To wonder why people get so inflamed over breastfeeding on here?

[DaisyLovesMetronidazole]

I'm not bashing Mumsnet in general - I think it's a great site.

I fully understand the benefits of BF. I breastfed all of mine for 18 months. It was great.

Some of my friends did it for longer, others not as long, others not at all.

On here, as soon as someone says something less than 'Mumsnet Mainstream' about it, they seem to get jumped on a lot more heavily than anyone flaunting even very controversial opinions on other matters. In the other thread, I'm guessing almost 50% of replies involved telling the OP to fuck off.

Is anyone else confused at all, or am I completely alone?

It's ridiculous...

Personally I am all for breastfeeding and formula feeding inasmuch as I feel that the mother should be supported whatever she chooses to do and that neither is particularly harmful to the baby.

I expressed (on t'other thread) that most BF'ing mothers I had seen chose to do so discretely...using a shawl to cover their breasts rather than to exhibit the full breast to public view...
It's often an private and very intimate moment between mother and child.

BOY WAS I SHOT DOWN!!!!!!

There seems to be a rather aggressive and militant group of supposedly pro BF'ers who CANNOT tolerate any view that is different from their own....and resort to telling that person to "fuck off" (very mature) and/or to join another forum! ROLLS EYES!
What they need to realise is that my point of view does not go against the MN rules....but that personal attacks against other members do! I for one am not going to be intimidated from this forum.

For their information...and as far as I understand it (having been a member here for just a few months) my viewpoint is just as valid as anyone else's and I'm entitled to stay as long as I please.

It seems that any view against the behaviour of any single BF'ing mother is a personal attack against ALL bf'ing mothers...when sometimes it boils down to the fact that the person's post just hasn't been read properly.

SAM, I couldn't care less what manner a mother chooses to bottle feed a baby with in public. It is none of my business.

Similarly, I don't care what manner a mother chooses to breastfeed her baby in public.

Whether you think a mother should breastfeed discreetly or obviously isn't really the point. What annoys people is that you think it is any of your business.

What annoys people is that you think it is any of your business.

Did I say it was any of my business?
I was expressing a point of view re the OP's subject...as was everyone else on the thread.

And will continue to do so....

But surely the point of view of most people is that it is nobody else's business?

"Is anyone else confused at all, or am I completely alone?"

As long as women have breasts and reproductive organs it will always be an issue. I'm sure this site attracts new mums/expectant parents by the 1000's every month. Many that will be new to this train of thought and all the pit falls it has. Just because its a done to death subject for lots it's new and interesting for the newbies.

It is mainly non breast feeders who have the said issues. Although you're referring to the thread where the said OP was apparently a bfeeder but couldn't stomach seeing another woman's nipples in public while trying to eat.

I just wish this uproar would happen when I'm trying to make sure my toddler doesn't see the front page of cheap and nasty tabloids.

Jeremy, that would make sense to me, but many long time posters/breastfeeders/formula feeders continue to post passionately on the subject.

SAM all you need to learn is that breast feeders are ALWAYS IN THE RIGHT and you should get along just fine.

Disclaimer - I ff both of mine

I will be going down in flames......

Surely pretty much whatever feeding decision you make, you are always in the right, because it is your baby and your choice?

Moving

LOL....mad thing is that I did both myself ...but was still regarded as being anti BF'ing it seems!

OP YANBU.

But then I have no comprehension how people can get so worked up about how another mother feeds her child.

Have been on Mumsnet nearly 5 years.

Yes, people always get agitated on this topic.

On the whole, I think it is new people getting involved each time.

Most of the rest of us, one or two extremely mouthy types (on both sides of the fence) excepted, just hide the topic and don't give it a moment's thought.

I do not agree for one moment that there is any kind of 'Mumsnet Mainstream' about it.

"it was for his wellbeing at the end, not for mine..."

there is no actual evidence that extended breastfeeding has any benefits for the child. Read this for a review of all the studies done on the subject.

goodenoughmummy.typepad.com/good_enough_mum/2011/04/extended-breastfeeding.html

Not that I believe you shouldn't do it for that reason- whatever suits you both in my view.

Goodness, that URL sounds impartial. I think I'll just stick with the recommendations of the WHO.

tvmum - does milk really have no benefits? Why do we give children milk then, why free milk in schools/nurseries?

Agree with sausages (again). The swearing is so rude and unnecessary and aggressive.

I too will stick with the WHO guidelines

Of course extended bf has benefits - I see the deference between bf babies and non bf all the time

No, breastfeeding of course has well documented benefits. This is a review of the studies on the benefits of extended breastfeeding- ie breastfeeding beyond 1 year. It is a review of pretty much every study done on the subject, collated by a GP with no agenda. Have a look. Or at least don't denounce it until you have.

There have also been many other studies to recommend extended bf and the benefits of it.

so what about milk?

OK, I still fed him because, mainly, I saw no reason to stop. He was getting milk out of it, and a cuddle and a particular closeness with me that he really enjoyed. We had overcome lots of hurdles (more emotional ones rather than physical - such as me feeling I was the only one who could get him to sleep, as well as wanting to keep going when DD arrived so he didn;t feel pushed aside) and so I wnated to keep going as long as it ssuited us both. Which it did until a couple of months before his 4th birthday when it became clear it no longer suited me. He would have kept going if he could but I couldn't :( He was OK around his birthday, then possibly the week after we had a few bad nights, probably when it was sinking in that I meant no more...now he is fine. We have replaced the feed with lots of extra stories and a cuddle.

I have looked at your link. The reference list has only 3 articles, all from the 1980s. Do you have another link? Perhaps this one is not what you meant.

I remember asking on MN if anyone could link me to any evidence of the benefits of long term BFing (past 6 months). Nothing was forthcoming.

Hairfull if you have links to studies that show the benefit of longer term or extended BFing I'd be genuinely interested. What differences do you see between BF and FF children? A genuine question. I'm BFing for the second time around and, again, not sure how long I'll continue. I did 11 months last time but TBH I find the whole thing pretty hard work and I feel so matronly and downtrodden as a BFer (even in nice bras) that I'm already looking forward to stopping and DC2 is only 11 weeks!

shineoncrazydiam0nd Sun 22-May-11 19:12:40
Oh not this old bollocks AGAIN

Just read some of the fifty billion other threads on this subject.

I don't think that's very fair Shineon perhaps not everyone has been on MN as long as you have..and even if they have, perhaps some new posters may want to discuss the subject. If it bores you, why not read one of the many other threads started today on other subjects?

What are the benefits of drinking cows' milk?
No one has 'evidence' for that, it's widely accepted...