To think it’s disingenuous to say breastfeeding is free?

[Jerrui]

When pregnant encountered lots and lots of breastfeeding promotion- often it’s cited it being free as a benefit.

I have personally found as soon as you actually have a baby and are feeding it there is absolutely zero support. In my area there is no infant feeding team etc just community midwife who told me to substitute BF with FF at two weeks old when baby failed to regain birth weight.

I have spent hundreds of pounds on lactation consultant, double electric pump, milk storage, trying to keep breastfeeding going.

I have added formula top up and was shocked how cheap it is. We got bottles for free in those Emma’s diary type packs, and Aldi formula costs £2 a week.

I think trying to promote breastfeeding as a more economic option to pregnant women is stupid.
I feel actually public funds would be much better spend on training and recruiting to provide actual support to mothers trying to breastfeed, rather than health promotion with misleading, simplistic and dumbed down messages.
I feel it’s no wonder breastfeeding is mainly the preserve of the middle classes when you have to invest so much money to get any help!

[quote RavenclawsRoar]@Cheekypeach ...but they aren't being oppressed because they breastfeed? I don't get your argument at all. [/quote]
My argument is that pointing to a society that has high bf rates through a lack of choice, ain’t a good thing.

Most People already eat way over the amount of calories recommended - off the top of my head something like 2000 for average woman. So most western women don't actually need to spend money on the extra 300 calories. I ate alot of cake and biscuits when feeding but I didn't really need them. To use that as an argument that breastfeeding isn't free is just silly. Yeah lots of things aren't actually free in life, I spend money on toilet paper to go to the toilet. But breastfeeding is as free as anything gets in society.

@Volhhg

Most People already eat way over the amount of calories recommended - off the top of my head something like 2000 for average woman. So most western women don't actually need to spend money on the extra 300 calories. I ate alot of cake and biscuits when feeding but I didn't really need them. To use that as an argument that breastfeeding isn't free is just silly. Yeah lots of things aren't actually free in life, I spend money on toilet paper to go to the toilet. But breastfeeding is as free as anything gets in society.

Yes. Also, if you don't increase calorie consumption it helps the post partum weight loss along.

@Volhhg

Most People already eat way over the amount of calories recommended - off the top of my head something like 2000 for average woman. So most western women don't actually need to spend money on the extra 300 calories. I ate alot of cake and biscuits when feeding but I didn't really need them. To use that as an argument that breastfeeding isn't free is just silly. Yeah lots of things aren't actually free in life, I spend money on toilet paper to go to the toilet. But breastfeeding is as free as anything gets in society.

This is just silly and misses the point. Have you not read the thread?

Not everybody’s overweight. Not everybody ‘needs’ to keep their calories intake the same when breastfeeding as it was before. Some people drop loads of weight breastfeeding. Some overweight people don’t want to lose weight.

Lots of women need to eat significantly more food when breastfeeding and that costs money. Many won’t mind spending that money, and view it as part and parcel of the financial impact of having a child, as I did. But it is very obviously a fact that if you are one of those that need to spend more money on food to breastfeed, then breastfeeding is not free. for you.

It may be free for some women, but it very much isn’t for others. What’s so difficult to understand about that?

Not everyone is overweight but most women over 30 are, and as the average age of childbirth increases the greater the risk that you'll retain that "baby weight" and it will send you into the menopause on the way to obesity. It's a serious health issue for enormous numbers of women.

For most women in the UK additional calorie burning through breastfeeding is a feature not a bug.

It may be free for some women, but it very much isn’t for others

I think that the point is that for the majority the costs are marginal. A teeny percentage of women will spend loads of cash on private consultants and equipment, most won't. I don't think cost is the main driver for women to breastfeed but it is obviously the cheaper choice for most.

But breastfeeding is free. I didn’t use lactation consultants and didn’t express so literally cost me nothing to feed 3 babies (other than my time and sanity due to lack of sleep!)

I bf my 4 - it was free. I bought a few muslin squares but prob would have bought those anyway. Of course it’s free.

@EmiliaAirheart

I’ve also heard: breastfeeding is only free if a woman’s time is worth nothing.

Exactly this.

It’s a nightmare. They want us to all do it, but there’s not a lot of support if Baby doesn’t magically latch on on and put on weight with no issues.
My baby actually LOST weight for 3 weeks running and still “ keep going breast is best”
Madness. I’m really annoyed at myself for letting my baby go hungry
I was 4.5 days after baby is hospital, just waiting for someone to help me: a plan ? A direction ? What to do next? Baby had zero for about 48 hours and finally I went to the nurses station at 4am and said “ right. Give me some formula. Now. “
Triple feeding is actually Hell

I can only assume those who are able to breast feed or express 12 times a bloody day most have good supportive families around them- if they are not traumatised doing it!
I’ve never been more sad and demented as I was when I was trying and failing to feed my baby.

One day after 20 long weeks, Baby finally latched and it was glorious. 10 months later, it’s still a novelty and we fought so hard to do it, I doubt we’ll stop any time soon

Spilt express milk is the worst pain in the world. I spilled 3oz at DMs home, as I’d actually left home to go stay with her as I was stuck expressing or feeding like zombie and wept and wept when I dropped it- it was such an achievement to produce it. I’ll never forget that utter feeling of heartbreak. It completely broke me

Having seen both grow I can honestly say the best benefit to breastfeeding is the child’s health is normally so much better .
I agree with you formula is very cheap and there are nil incentives from anyone to breastfeed which is absolutely wrong

Other than the wait to get the TT snipped (kept being told he had been referred but he hadn't) I was looked after well with regards to BF. I did also join lots of online groups/zoom chats etc in the first couple of weeks but I also had BF help at home for free.
I got a pump off eBay, unused and sealed. My friends got me some milk bags and the mam bottles. The the only other cost has been a couple of bras and tops but just hunted for cheap ones.
I struggled for 8 weeks to BF but I'm glad I stuck it out even though it was the hardest thing I've ever done. Now at nearly 5 months, he's fast and it's easy.
I worked out the cost of formula for a year and I have definitely spent nothing like that to BF! Plus no bottles or crap to deal with especially when going out.
I do think there must be some women who don't need to spend anything. I think part of it comes down to how easy it is for you to start with.
It's crap you had rubbish support but not everyone does. My HV went above and beyond I think

breastfeeding.... middle class? i breastfed my 2 boys one for 7 months and the other for almost 12 months. i didnt spend a lot. my son who was breastfed for 12 months refused to drink from a bottle at all. even tho it was my milk in the bottle im deffinatly not middle class

@Londoncallingme

I bf my 4 - it was free. I bought a few muslin squares but prob would have bought those anyway. Of course it’s free.

It was free FOR YOU because you were lucky enough to be able to do it without needing other things, like nipple shields or Lansinoh.

Other women need or want to buy other products and services, eg for their shredded nipples. Or because they’re leaking into clothes multiple times a day. Or have a bad back and benefit from a breastfeeding pillow. Or may need to pay to have a tongue tie snipped in time to save a baby from losing excessive weight or giving up bf. Or may need to eat a lot more.

We’re all different with different bodies, different health challenges and different lifestyles. There’s no one-size-fits-all. It isn’t free for everybody.

It must really vary by area.
The “BF support” was so overwhelming i almost ended up lying and telling them I’d switched formula. I couldn’t cope with the weekly “check in” phone calls anymore.
For my second and third, I told them I’d contact them if I had a problem and they’ve left me to it, thank god!

@mumof2exhausted

But breastfeeding is free. I didn’t use lactation consultants and didn’t express so literally cost me nothing to feed 3 babies (other than my time and sanity due to lack of sleep!)

It was free FOR YOU because you were able to do it without too many problems.

It’s not free for everyone. Different people have different bodies and different breeds and challenges.

I saved loads of money breast feeding each of my children for 6 months. I was off on maternity leave for a year each anyway. I bought a couple of special bras and a couple of special tops and wore them so much it worked out at good value.
I didn't do it because of saving money though.

It was over 25 years ago and things were better then, better staffing for a start. We had a post-grad student come along to our antenatal course who was looking at BF as part of her dissatation. She was very keen to make sure we knew how to BF and there was excellent support for BF after the birth. As a consequence I BF both mine exclusively for 6 months plus on demand thereafter. It was free, easy and no washing up required, but most of all a lovely relationship with both of my sons. I know I'm one of the lucky ones who had good maternity provision and was then able to work pt etc but, really, it shouldn't be a priveledge, or a lottery, we should be making having a baby an easier and less stressful process where we have real choice about what we do which isn't based on cost or time. Good professional support isn't cheap but IMHO not providing it is more costly in terms of general happiness and good mental health for people giving birth/parents and babies. How sad that midwifery is so under resourced and undervalued and it's so hard to give babies and their mothers a really good start in life.

@TotalRhubarb
All the things you’re listing are the things people choose to spend money on. There are alternatives.
Breastfeeding can be free and for most, it is. Formula feeding doesn’t give that option.

Why are you so angry about this?

I spent a bloody fortune with my first - the consultant, the pump, the special feeding pillow, top up feeds, I had a nightmare frankly. Second time around it was very much completely free - he wouldn't even take a bottle, or a dummy for that matter. I actually loved the fact that it was not only free, but involved no purchase decisions or any marketing/advertising aimed at me - I could just feed my baby without anything else involved. I found that very empowering actually and was just what I needed after the first experience, as well as two hideous birth experiences.

[quote AllTheUsernamesAreAlreadyTaken]@TotalRhubarb
All the things you’re listing are the things people choose to spend money on. There are alternatives.
Breastfeeding can be free and for most, it is. Formula feeding doesn’t give that option.

Why are you so angry about this?[/quote]
I’m not angry, but I do feel very strongly that women should not be lied to by HCPs and that information should be accurate.

I can assure you that if your nipples are mashed to shreds, each breastfeed is excruciating and you’re bleeding so much that your baby vomits up what looks like blood instead of milk, then things like Lansinoh and nipple shields feel very much like a necessity, rather than a choice. Likewise, if your baby had a tongue tie and the NHS want you to soldier on for weeks before they’ll fit you in to snip it, and bf is important to you, then forking out for somebody to do it privately is something you feel you should do.

What do you suggest the free alternatives are in that situation?

@TotalRhubarb

I had those things like the baby swelling blood and excruciating nipples with baby 1/2. HCPs should be more forthcoming with that info and support because it is very difficult.

But it's really not be force for anyone to be spending in excess. Once/if it's established, it will be cheaper as there's few to no recurring costs.

It doesn't have to be 100% free to be worthwhile, otherwise people wouldn't be choosing to throw money at lactation experts trying to do it.

I think, @TotalRhubarb, if I was breastfeeding and:

Having to spend double the amount of money on my food shopping to sustain my ferocious appetite

Losing so much weight that I got stuck down the back of the sofa

Having bleeding nipples that require a weekly blood transfusion

Have such engorged breasts that the leaking requires me to wear wellingtons

I’d probably give up breastfeeding and switch to formula.

It sounds like you had a torrid time. What a trooper.

I believe proper support and education is the real issue. I just couldn’t believe how much is out there whilst you are pregnant but once you give birth, nothing!

I managed to establish breastfeeding with little help but spent a fortune on different bottles, dummies, freezer bags, electric and manual pumps, not to mention different brands of formula, as I believed I should also top up or give breast milk in a bottle as baby would not survive at nursery!

Totally unnecessary so long as you are prepared to be/can be the main feeder. I certainly didn’t buy/do all this again with second baby.

Ah yes, there is also the cost of breast feeding bras, aprons, breast accessible clothes, my food & vitamins to maintain/promote breastmilk, etc, etc too. So yeah, neither option is actually free 😊