Antibreastfeeding?

[Redebs]

Having just browsed some of the 'Help articles' on here, I'm shocked at how Mumsnet is discouraging breastfeeding.

There's one on how normal it is to wean off the breast at two months because of all the 'problems you will have'.

There's one on 'combi feeding', which is about giving formula feeds to breastfed babies - the surest way to reduce your milk supply in reality.

There's another one about packing dummies and bottles in your hospital labour bag. This is definitely going to interfere with newborns getting colostrum and learning to latch. If a baby needs anything, the hospital will provide it in reality.

I know some women choose to formula feed, but these are insidious, supposedly helpful, undermining tactics aimed at new mothers trying to breastfeed. Most of these are sponsored by the baby bottle manufacturer MAM.

If formula companies were promoting this, they would be, rightly, in contravention of advertising rules.

All medical and scientific advice is to give exclusively breastmilk for the first six months and to continue to at least twelve months or longer.

So you don’t think a mother should be able to decide how she wants to feed her baby?

For you maybe ,you don't get to.decide the feeding choices of other mothers
I really don't get why people get het,up.about how othe women choose to feed their own babies

So another mother doesn't get to make a choice for her own body? That's a dangerous road to go down.

Do you have reading comprehension difficulties or something?
I said it felt like a massive achievement because everyone around me seemed to be telling me to stop. I had to ignore all that pressure and criticism and keep doing what I wanted, knowing it’s what I wanted and what my baby wanted and it was beneficial to both of us healthwise (even if you don’t consider those benefits large enough).

I was breastfed and was constantly unwell as a child. Maybe it made a slight difference who knows.

This thread has literally emphasised ops point.

Posters have come on to berate and be snotty to people like me who want to try and breastfeed. I couldn't give a shit about how anyone chooses to feed their child but ive already been told here that breastfeeding actually has no benefits, been patronised and talked down to. So yes op Mumsnet is very antibreastfeeding. For some reason the mention of it makes some posters incredibly angry and they think they are better than you.

Erm no. I breastfed my DC and so did another poster. But the benefits are marginal, it can be difficult for some people and there is nothing superior about it. Formula is more than 'adequate' - it's a legitimate choice. 'Breast is best' is absolutely the dominant message but the fact that there is no nuance or actual science provided to women is insulting. People were criticising the OP for suggesting that women are stupid enough to be persuaded not to BF by adverts for bottles.....

Ah I was right with the anti-woman bit.

Ignore those people. As I have stated those women have their own agenda on being anti breastfeeding. Mainly they don't want to alter their life too much to accommodate a baby.

In reality I know many many women myself included that have not found breastfeeding difficult. I am currently still feeding my 21 month old daughter, and I fed my other daughter for 16 months, only stopping because I wanted another baby. Slightly selfish on my part, but I was getting older and time was not on my side.

The truth is your baby will reward you for your efforts not only is it good for your baby's health but for your own health too. Your baby will likely be more settled and you shall get more sleep in the long run.

Give me strength.

I couldn't breastfeed my son as he was premature, I was quite unwell and he just couldn't latch and my supply dried up when expressing. I didn't really want to when I was pregnant anyway. No one has ever commented on the fact I formula fed. I personally couldn't care less how someone else's baby is fed.

@GreaterStickle what do you think of someone like me?

@GreaterStickle what a disgusting comment. Note that mumsnet deleted the other one in the same vein.

@Citycentre3 - I have already reported your earlier inflammatory and inaccurate comments. i have a huge advantage over you in that my DC’s are now in their early 20’s so can see the benefits of the choice we made to use formula. Healthy young adults - no illnesses, only one hospital visit between them (broken leg), no weight issues.

I’m not anti breastfeeding or formula - both will give babies an excellent start in life. 100% an individuals choice. Being selfish is not a part of it - your comment was just stupid!

Your baby had multiple food intolerances, so you did the best thing by your baby.

That’s an entirely different situation to a mother who chooses not to breastfeed because she doesn’t want to. That is a selfish choice.

If a mother chooses not to breastfeed her baby because she doesn’t want to that is absolutely her right to do so, but it is done for selfish reasons and there’s no escaping that.

You can’t pretend otherwise.

I feel the exact opposite. All throughout my pregnancy I could see breast is best posters. I was spoken to by numerous doctors, midwives and nurses telling me all the amazing things about breastfeeding and then shaming me because I suggested I might combi feed.
Once my baby was born she was thrown onto me and my breast was encouraged into her mouth by a midwife. I know they are trying to help and I should have spoken up but in thag moment I was nervous and dumbfounded.
After a very painful while I discovered that medication I am on is not safe for breastfeeding and I had to swap to formula. The guilt I’ve faced for this is horrendous.
My dd has been unwell and doctors have openly said my baby wouldn’t be unwell if I was breastfeeding.
I have had no support for my baby formula feeding. She’s fussy, she can’t latch and has been dehydrated but there’s only breast feeding groups- theres no formula feeding groups.
A lot of other mums ask why I haven’t breast fed and often jump to the conclusion that I couldn’t handle the beginning pain.
I know there are struggles with both sides but I feel formula mums are often shamed. People assume
because your baby is formula fed then it’s easier because you can pass your baby to anyone else but that’s not the case. My baby would not and still will not feed for anyone else. So I get the luxury of trying to carry bottles, formula, flasks and extras for just incase. So I thank formula and bottle companies for not shaming us. I thank them for providing options and I thank them for showing that you’re doing the best for your baby!

Wow what a hateful message. You know nothing about people’s reasons not to breastfeed. You know nothing about the guilt some people face for not breastfeeding. It is not selfish.

@Hiddenvoice my experience was the polar opposite. I was told in hospital that I 'had to' FF ds. They literally placed a bottle into my hand against my will and told to get on with it. I wanted to BF but that was dismissed.

If a mother chooses not to breastfeed because she doesn’t want to, that is a selfish choice. It is not “hateful” to point that out and said mother would not have any guilt about that.

If a mother tries and cannot breastfeed, whether it be related to medical issues or otherwise, that is an entirely different situation and not a selfish choice. These are the mothers who feel guilty, because they wished they could but were unable to.

There is a key difference.

My decision not to breastfeed was selfish. The likelihood of any benefits on an individual as opposed to population level weren't high enough to justify me having to do all the night feeds. I and my desires were and are important enough to take priority.

Combi feeding was the only thing that enabled me to keep breastfeeding. I had low supply (confirmed by a very spendy, hippy lactation consultant AND a pediatrician) and DS almost dropped off the weight chart and had to be admitted to hospital.

The lactation consultant taught me how to combi feed properly so I wouldn't tank what little supply I had, and I was able to mix feed quite happily for 6 months.

I get really annoyed that combi feeding is so demonized on here.