mine for the 1st 3 months,it is great for night feeds as you don't have to go make a bottle.
It is stressful from a weight gain prospective,if the baby doesn't gain weight and is feeding,mastitis,thrush,the pain of breast feeding the pumping of milk to see how much they take.
I wish I could have breastfed mine both solely for the 1st 6 months and then kept it up for a year with food etc but it wasn't to be.
I would urge everyone to at least try to breast feed even if it is along with bottles.

nikkibikki

Was just gonna say that I think it's a generational thing. I remember saying it to my future mother in law when I was pregnant on our son that I was planning on breast feeding and she made a funny face and said something like "yuck" to me! I didn't let it put me off tho! My own mother breast fed us for 6 weeks. I started breast feeding our son but had to give up after 2 days due to illness and feel awful for having to do that. Will defo be doing it for any future babies I may have, pg!

Cat Melodeon

I think only Scotland is below Ireland in the EU breastfeeding rates, our take-up is pretty dismal. A lot of it is because there was such a massive trend towards formula in the 50s and 60s here, women were told it was healthier to bottle feed! So a lot of our mothers and grandmothers would have bottlefed not knowing any different, and the knock-on effect is that many of us would have had little or no exposure to breastfeeding when growing up, so much so that it's been almost exceptional in the last 2 decades to breastfeed.

Luckily trends are changing a bit. By degrees, women seem to be switching back and society in general is becoming a bit more open to it again. Rates increased last year, up to 47% of babies were breastfed on leaving hospital, but unfortunately only 3% were still being breastfed at 6 months (HSE stats 2010). Undoubtedly this is mostly down to lack of support - when parents and in-laws and random strangers react like you're a bit of a freak, it can be a bit off-putting! Going back to work is a big issue to, unfortunately many people begin switching to bottles early not realising that it can be easy to express enough milk for feeds once they move on to solids. Some people just find it doesn't work out for them for whatever reason, there is a stigma attached to that too which can pressure people not to try at all. And some just don't want to, or find it too hard, and that's usually down to lack of support, lack of awareness, or simply personal choice. Whatever, all babies get fed and that's the important thing.

If anyone is planning on breastfeeding, one of the things I found most important was getting my other half involved. I made it clear how important it was for me and our baby to give it a go, banned him from ever saying 'maybe just try one bottle' and made him promise to get up with me on nights that I was finding it hard (night 4 was a nightmare, it got better from then on), just to make me a cup of tea and be nice to me. It worked, he was great, and once I began expressing he was able to take some of those night feeds all on his own. Not having formula in the house helped too. For me it would have had to have been a deliberate decision to switch over or start combining, not one made in the fog of 4am when my milk hadn't even come in properly yet. Hopefully it will all work out as well when #2 arrives next Nov!

There are some fantastic groups out there that can really help get you through the difficult first couple of weeks. La Leche League has a bit of a hardcore image but the Irish group is made up of lovely people. Cuidiu can give contact details of breastfeeding consultants. My favourite two are The Breast Way, an online support forum with a discussion board moderated by professional breastfeeding support staff and Friends of Breastfeeding, another voluntary group of people interested in supporting and celebrating breastfeeding (they also have an online support forum and are involved in awareness-building and supports like listing baby-friendly restaurants etc).

I know I wouldn't have stayed feeding for so long (or even for a full week) if it hadn't been for the last two of those listed. Sometimes in the early days you just need to vent to people who understand what you're going through and that can be enough to get you through to the next feed. For me, soon enough I was sailing and couldn't remember what all the fuss was about!

Ayla

I fed both of my girls exclusively (first girl for 7 months, second girl for 9 months), although both started gumming solids around 4-5 months as well.

I fed anywhere & everywhere - like cottontail said, if someone has a problem with it, it is their problem. My babe's hungry, she got fed. I never once saw a dirty look or felt any negative reaction.

My sister lives in Oslo & I can agree that they have almost a 100% breastfeeding rate. Surely Norwegian women's breasts are not built differently from Irish women's, so the only rationalisation for why the b/feeding rate here is so low is just society's perceptions & support.

Btw, it is now illegal for any business to ask a breastfeeding woman to move/leave.

How Strange

I'm exclusively breastfeeding my 5 month old son. I decided to give it a go when I got pregnant first so I had lots of time to think about it and read up on it. My mother in law and husbands aunt both breastfed so they were supportive from the very beginning. I also have a few friends who'd breastfed and that was a fantastic support during the dark days at the start. Apart from my aunt, no other woman in my family had ever breastfed.

I remember having a conversation with my mam, sister and aunts around this time last year about breastfeeding. My mam was telling me a story about friends of hers (husband and wife) who were in a cafe and a group of women started breastfeeding and the couple, who are young and quite liberal in most ways, walked out in disgust. They felt the women were shoving it in their faces just to make a point. My mam said something along the lines of 'its all well and good but they shouldn't be doing it in public. I asked her what point they thought the women were making; perhaps their babies were just hungry and needed to be fed. She now sees how easy it is and although she still raises an eyebrow at 'feeding on demand' rather than on a schedule.

At the beginning I was quite shy about feeding in public and in front of my family, particularly my dad and brothers. When in my parents I used to go to the other sitting room and feed in there. After a while I got used to feeding in public and got to the point where I thought it was ridiculous to leave a warm room and bring a baby into a cold room to feed him so I just did it there and then. Yes, it was awkward the first couple of times but now I feed my son in the living room while my dad watches tv and my brother messes around on his pc. No-one even notices.

Regarding feeding in public, I was in Wagamama in Blanchardstown yesterday at lunchtime. I asked the server if I could sit at the back table thinking I'd sit with my back to the room and feed. She said I couldn't so I sat in the middle of the room and took the boob out and fed. A few people turned around to look but you know what, I couldn't give a sh1t. My baby needs to be fed. I decided at the beginning that if I was going to continue feeding then I'd have to get over my shyness and be comfortable feeding anywhere. It was incredibly daunting at the beginning but it got easier by degrees and now I wouldn't even think twice about it.

I don't use the feeding rooms in shopping centres because firstly I feel its a completely normal and healthy thing to do and perhaps if women see other women breastfeeding it will give them the confidence to give it a go. Secondly the feeding areas are usually in the changing room so they stink of dirty nappies and if you and I don't go into the toilets to eat our lunch or dinner then why should a baby have to.

I agree that your other half has to be completely and totally supportive of breastfeeding. Its also essential to have experienced breastfeeding women close by to give a hand (literally sometimes!) when things get tough especially at the start. It's hard work at the beginning and there were a lot of times when I really thought 'sod this, I'm getting formula tomorrow' because I was exhausted. I also had a couple of episodes of mastitis which were horrible but I always said I'd give it another day and see how it went and before I knew it the bad times had passed and I was ok again. Once you get passed 3 months it really becomes plain sailing.

La Leche are very good and they are a great support with a huge amount of knowledge but I find them slightly too idealistic. They don't agree with soothers or expressing or even routines of any sort. They think we should put the baby on the boob to feed and soothe whenever they want it but for most women thats not practical. If I hadn't given my fella a soother he'd have been attached 24/7. Also I personally feel its important to express so the mother can go out for an afternoon on her own or just take a night off and get some sleep

I'm completely pro breastfeeding now and I would encourage any expectant mother to just give it a try. A lot of women think that breastfeeding is a hassle and you're tied to your baby. In one sense thats true (in the nicest possible way) but in another you're so free to do anything or go anywhere. You don't have to plan your days out and make sure you have enough formula and bottles with you. All you need are a few nappies and off you go. Another worry is the nightfeeds because breastfed babies usually don't sleep 12 hours (unless you're blessed with the perfect baby!) but once you get the hang of it the feeding becomes second nature. I sometimes can't remember how often I fed him during the night as I'll usually fall asleep mid feed.

Ayla

Also, OP, I think it's important to say that breastfeeding isn't always hard. I understand a lot of women may have physical difficulties (mastistis, cracked nipples, etc) but not too many women say how easy it can be.

I had both of my girls on my breast within minutes of their birth, and they immediately latched on. I never looked back after that. I never needed any assistance or advice, and my husband's family (the only family I have here) was not really pro-breastfeeding. I have heard that other women (like those on this thread) have had positive experiences with the likes of Le Leche, so if you need them they're there, but you may not need them at all.

Now I know that many women don't have this experience, but I think it's important to say that that may not be your case. I never once had any problems with feeding or supply, and I only expressed with my first girl when I went back to work. I did all the nightfeeds, usually half asleep in bed myself.

The only problem I ever had was when my second girl (who was never a happy content feeder) started biting down :eek:

How Strange

By complete coincidence I just saw a mail from the Elbow Room (Smithfield) regarding breastfeeding and they also have a free breastfeeding workshop on 10th July.

http://www.the-elbowroom.com/pregnant/top-11-tips-for-sucessfull-breastfeeding/?utm_source=The+elbowroom+list&utm_campaign=5d0a552c3e-RSS_New_Mums_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email

lasser

BF if you have the right frame of mind about it and the sup[port and the correct information about it can be such a joy there is nothing like the bonding experience of feeding your own baby and so many woman miss out on that cos of misunderstanding about how it works and how beneficial it is not just for baby but for you too.
I would recommend you research it fully in advance arming yourself for any difficulties at the beginning which may occur Jack Newman is an expert and really knows his stuff perhaps go on his website and have a good read also kellymom has loads of information too.
Some myths about BF is specifically at the beginning such as the baby feeds a lot so people wrongly think they do not have enough milk and recommend formula top ups, this is not true in the first few weeks your baby will feed a lot and formula is not the answer, the MW's will tell you to expect your lo to feed between 8-12 times a day when reality is they can feed more than that but they need to in order to get your supply to where they need it to be and once your supply is established it will ease off, also growth spurts will cause baby to feed a lot more for a few days so again people will say oh your baby isn't getting enough again this isn;t true they are just doing what they need to do to increase your supply and again will ease off once supply is where it needs to be if you go into BF expecting this knowing it's normal it will help along with many other things such as cracked nipples only occurs if baby is not latching correctly if you start to feel sore nip it in the bud asap and get a LC to help you if latch is correct from the start you should not experience sore and cracked nipples.
Also take no head to people saying 'you don't know how much your baby is getting' you don;t need to know this is an obsession that has developed since formula was introduced, if you watch your baby not a clock and not a chart you will be fine, if your baby is having wet and dirty nappies, periods when awake of being alert which entails eyes open looking around arms and legs flapping about, their nails are growing their skin looks healthy and they are generally contented then you honestly have no reason to worry about if they are getting enough they are getting enough.
There may be other problems that BF is blamed for but I would recommend from the start to seek proper advice from a fully qaulified BF expert such as from LLL, if any other problems do arise.
Be aware of what may happen from the start have the info you need from the start and you will be just fine I am sure of it

lasser

BF if you have the right frame of mind about it and the sup[port and the correct information about it can be such a joy there is nothing like the bonding experience of feeding your own baby and so many woman miss out on that cos of misunderstanding about how it works and how beneficial it is not just for baby but for you too.
I would recommend you research it fully in advance arming yourself for any difficulties at the beginning which may occur Jack Newman is an expert and really knows his stuff perhaps go on his website and have a good read also kellymom has loads of information too.
Some myths about BF is specifically at the beginning such as the baby feeds a lot so people wrongly think they do not have enough milk and recommend formula top ups, this is not true in the first few weeks your baby will feed a lot and formula is not the answer, the MW's will tell you to expect your lo to feed between 8-12 times a day when reality is they can feed more than that but they need to in order to get your supply to where they need it to be and once your supply is established it will ease off, also growth spurts will cause baby to feed a lot more for a few days so again people will say oh your baby isn't getting enough again this isn;t true they are just doing what they need to do to increase your supply and again will ease off once supply is where it needs to be if you go into BF expecting this knowing it's normal it will help along with many other things such as cracked nipples only occurs if baby is not latching correctly if you start to feel sore nip it in the bud asap and get a LC to help you if latch is correct from the start you should not experience sore and cracked nipples.
Also take no head to people saying 'you don't know how much your baby is getting' you don;t need to know this is an obsession that has developed since formula was introduced, if you watch your baby not a clock and not a chart you will be fine, if your baby is having wet and dirty nappies, periods when awake of being alert which entails eyes open looking around arms and legs flapping about, their nails are growing their skin looks healthy and they are generally contented then you honestly have no reason to worry about if they are getting enough they are getting enough.
There may be other problems that BF is blamed for but I would recommend from the start to seek proper advice from a fully qaulified BF expert such as from LLL, if any other problems do arise.
Be aware of what may happen from the start have the info you need from the start and you will be just fine I am sure of it

Das Kitty

I would give Breastfeeding a go, if it goes well it is the handiest way of feeding them. Don't worry about getting looks, I both breast and bottle fed and I got a few funny looks on each. There's always going to be judgmental people no matter what you do.

All I would say that if it doesn't work out, don't beat yourself up about it. I know it took me a long time to admit to myself that it wasn't getting any better for me (or James). I felt like a terrible mother when I had to stop, looking back now I feel like giving myself a big hug.

Hobbitfeet

Great comments from everyone
I'm lucky I come from a family of breastfeeders my mum has 5 children and breast fed us all some would say a little too long even me but that was her choice and it hasn't done us any harm. All of my aunts on my mothers side and married to my mothers side breast fed so there is no stigma in our house its the most normal thing. I'm not really worried about breast feeding in public or getting funny stares or looks I won't be doing anything wrong. So its the problem of the people staring I will only feel sorry for their narrow minds.

I just find it so strange that so many people young and old in this country find bf so disgusting and shameful when it is the most natural thing in the world. My mothers own opinion on this is that it has a lot to do with the catholic church who encouraged women to bottle feed and considered breast to be uncatholic and most shameful in public.

I will be going to breast feeding groups so I can meet new mothers and hopefully make some new friends and a great some great advice from everyone.

Also I heard that if someone complains about a breast feeding mother in eg a cafe that the management has the right to ask the person complaining to leave??

Cat Melodeon

Hobbitfeet wrote: »

Also I heard that if someone complains about a breast feeding mother in eg a cafe that the management has the right to ask the person complaining to leave??

Absolutely, and if the staff don't act to ensure the right of the mother/baby to feed in peace, the mother can lodge a complaint against them under the terms of the The Equal Status Act (2000) and The Intoxicating Liquor Act (2003):

If you are happy to breastfeed in a public area the owner, manager or staff of these premises (on their own behalf or on behalf of another customer) are not allowed to ask you to use separate facilities, or ask you to leave.
If you inform management and staff that you are being harassed by other customers for breastfeeding in public, they have a duty to protect you from this.

(from http://www.breastfeeding.ie)

theblueeyz

My wife has breastfed our son since the day he was born, and does so in public without any issues at all (so far).

We're adamant BF advocates. Formula has its place; some women can't produce enough milk to breastfeed, or other issues get in the way like illness. I get that. But in the normal, everyday case, breastfeeding is FAR more beneficial to the child (and the mom!) than formula.

We're pretty disappointed to see the dismal BF rates here in Ireland.

implausible

It's important to add in here for anyone reading this thread who is contemplating breastfeeding that, like everything to do with parenting, everyone has a different experience. I had no bleeding nipples, no mastitis and the weight fell off me (to the point where I was the skinniest I have ever been) when feeding my wee man. I had two very bad painful days, but after I was told that this would pass, I got through it and fed him for 7 months.

I was terrified doing it in public the first time, but I made sure I had two supportive friends with me out for lunch one day and they honestly couldn't see what the fuss was about and one of them exclaimed: "it's not like you can see anything like" (in a very loud Cork accent:eek::)). They had never seen anyone do it before either.

Neither my mother or mother-in-law breastfed or had seen anyone do it, but my mother (once she got over the amazement that he was gaining like a 'normal' baby) has become a big fan of it. She now broadcasts to anyone who wants to know (and lots who don't:eek:) that I breastfed her grandchild!

As more women do it, more people will become familiar with it. We've had decades of bottle-feeding being the norm in Ireland; it ain't going to change overnight!

hunnymonster

Deemark. I could have written your post. It reflects my experience exactly.

Hobbitfeet

I'm so happy to see so many positive comments from women and men I can't wait to give birth and start breast feeding. I'm glad attitudes to breast feeding are starting to change for the better and I hope more moms at least try it I hope they get the support they need to keep going with breastfeeding I know you can have hard days but I'm sure the good ones far out way the bad.

Is it true that some mothers don't produce enough milk? I've heard so many people say yes and so many say no.

Ayla

Very very very few women actually cannot produce enough milk. If there is a problem with supply it's more often then not a result of other factors (ie: poor latching, mental or emotional stress, discomfort, etc).

How Strange

Hobbitfeet, the good most def outweigh the bad. I'm at the stage where my son gives me a big gummy smile mid feed and sometimes has a little chat with my nipple still in his mouth. It cracks me up every time

I'm not sure about milk supply. I've got an oversupply which brings it's own dramas. That's where La Leche League are invaluable. You'll get good, balanced advice and excellent support.

obscurething

I think the health professionals are more pro breastfeeding in theory than in practise. I just presummed I would breastfeed and didn't consider there would be any difficulties. In hospital my little one had problems latching on and I got so much conflicting advice from so many different midwives that my head was spinning and went home expressing and topping up - just to get out of hospital. On day four I rang my local la leche league they were very supportive, showed be how to latch my daughter on, gave me lots of very practical sheets with info on wet and dirty nappies and we have been exclusively breastfeeding from then. I have not found them a bit militant just very very supportive. I would advise you to go to a meeting beforehand, see other mothers feeding and maybe stick to the advice of one person.

Like you deemark none of my immediate family had breastfeed, while my mother was a bit negative (only because she felt she couldn't help enough) she has taken to dropping it into conversations now and marvels at the speed when the baby is hungary.

I did buy a big box of formula - while it has remained unopened it was nice to know it was there. I did have cracked nipples etc. but nothing too dramatic and it passed. I think the toughest thing at the start is the sheer time the baby feeds for. Can be every two hours for half an hour plus at the time and the clock starts from the start of the feed! So when this is arould the clock you can feel you are doing little else, bf babies can do alot of dirty nappies at the start - so it can feel like it is more effort than it is worth to leave the house for the first week or six! At about seven weeks for about a month I expressed 3-4 ozs every morning and went to bed after the eight / nine o'clock feed and my partner fed her at about 11ish and she would fall fast asleep. This way I was guarenteed a few hours sleep in a row (bliss) and could face whatever happened in the night) I found this essential as at this stage you want to be up and about and I never had a baby who would nap during the day.

Now (my daughter is almost 19 weeks) and I am so happy we stuck with it and got help when things were not going so well. For the last month or we are really feeling the benefits, we can feed anywhere. She's a very contented baby, just throw a few nappies and a change of clothes and we're off for the day, she is sleeping 7 hours plus a
night (most nights : ) so we don't need that expressed bottle anymore. It's funny you think you'll feed for six weeks, then six months and now we're thinking we'll last a bit beyond that.

Hobbitfeet

obscurething wrote: »

At about seven weeks for about a month I expressed 3-4 ozs every morning and went to bed after the eight / nine o'clock feed and my partner fed her at about 11ish and she would fall fast asleep. This way I was guarenteed a few hours sleep in a row (bliss) and could face whatever happened in the night) I found this essential as at this stage you want to be up and about and I never had a baby who would nap during the day.

Brilliant idea will be trying this for sure

Nicole22

I breastfed my son for 3mths and I plan on breast feeding this baby for at least 6mths. Like a previous poster said, I think you hear countless negative stories about breastfeeding but I never had a single problem doing it. No mastitis,cracked nipples, not even sore nipples. Also my son had no problem gaining weight at all! I fed on demand, he fed almost once an hour in the day and every 2hrs at night but its so easy I genuinely didnt mind. It is an amazing experience and I cant wait to do it again.
Only thing I'll be doing differently this time is once the baby gets to 3mths I'll start getting him/her used to feeding from bottles so I can express a few for during the night and let daddy give me a break. My mother breastfed 4 children so it was normal to me growing up. Sadly out of all my friends, aunts etc I'm the only one that breastfed past the first week. I dont know why this is. I never had a negative comment from anyone, and even though I didnt know anyone who breastfed apart from my mother, everyone was very supportive. That said I didnt go out and about much so dont have much experience doing it in public. I was a bit reluctant to do it on my son. This time though I'm not going to give a damn and I plan on doing it whenever or wherever I need to! Its about time Ireland copped on and changed its opinions towards breastfeeding. Like you all said if someone has a problem with it then thats their problem!

Statistician

Our experience of breast feeding:

Advantages:
- Best food you can get.
- No sterilising bottles etc.
- Convenience, it's easy to feed a baby back to sleep at 4:30 in the morning, or if out shopping etc.
- Amazing antibodies thing going on.

Disadvantages:
- Worry that the baby is getting enough to eat. (We kept a careful note of weight for a few weeks, and checked nappy usage)
- Various problems may need to be overcome, eg, hind milk/fore milk imbalance, over or under supply, flow rate. If there is a breastfeeding support group handy than there is often lactation consultants on hand.
- Mother has to be careful that they are eating, eg alcohol. (Don't drink Aldi shandy if you want to sleep!)
- Reliance on mother for feeding, unless you can work out expressing milk without oversupply issues.

On balance, if at all possible I would definitely go for breast feeding. Our experience was that there were various problems that needed to be solved.
What other people think doesn't even enter into it.

(PS, I can believe I learnt so much about this )

lasser

theblueeyz wrote: »

My wife has breastfed our son since the day he was born, and does so in public without any issues at all (so far).

We're adamant BF advocates. Formula has its place; some women can't produce enough milk to breastfeed, or other issues get in the way like illness. I get that. But in the normal, everyday case, breastfeeding is FAR more beneficial to the child (and the mom!) than formula.

We're pretty disappointed to see the dismal BF rates here in Ireland.

It is extremely rare that a mother can not produce enough milk for their baby and is widely misunderstood that is part of the problem in our society BF is just not understood, baby feeds a lot and the mother is told oh your not producing enough milk you need to give formula top ups so the mother folows the bad advice they have been given cos they just don;t understand that baby is feeding a lot in order to in crease mothers milk supply and after a short time usually only 2-3 days supply will have increased and baby will feed more efficiently - imo formula is for mothers who simply can not BF under cercumtances beyond their control e.g my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was born and 3 days after had a full masectomy (sp?) she had no other choice but to use formula and in cercumstacnes where there real is no other choice formula is a great substitute but is certainly not to be seen, as good in any way as BM
BM has 200 compounds to it that formula companies will openly admit they have only be able to identify and replicate 50 of those compounds they are not even close to figuring out the remaining 150 compounds - BM is best always!!!!!

lynski

Love seeing the totally positive breastfeeding comments. I am currently breastfeeding my third, he is the first one that i have demand fed, co-slept and until this week no bottles at all - he is 19 wks. ( and wow the nappies after that :eek:)

He is sooo happy!
I had some probs at first, but some research and we were away without a lookback.
No mastitis, no cracked nipples, no blocked ducts, no mad feeding frenzies,no crazy growth spurts. babies gained weight so well we had the prob of phns thinking they were over weight;-).

Feeds last only 10 mins or so, and they moved to 3/4 hrs apart very quickly. I am back to pre-preggy weight. Overall he feeds, he laughs, he sleeps, yes sometimes at 4am, and sometimes not, but he never cries more then for a minute or 2.

The other 2 were bf for 6 mths and then they self-weaned to bottles as soon as they could hold a bottle.

It is the easiest way to feed your baby, the normal way to feed your baby and the pros out-weigh the cons by a mile, IMHO.

Evil-p

I am still breastfeeding my little girl who is 7 months. I had her in the rotunda and other than 2-3 days of sore, bruised feeling nipples and thrush for a week or so I haven't had any major problems.

My daughter has never had formula and never will because I have milk that’s tailor-made just for her. She never has a sore belly, trapped wind, constipation and all the other complications that can come with formula. She is a very happy bubbly little baba.

I am proud of breastfeeding her and will do it anywhere. I am always discrete but don't cover up with feeding covers or anything. I have never sensed negativity off anyone. I have got a few "Oh, are you still feeding her comments". Its blows my mind that people expect me to put her on formula.

I would probably be classed as a member as the breastfeeding mafia as we are sometimes called but heres why: breastfeeding, is without a doubt, the loveliest thing i have ever experienced. The feeling of knowing how well i am nourishing my baby, the release of feel good hormones every time i feed her, and the easiest weight i have ever lost are all part of it. I know when people choose to formula feed they sometimes feel judged by people who breastfeed. The only way I can explain it is trying to explain to someone how amazing steak tastes but they will only try tofu! That’s why breastfeeders are so passionate about it, we just want everyone to feel what we can feel!

optogirl

I am due in December and really hoping to breast feed and will probably express too so OH can have a go!
The only thing is that I will have to return to work after 6 months so weaning will have to start well before that - anyone with experience of this? How long did you breastfeed for and how was the return to work?

Evil-p

optogirl wrote: »

I am due in December and really hoping to breast feed and will probably express too so OH can have a go!
The only thing is that I will have to return to work after 6 months so weaning will have to start well before that - anyone with experience of this? How long did you breastfeed for and how was the return to work?

Hi Optogirl,

There is no reason at all that you would have to wean before returning to work. You have a few options.

- Express in work and continue breastfeeding morning and night

- Supplement with formula during the day and continue breastfeeding morning and night.

There are some serious advantages to continuing breastfeeding after 6 months. The continued protection from your immunity is brilliant when babies pick up everything going in creche or the child minders. Also breastmilk contains pain relieving properties so when you have the long and difficult nights of teething its a godsend. Also its a lovely way to reconnect after work.

Also don't be too concerned with having your OH bottlefeed the little one. My daughter won't accept a bottle since she was a few weeks old so my partner has only bottle fed her a couple of times. And i can honestly say she is a complete Daddys girl. Feeding does not equal bonding. In fact throughout history it was always the women’s job to feed the baby so man must have an evolutionary ability to bond with their babies. My daughter is fed from an open cup or sippy cup if i'm no here to feed her so I can get out if i want!

You should go to a Cuidui or LLL meeting before you have your baby. They are always happy to see expectant mothers and seeing other women feed will help normalise it for you, as well as the tips you will get!!

I hope some of that helps.