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

To ask why some women don't attempt breastfeeding?

999 replies

Lottle · 05/07/2019 11:26

Just being nosy. Perhaps too nosy....

Just wondered why some mums don't give breastfeeding a try. I totally get why people may not do it for long, just curious as to why some don't try at all.

One friend happened to mention (I didn't ask) "it wasn't for me" but I wasn't sure what that meant but of course I didn't probe, so probing you lot instead. Don't know if it's too cheeky to ask though!

OP posts:
Frogshoe · 05/07/2019 17:08

I really tried with my first but he developed pneumonia soon after birth and as well as that my nipples were so inverted it was impossible. I did however express until mastitis stopped me. With my next child I didn't even want to try

BollocksToBrexit · 05/07/2019 17:08

'Loving the fact that my ignorant, offensive, and nasty comment is hurting other mothers'

What a twat.

ChihuahuaMummy1 · 05/07/2019 17:09

I didn't produce any milk at all

RatherBeRiding · 05/07/2019 17:10

How about "feeding your baby a perfectly adequate alternative to breast-milk if you are not breast-feeding is best"?

checkeredredshorts · 05/07/2019 17:10

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

peaceand · 05/07/2019 17:10

I absolutely hate seeing these threads that constantly pop up, I generally ignore them.
The medical reason people give is never good enough there is always someone who has the same bloody thing and mastered breastfeeding.

How about some women would love to breastfeed but just can't end of.

Breast is best - but thank good for formula!

My Inverted Nipples wouldnt let me feed my dc, after years and years of trying.
By my third dc I realised my MH was more important and stopped torturing myself.

Zbag · 05/07/2019 17:12

It says nothing about me other than im a bit sarcastic. There's no need to wind yourself up and read into things too much. You literally no nothing about me other than I think more mothers should try and breastfeed for the sake of their children.

That opinion hasn't changed, neither has the science behind the facts. You can argue till your blue in the face but it makes no difference. But please, do carry on wasting your time and energy on some rando on the internet who doesn't care what you have to say

CalculateThis · 05/07/2019 17:12

Never wanted to, wouldn't even try. The thought makes me incredibly uncomfortable. I get that probably puts me in the minority of women on this subject by hey ho that's how I felt.

LilQueenie · 05/07/2019 17:14

Yeah sorry, but nothing any of you post will change my mind. Breast milk is best for baby and it sucks that some people won't even try to give their child the best nutrition available.

That's your baby not everyone else's.

Zbag · 05/07/2019 17:15

🍿

Ginger1982 · 05/07/2019 17:17

*It says nothing about me other than I'm a bit sarcastic.
*
You meant to say nasty and judgemental there, right? And if you did ff at any point then it just makes it worse for you to come on and say the things you did.

PopcornZoo · 05/07/2019 17:18

Society as a whole (in this country) isn't supportive of BF. Doesn't consider it normal.

Breasts aren't primarily seen as something that is meant for babies.

Lots of people have the attitude that you can give BF a go if you want to, but of it doesn't "work out" formula is just as good.

If there was no formula available a lot more mums would BF.

A lot of mums say they "can't" BF, but in other countries a much higher percent of mums " can". I really don't think that there a something physically wrong with British mums, the low BF rates are mainly due to attitudes to BF and breasts.

And yes I know that some babies can't physically suckle , some mums are on medication or unwell,, some babies aren't looked after by their biological mums etc. I am not talking about those cases.

MauritiusNext · 05/07/2019 17:18

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Zbag · 05/07/2019 17:21

You meant to say nasty and judgemental there, right? And if you did ff at any point then it just makes it worse for you to come on and say the things you did

No dear, sarcastic is the correct word.
I formula fed my last baby because I have breast cancer and wasn't able to breastfeed due to medication. I didn't choose to give my baby artificial food and I still, beleive it or not, don't understand why anyone would if they had the choice.

CalculateThis · 05/07/2019 17:21

Breast milk is best for baby and it sucks that some people won't even try to give their child the best nutrition available

Actually I think mother's mental health is far more important than whether a baby is BF or FF.

jennymanara · 05/07/2019 17:23

@PopcornZoo In a lot of other countries breastfeeding mothers get a lot more support than here. Many have much longer hospital stays as well.

CalculateThis · 05/07/2019 17:24

I'm assuming all these mother's harping on about how wrong it is not to give your children the best possible nutrition, all feed their children with organic, freshly bought produce from the local farmers market all the time?

PopcornZoo · 05/07/2019 17:25

Yes jennymanara .I am sure that really helps. But women in countries where it isn't the norm to even give birth in hospital breastfeed to a much higher degree than here because they have the support of their community and it's just what you do.

Zbag · 05/07/2019 17:26

Actually I think mother's mental health is far more important than whether a baby is BF or FF.

I have already clearly stated that i don't include medical reasons.

MauritiusNext · 05/07/2019 17:26

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

AlmostAJillSandwich · 05/07/2019 17:26

i struggled to feed as i was tongue tied and it went undiagnosed, so i wasnt breast fed for long.

Some women are very body conscious also, if i had a baby (which i cant) i would prefer to formula feed, becasue i have enough physical insecurities already, and be too shy to feed wherever whenever baby needed it.

jennymanara · 05/07/2019 17:28

@properzoo Yes if you grew up surrounded by women who breastfeed you are far more likely to be surrounded by family and friends who understand the reality of breastfeeding and support that. You are also far more likely to have wet nursing happening. Nobody wet nurses in Britain now. So if you can't breastfeed despite support, someone else will breastfeed your child instead, or top up. Also common in some countries for women to breastfeed others babies to give the mother a break. So it really is not comparable to here.

Daisychainsandglitter · 05/07/2019 17:29

I didn't want to HTH

Thesearmsofmine · 05/07/2019 17:29

@PopcornZoo in my opinion it is more to do with the lack of decent support available. Most new mums do attempt to bf and then it falls massively.

Zbag · 05/07/2019 17:29

I often look at parents with overweight DC and think what on earth are they doing, why aren't they feeding their DC healthily but then I realise it's none of my business

You might realise its none of your business but the fact that you 'often' do it shows that you are judgemental.