To ask why some women don't attempt breastfeeding?

[Lottle]

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!

How many mums with a boisterous 3-YO can sit feeding for hours and hours of the day? I did BF, and in different circumstances, if I felt it best for my family, I'd possibly make a different choice.

I found it easier frankly. When bf I had a hand free and could move about easily with baby suckered to me! Things I couldn't do whilst trying to hold a baby and keep a bottle in its mouth then have no hands free for grabbing a toddler.

You do not - no one has to - to justify your parenting decisions on the internet. Because, when it really boils down to it, who cares about the approval or disapproval of a bunch of fonts

These are actual real DMs with real, some horrific, struggles! Don't reduce everyone's input, efforts, feelings and experiences down to just some fonts. How unpleasant.

@Tsubasa1 where is the scientific evidence ? Specifically which papers? Thanks

DISCLAIMER: I am FF my 7.5 month old, have most close friends who EBF. I am not passing comment on ANYONE’S choice.

Been thinking on this all day, after reading the article a PP stated about Britain having the lowest rates of BF after 6 months, and comparing us to Sweden.

I wonder if there is any link to maternity leave/pay? I don’t know what the set up is in Sweden, but a lot of mothers who are returning to to work FT (at least those of my acquaintance) seem to go back around the 6-9 month mark and thus, unless baby is weaned fully onto three meals a day, would have to either ensure baby takes formula or a bottle of expressed milk. Few mothers work in a situation where they could ‘pop’ home for a quick BF at lunch - many have a long commute and a demanding role.

Had I been able to BF I was absolutely planning to combo feed from the start, due to the risk of a bottle refuser (two good friends of mine had this; one gave up work entirely and another had to extend her maternity leave to the full year and she and her DH got into financial difficulty as a result).

This might be complete hogwash, but I’d be interested to see what the maternity leave/pay set up is in places like Sweden, with a high EBF rate.

The rates are much higher in America where most women only get 6 weeks off.

@nomushrooms my BF is from Norway and when she was a child (don’t know if it happens now still) formula was prescription only, so far more BF going on around you- work places set up for it (nursery would bring your child to your office to be fed) family support from people who BF themselves, better knowledge from medical professionals etc

Because we have a fucking choice!

Maternity leave is longer in Sweden, but lenght of maternity leave doesn't explain why so many mums don't even try BF in this country. I think the attitude to breasts is very different. In general there is no "Page 3 attitude" to them. People aren't disgusted by BF. Breastmilk is considered the natural food for babies. It's fine for mums on maternity leave to take it easy and concentrate on their babies. People assume BF is going to work and you don't normally hear pregnant ladies say "I am going to give BF a go, but I am aware I might not be able to BF". It's considered better for mums' MH to BF, not the other way around.

There are exceptions of course.

And I am not talking about mums and babies who are unwell.

@mydcaremarvel...."No it’s possible to provide everything a baby needs for growth and development without breastfeeding. For optimal growth and development however breastfeeding is necessary.
However some women can’t breastfeed , but that doesn’t make it any less true."
No it's not. Most children who are not breastfed have fantastic growth and development. This is the sort of utter nonsense that really annoys me. How dim are you to say that!!!

There is no “so many” women not even trying though: the statistics are that 88% of women initiate breastfeeding. So 12% don’t. That’s a really small minority, and if you consider that some of them may be victims of sexual abuse and rape, as described above, or might have had mastectomies or be on medications incompatible with bf, then you’re probably looking at less than 10% of mothers not trying due to societal reasons. Is that really worth all the hand wringing and teeth gnashing?

My boobs my choice, never wanted to and three children later not an ounce of regret.

@moodyfoody..."My SIL was like this, at about one month pregnant she announced proudly that she wouldn't even try breastfeeding and baby didn't even get the colostrum. I have to say I did judge her for that....."
They don't need it. Her choice entirely. A big fuss is made about colostrum, but show me two kids years later and try and guess which one had colostrum. Bet you can't.

www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly/news-and-research/baby-friendly-research/infant-health-research/infant-health-research-brain-and-cognitive-development/

Tabby no I don't think I would. The benefits of BF go far beyond the way a child looks!

@pianopiano.....never read so much rubbish in all my life

@pianopiano....even breastfeeding advocates have been on this thread saying the benefits are waaaaaaayyyyy too exaggerated. It helps a little. That's it Really.

@pianopiano - my DC’s were ff from day one. Both got all A’s at GCSE and four A’s each at A level. Both are now at Uni forecast to get Firsts. They are also trilingual.

Don’t think there is much credibility to your information.

The issue with research such as that is that it doesnt consider that certain demographics are more likely to breastfeed; is it the breastfeeding or the statistically higher chance that you are from a particular demographic which increases the chances of success in later life? I find it interesting, but to say a BF baby is likely to have a higher IQ just because of breastfeeding and earn more money in later life, without even considering the environment which they are bought up in is hugely misleading.

"This is a ground-breaking study builds upon previous research as it links breastfeeding with improved cognitive, economic and social outcomes into adulthoodThe results of this study are particularly important as the study design (prospective, population-based) means that the findings are likely to be robustThis study was carried out in Brazil during the 1980s when mothers from all social classes breastfed, so socioeconomic biases sometimes found in breastfeeding studies were absent in this caseIt is unclear whether the effects noted in this study result from the nutritional content of breastmilk itself, or the nurturing behaviours breastfeeding encourages, or a combination of both of these."

I was looking at the UK ones to be honest!

When the heading starts with . "This is a ground-breaking study"...I automatically switch off as that sort of language is the sort that makes me think it's really been written by a silly journalist.

And..pretty sure they would have sold formula in Brazil in the 1980's. There was everything in the 1980's...

@Lottle I wouldn't worry about those getting their backs up. Perfectly fine to ask the question. Tbh I don't quite understand why you wouldn't want to give just the colostrum, if nothing else. Why spend 9 months not drinking, eating certain things, not smoking to give your baby the best chance, to then not give them something so beneficial as colostrum. No issue with people formula feeding after that but to simply say I don't want to. I bet they didn't want stitches up to their araehole, so why not just suck up a few days of BF. I don't know, I believe I'll get flamed massively for that. And I know some people can't, and those who have pretty good reasons ie mental health etc but simply saying I don't want to. Meh. Why not for a few days?

Socioeconomic status has a much,much bigger effect than breastfeeding.

As already mentioned the benefits are often hugely exaggerated.

Ok Tabby if you google yourself there is plenty of evidence that BF is better than formula for mums and babies.

Actually the OPs question wasn't what is best, it was why some women don't attempt BF so my link was a bit off topic.

@Herbert1234.."Why not for a few days?".
Because they don't want to. It really is their choice. Perhaps because they think the colostrum is not as great as it's made out to be. Perhaps they think their kids will end up just as intelligent and healthy as those who get colostrum.