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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be irritated by this breastfeeding advice

66 replies

FeelLikeTweedleDee · 03/05/2011 21:33

I've been breastfeeding my baby for 9 months. Last month I joked on my facebook status that I'd been pumping then using my hands to express and now had friction burns on my boobs. An old school friend (who now works as a breastfeeding advisor in a horpital) commented: "Don't bother using your hands hun. The pump will get it all out".

I ignored her comment as it's bollocks. The pump does not get all the milk out. I often get as much as 3 extra ounces with hand expressing after pumping.

A few days ago I saw that this person had posted on a facebook breastfeeding group about how she failed to breastfeed her first two children but she wants to succeed with the third baby she is currently pregnant with. I was fuming. She failed to breastfeed her children and yet she's advising me, a successful, experienced breastfeeder?? Worse still, she is paid to give this advise to vulnerable new mums on postnatal wards??

No wonder our breastfeeding success rates are worefully low when people like this are being employed as breastfeeding consultants!!

I think you should have to had breastfed for at least 6 months to qualify as a breastfeeding consultant. I realise this will dramatically reduce the amount of breastfeeding consultants but imo no advice is better than dangerous false advice!

OP posts:
HRHPrincessZombiePlan · 03/05/2011 21:39

Are you sure that you're using the pump for long enough? I find that if I keep on the pump for a couple of minutes after the milk stops, I get another let down and more milk comes out. Maybe this is what's happening for you? Also, do you do breast massage while on the pump? I find that helps.

YANBU to want a breastfeeding advisor to give accurate advice, but YABU to say that a person cannot adequately advise on anything without personal experience.

Nancy66 · 03/05/2011 21:39

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by Mumsnet.

HRHPrincessZombiePlan · 03/05/2011 21:40

And she is BU to use the dreaded "hun"

freddy05 · 03/05/2011 21:41

I had a kids not much over 18 who had no children and was the baby of her family advising me on how to feed DD2 because she wasn't gaining weight fast enough (neither did DD1 but shes a fit and healthy tank now and was by 6 months when she started to wean) and i have to say I thought the whole thing was a joke!! After much complaining I got to see a lovely women who had four children all breastfed to weaning and not only was she very much more knowledgeable she also took one look at DD2 feeding and said nothing to worry about just get on and ignore the wingers.

I agree that those who advise should have been through it because if they haven't they haven't got a clue!!

Dozer · 03/05/2011 21:42

Yabu for talking about expressing etc on facebook - yawn!

worraliberty · 03/05/2011 21:43

Jesus the things some people write on their FB status'??

I wouldn't want to know my friends/family had friction burns on their boobs anymore than I'd want to know they'd just grazed the skin on their arse.

D0G · 03/05/2011 21:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Gemsy83 · 03/05/2011 21:44

So does that apply to obstetricians/midwives too Dozer? Ridiculous.

usualsuspect · 03/05/2011 21:44

YABU to post about friction burns on your norks on FB in the first place

Newgolddream · 03/05/2011 21:45

Why would you post this on FB, jokey or not? Confused

buggerlugs82 · 03/05/2011 21:45

This reply has been withdrawn

This post has been withdrawn due to privacy concerns.

MercurySoccer · 03/05/2011 21:45
Biscuit
thisisyesterday · 03/05/2011 21:46

i agree that if she is working as a breastfeeding advisor then she really ought to know more than she does about breastfeeding and pumping and how it works!
most people know that a pump is not as effective as a baby, for example, and so to claim that a pump will "get it all out" is clearly wrong

LLL leaders have to have 9 months breastfeeding experience before they're allowed to train, which I do think is sensible

i don't necessarily agree that you have to experience something to be able to advise on it, but I do think it helps a great deal

fearnelinen · 03/05/2011 21:48

Well said Nancy66

needanewfocus · 03/05/2011 21:49

Hi littleamy,

I'd say that as everybody's breastfeeding experience is different, and that an "experienced breastfeeder" can succeed at breastfeeding one child, but not be able to successfully breastfeed another then you should consider that you may not be the breastfeeding expert you profess to be.

Second what everyone else said about your strange status update too.

pigletmania · 03/05/2011 21:50

You put that on your FB status Shock, too much information tbh.

Original poster
FeelLikeTweedleDee · 03/05/2011 21:51

I think with something as "technical" as breastfeeding, experience is certainly advisable. I think LL has the right approach. Do the NCT have this prerequisite also?

btw how do you prove how long you've been BFing for?

OP posts:
Original poster
FeelLikeTweedleDee · 03/05/2011 21:52

piglet - I love posting up TMI on facebook. My friends are used to it. They know it's my sense of humour.

OP posts:
Original poster
FeelLikeTweedleDee · 03/05/2011 21:55

needanewfocus - who is littleamy?

I'm not sure what your point is. I have 9 months breastfeeding experience. I'm now BFing through pregnancy.

She has..... none. So why advise me? (and with bullshit advice too)

OP posts:
MissBeehivingCorgis · 03/05/2011 21:59

Facebook is the work of the devil.

needanewfocus · 03/05/2011 22:00

You were pregnant at the same time as me, we were both due in July, you were def posting as Littleamy, sorry didn't realise you were now flying under the radar or I wouldn't have 'outed' you. Please report the post if it makes you uncomfortable.

"So why advise me?" Because if you post about your problems on facebook some twonk will alsways come on and give you bullshit advice to 'solve' them. Shocked you've never experienced that before tbh.

LynetteScavo · 03/05/2011 22:08

This thread has a hat trick of poor internet etiquette.;

TMI on facebook.

The use of "hun"

One poster outing another.

working9while5 · 03/05/2011 22:10

There is a bottle and breastfeeding forum. Use it for inane bfing rants please.

GooseberryFool · 03/05/2011 22:10

Wow - didn't realise it was ok to post shit like that on FB. Off to update the world about my piles.

thisisyesterday · 03/05/2011 22:11

well you also have to attend meetings for a while before they'll consider an application, which normally goes through your local leader (unless you don't have a local group)... so they know you!