Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Where are the 99%?!

148 replies

Popplemama · 09/10/2015 01:20

Just a (fairly) light hearted query but, after six months of EBF I was quite proud of myself for making the 1%.

However according to MN I seem to now be the odd one out for making it this far and for now thinking that enough might be enough?! To make it worse my lovely DD has had bottles, has now had formula (it was our wedding anniversary and I fancied a night off!) and I'm even fantasising about being able to stop (and wear normal bras and drink white wine...)

AIBU in thinking that MN is where the 1% congregate or are the BF surveys a bit skewed?!

OP posts:
WhereTheFuckIsMyFuckingCoat · 09/10/2015 07:03

I managed the 1% for babies 2,3&4, but with ds1, was encouraged to introduce solids from 16-20wks, so wouldn't count. I didn't do it to become part of a 'club' though, just because I thought I was doing my best for my babies, and it suited them fine. Ds1,2&3 never touched a bottle, and all self weaned between 12 and 14mths, with ds4 I introduced one bottle of formula at night at 6mths, along with solids (which strangely he wouldn't touch until 10mths), which turned out to be a god send as I had to wean him in three days when he was 13mths and I was diagnosed with bc, so had he been a bottle refuser like the first 3, he would have had no milk (which comforted him as well as nourished) very suddenly.

I only know one person who hadn't attempted breastfeeding, and I have an extremely varied socioeconomic friendship circle.

Squishyeyeballs · 09/10/2015 07:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PalcumTowder · 09/10/2015 07:35

Almost no-one breast feeds where I live. (Midlands) so I certainly feel part of the 1% - breastfed my first until he self weaned at 13 months and my second is still feeding at 7 months.

I think a lot of it round here is due to misconceptions about feeding and pressures on women from their husbands and older generations to not breastfeed, it's just so totally not the norm.

I do think it's more like 50/50 on mn though.

MrsTedCrilly · 09/10/2015 07:36

I know 2 people who breastfed but not exclusively and not for long, everyone else ff from the start. I did a few weeks and will probably do same again next time, but any longer and I would have lost my sanity! I needed sleep and my baby was starving.

NorahM · 09/10/2015 07:43

I breastfed both of mine for 2 years and 3 months each, not a drop of formula was used and I didn't introduce solids before 6 months of age, so I guess I am part of the 1% but the funny thing is, who cares. It was my own choice and seemed just a natural progression for us.

40+1 today with number 3. Let's see how that goes.

SomedayMyPrinceWillCome · 09/10/2015 07:53

I am (quietly) very proud of being in the 1%. In the end I stopped BF at 2 yrs. I don't remember anyone (HV / GP etc) having any sort of record though so I do wonder how accurate the 1% thing is?

AllMyBestFriendsAreMetalheads · 09/10/2015 07:56

Yeah, IIRC the 1% means no formula or solids of any kind before 6 months.

I EBF both mine, but technically I am not part of the 1% as they were both on solids just before 6 months as they had hit all the milestones of 'readiness'.

It makes it a very hard 'target' to reach, does anyone know if there are stats which say what %age of babies are receiving any breastmilk at 6 months?

Runningupthathill82 · 09/10/2015 08:03

What AllMyBestFriends said.

Every one of my friends tried to ebf, but none are in the 1% club - the vast majority not because bf didn't go well, but because they ended up giving a taste of food before 26 weeks.

I'm out because, even though I breastfed for a year, DS had some aptamil when he lost 15% bodyweight, to make him stronger while learning to bf. He then had a bit of formula (maybe one feed a day, the rest were bf) after I went back to work at 4 months.

He also had a bit of mango at 5.5months. So we're definitely out! I think the stats would be more helpful if we knew how many babies were still being breastfed at all at 6 months. Because the 1% figure makes it seem like an impossible dream to get that far.

TheOriginalWinkly · 09/10/2015 08:04

The 1% is very strict. DD had one bottle of formula when she was 8 weeks and I ended up in hospital with anaphylaxis; no time to express. It upset me a bit that after the battles I had to establish and continue breastfeeding it didn't 'count.'

HeighHoghItsBacktoWorkIGo · 09/10/2015 08:06

Seems like a goofy, arbitrary definition to me. Some DC will be ready for some sort of "solids" before 6 months. So, if their mums mix up some baby rice with breast milk at 5 1/2 months old, they won't be in the "club." Sounds like it might be better not to be in the 1% club! Best to use common sense and respond to your individual baby's needs.

AllMyBestFriendsAreMetalheads · 09/10/2015 08:12

6 months seems like such a long time when you have a newborn. It's easy for me to say now that those months flew by but when you're in it, and you're thinking "do I really have to do this for 6 whole months?" and then you have this 1% figure which seems so unattainable that you start to think "what's the point of trying because it's obviously near enough impossible".

It needs to stop being an all or nothing thing. Yes, introducing formula can cause issues, but with decent knowledge and information given to mothers at least some of these issues would be avoided (in my opinion) and I think that the mothers who want to continue breastfeeding could do so.

Every feed counts.

StylishDuck · 09/10/2015 08:27

I'm a 1%er. DD is 8 months now. I didn't think I would last this long (my first target was 6 months). She's a bottle refuser so the decision was kind of taken out my hands but tbh I'm pleased & very proud of myself for making it this far. Each extra month now is a bonus as far as I'm concerned. I'll do it as long as she wants it for but she's taken to food so well and sleeps through the night so u can't see her wanting/needing it much past 12 months.

For me it was absolutely the right decision and I wouldn't change anything about it. Oh...and I still have the odd glass of wine Hmm(As long as you time it right it's fine Grin)

Novia · 09/10/2015 08:29

I exclusively BF'd (no formula) until a year but I guess I'm out as I introduced food around 5 months. Personally I don't agree with the 6 month rule as evidence from Nordic countries, etc implies you get more allergies from waiting that long to wean).

It does seem silly to have such an arbitrary cut-off point which skews the figures.

We are from a very 'yummy mummy' area and I would say around 50% of the people I knew from NCT/playgroups BF for at least 3 months. Oddly, it seemed that those feeding baby girls were much more successful (wonder if there's been any research into that?)

My mother and sisters all BF so I had a great support network and an expectation that it would all be fine (which definitely helped). I do think genetics plays a part as none of us had any real problems at all (for all 8 grandchildren).

CultureSucksDownWords · 09/10/2015 08:37

Don't worry, the 2015 Infant Feeding survey was cancelled by the govt, so there won't be any stats as there has been since I think the 1970s. So no one will know if it's 1% or 10% or whatever.

Racundra · 09/10/2015 08:40

We lived in lentil Weaver central when my children were born, only two of fifteen in my postnatal classes didn't bf.
Quite a few of us were 1% ers. My two bf until 18 mo, and then I chose to stop (too tired, and work etc). They didn't touch solids until six months on the dot- DH and I were paranoid about doing everything right, plus he was weaned v early, and has lots of gut problems. They never had formula.
However, we were lucky- for one it was the norm where we lived. Secondly, we had an amazing bf support service 100 yards from us, who also did house calls! Fantastic support we had, plus my babies were good at feeding.
Sometimes it's almost impossible without all that around you.

GloGirl · 09/10/2015 08:43

I mentally classed myself as EBF because I fed 99.9% of his feeds - but I know I couldn't call myself that. He had maybe 1 3-4oz formula feed a fortnight, it was only ever a small top up.

But it makes me part of the 99%

blibblobblub · 09/10/2015 08:44

The definition of EBF is really strict. There are a lot of people who actually come very close but don't count because they gave formula once or twice in hospital, supplement occasionally

And that's the difficulty isn't it. Strictly speaking even if I get to 6mo I would be in the 99% as DH gave DD some ready made formula once in the early weeks, rather than come wake me up, as he decided my need for sleep was more important. Stupidly I was really cross at the time (but I was secretly a bit pleased she didn't like it). In hindsight I'm just like yeah, I really did need that sleep!

Alibabsandthe40Musketeers · 09/10/2015 08:53

1%er twice over here, and very proud of myself.

sharonthewaspandthewineywall · 09/10/2015 08:57

Cant remember who it was who said this but there is NO definitive proof ebf reduces rates of childhood cancer. Absolutely none.
Way to make parents whose children have tragically suffered with cancer feel great though, im sure.

Mintyy · 09/10/2015 08:57

I breastfed both of my children for 12 months but not exclusively. They both had a few bottles of formula and I guess some of that could have been before 6 months so I'm not in the 1%. But I would say 90% of the mums I've met since I had my children were breastfeeders. It is very much the norm here, with exclusive ff being unusual.

HellKitty · 09/10/2015 09:03

I BF my 3 for 4m, 9m and 18m. No formula at all but they had food at 4m which was the guidelines then. In my small social circle back then at playgroup the BF mothers were all hugely different so it didn't seem to be education or social standing.

HelenF35 · 09/10/2015 09:03

We are at 14 weeks of ebf so far. I am shocked that no one tells you how bloody hard it is in the beginning! Honestly I thought my nipples would fall off. ShockI'm not sure if we will make it to the 1% club though as ds is ahead in a lot of his milestones so I suspect he will be ready for solids before 6 months. I certainly don't do to to be part of a club though, it's about doing what's right for you and your baby whatever that may be. Every child and parent is different, at the end of the day if the child is fed and happy does it really matter that much?

Sparklingbrook · 09/10/2015 09:05

I would have loved to be part of the 1% but it wasn't to be. I was very proud to make it to 6 weeks with one and one week with the next.
And proud I recognised that BF wasn't going to work for me before it was too late for my wellbeing.

Well done OP, because it's not easy. Like the ante natal classes have you believe.

diddl · 09/10/2015 09:11

"Yeah, IIRC the 1% means no formula or solids of any kind before 6 months."

Can't remember when mine started solids!Grin

So I might be, might not!

imwithspud · 09/10/2015 09:12

I bf dc1 for a year and currently bfing my 4month old dc2. Didn't make the 1% club with dc1 though as she had the tiniest drop of formula via a cup at about 2 days old due to feeding issues. So I was out from pretty much the start.

It's looking like I'll be part of that club with dc2 though, no formula and I won't be weaning her before 6 months.

I didn't even know the 1% club existed before this thread though.