Breastfeeding, in the UK today, is amiddle class pursuit

[mansfieldhouse]

Discuss.

Why should we? You're the one who started the thread

Nah....

YABU to start a thread which does not ask the question 'AIBU' in the 'AIBU' section. Go comewhere else.

YABVU

Actually yes i will, I live in a council house and have breastfed 4 kids, just finishes with DD3 who is 3yo and still going with DD4 who is 18mo... And I was a teenage mum

YABU and very odd

You know when you've got an acquaintance on facebook, someone you haven't seen for years but worked with, that kind of thing?

Then they have a baby.

You ALWAYS know who is going to bottlefeed it from birth.

You just do.

Class thing.

Innit.

i hope my opening posts are longer than this

Well - the statistics would seem to agree with this - breast feeding rates are much much lower in areas of high deprivation.

no it's not

next

I'm middle class but sadly can't breastfeed for toffee

Go write your own article!

YABU

Why do people seek to pigeonhole experiences down to class. Breastfeeding is universal and for everyone.

sod the middleclasses, why is the a preoccupation with class round here, it is really backward.

it is, but it shouldn't be.

there's your answer!

(dons hard at)

in my experience yes it is, but i only know about 30 mums if that. the 5 sets of parents that we spend time with (all have dc similar age to DD) are all bfers - it is one of the factors we have bonded over (that and blw/attachement parenting and other similar parenting choices). we are all very middle class (stating fact, not being snobby).

in theory, the middle classes are by nature more educated and more likely to make informed choices in their parenting. by informed i mean they research it in books/net/consult professional before making a decision.

i did a bf peer supporter course and met quite a few self defining working class mums but most had mentioned that they felt isolated in their bf choice within familes/communities of ff.

but these are sweeping generalisations. bf probably is a middle class choice, on average. but thats a big shame

mansfieldhouse - yup you do. i also know who will try but give up early on. sad but true.

I didn't manage to breastfeed dd1 or dd2 past a week.

I breastfed dd3 till she self-weaned at 16 months.

Am I middle class? I'm sure you'll be able to tell.

no

I am very much working class and breast fed all 3 of my children.

endlessley discussing it is definitely a middle class pursuit

But I think most middle class mothers don't breastfeed either. Most mothers in the UK seem to bottlefeed.

BF working classer here (if by wc you mean working to pay the mortgage but not having a pot to piss in!)! I know quite a few toffs who didn't even attempt to establish breastfeeding though. Hmmm....

I would breastfeed for toffee or wispas.

Not for haribo though cos I'm posh innit.

I'm confused. My mum & dad worked in a factory. I grew up in a council house. I went to uni and have a pretty middle class job and lifestyle. Are my breasts working class or middle class? I know my DS loves boogoo. But he wears Boden and George from Asda. Oh god, I'm conflicted... Or maybe whether my breasts are middle class or working class doesn't really affect the taste???

p.s. all bar one of the v middle class mummies I know locally FF from within 6 weeks.