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 don't mothers have bodily autonomy then? Seriously, some of this is veering to forced BF. (And as I've said I BF two v successfully)

Ah, so your children are still very young ,honestly when they are in their teens knocking back the monster energy drinks ,neither you or they will care wether you breast Fed then or not ,and you certainly won't care how other women choose to feed their babies .
it's one of those things that seems so very important at the time .

The dummy thing is absolute bollocks. I've EBF 3 babies and all have had dummies as newborns onwards. None have had any issue with latching.

TBF I think at least one poster on this thread is trolling.

So a mother chooses not to breast feed perhaps due to her own needs- may be mental health related so you would deem that as selfish? No how a mother chooses to feed her baby is entirely her decisions. No one can shame a mother for that.

The key message here is you are shaming others for a
decision that is theirs to make- not yours! Keep your hateful thoughts to yourself. There are first time mums reading this and seeing your hurtful posts and probably feeling awful and there’s no need for that. Right now you are the one being selfish and demanding people believe in what you believe.

Honestly, I think one of the best things we as mothers can learn to do is laugh in the face of people who have anything to say about how we use our bodies. That goes for intentional formula feeders, women who want to breastfeed for years and everything inbetween.

As someone who had a very difficult BF journey, I honestly wish I'd have seen all this "it's so hard to breastfeed" stuff that is apparently everywhere before I gave birth. It might have given me more realistic expectations.

Instead I just blindly believed what everyone said about how breast is best and it's magical and so natural, so I just thought "ok I'll do that then, no problems".

Unfortunately, there were indeed problems!

I’ve been very lucky that, bar a few initial struggles with DS's crap latch and resulting sore nipples, I’ve found breastfeeding really straightforward and enjoyable.

I’m really pleased I’ve been able to do it so successfully; partly for the health benefits and bonding experience but also because regularly making up formula seems like a faff and expensive.

However, we've always had a few of the pre-made bottles in for emergencies, and once DS starts nursery next month (at nine months), he'll be on formula there. I’m hoping to continue feeding him morning and evening, and the three days a week he's not in childcare.

There's no way I can be bothered to pump and send him in to nursery with expressed milk!

Thank you for the label of a selfish mother. Appreciated. Thankfully I know that you are wrong and I’m right! No guilty thoughts on my decision - I have healthy children and they have happy parents.

@itssquidstella on a total side note, but at 9 months he will be ok at nursery on just food and water and milk when with you. No need for formula unless you want to.

Bonding isn’t affected by formula feeding. No faff with bottles as you use a perfect prep machine. I give them as presents to friends when their babies are born.

Yes, and everyone thinks they are making a personal decision, not realising the insidious effects of advertising.

There is a significant lack of pathophysiological understanding if you believe that breastfeeding has no relevance to long term health.

My DT’s were on formula from day one. They are now 22. What problems should I be on the look out for?

There is a significant lack of pathophysiological understanding if you believe that breastfeeding has no relevance to long term health.

Care to explain that to the specialists involved in my DC's care?

@Parker231 what if your friend doesn't want to formula feed?

Obviously I check with them first but it’s proving to be a popular present

I have read the Politics of Breastfeeding and understand how formula companies try and undermine breastfeeding.
But I think the breast is best and pushing how wonderful breastfeeding is just undermines breastfeeding. There needs to be more honest information. So for some women it is easy and enjoyable. For some it is awful. Even the existence of D Mer is hardly ever talked about.
And those who push breastfeeding totally exaggerate what formula feeding is like. All the rubbish about taking ages to make up a bottle. Most people use prep machines and it takes a few minutes and can be made up in advance.
Breastfeeding rates are higher in countries where women still learn from relatives and friends what breastfeeding is like and how to do it with minimal problems.

And believe me, if breastfeeding is so painful you start to dread every feed, that it does not promote bonding, the exact opposite.

@Redebs Nice bit of disablism thrown in there.

Or rather the other way round.
You know what I mean!

Not at all.
I was physically unable to fully breastfeed one of mine because of a severe cleft palate. There were genuine medical reasons for needing a replacement.

What. The. Fuck.