To think less women breastfed

[bbyno2]

Stats are out that at 8 weeks of age almost 50% (49.3%) of babies are being breastfed. The way threads go and people talk around breastfeeding on mumsnet and my peer groups aibu to think it would be a lot less.I thought like 30% max as those who breastfeed seem to act like they are a minority (I guess they are by 0.7%?)

Data: www.nuffieldtrust.org.uk/resource/breastfeeding#breastfeeding-of-infants

It was low compared to my antenatal experience where easily 9/10 were breastfeeding but equally these stats don’t include women who breastfeed but who use any amount of formula. Which I think is a shame.
A few of us used a bottle of formula from around 8 weeks ish which is a shame Imo.

Not that women use some formula but a shame that breastfeeding for 90% or more of the time is discounted if the baby has some firmly.

Why are people bothered by how others decide to feed their babies ? Everyone’s reason is 100% valid for them and nothing makes their decision wrong.

I don’t really understand how this is directed at me?

It's because you use the word "shame" in relation to using formula.

I have family and close friends who work in pediatrics with babies, plus I was on a hospital postnatal ward with mothers/babies that were considered high risk.

As far as my family members, close friends and the medical staff treating us were concerned they want babies fed. They don't want babies back in hospital due to issues around feeding.

Maybe read the full comment instead of foaming at the mouth over one words without actually understanding?

It’s a SHAME that if you breastfeed 95% of the time but use some formula then you are discounted from breastfeeding statistics as they only focus on exclusively BFing.

Personally I think this makes breastfeeding figures look lower than they are in reality. I’m not a purist, I think it still counts as breastfeeding if you also use some formula.
I also don’t care if people use exclusively formula.

It’s not about being bothered. It’s a topic that needs attention and understanding - too many women want to breastfeed, but lack knowledge, support etc and either suffer in silence, or reluctantly move to formula.
And as mentioned multiple times on this thread, whole groups of women (deprived areas/very young mums) don’t even know breastfeeding is an option to them, because it was never done around them.

I don't think that many women aren't aware that it is an option, particularly as it's pushed so much by the NHS/NCT/ literature/ other mums - from experience from if my children/ colleagues' and friends children) over the past 16 years.

It's just that advocates of bfeeding are so bloody evangelical about it. I thought I morally had to with my first DC and felt like I'd failed when it didn't work. However DC and I were both significantly happier when we stopped. Having some well meaning people constantly trying to convince you to carry on isn't helpful. Women are intelligent enough to make their own decisions and seek out help if they want to carry on without it being pressed upon them. I

I disagree. I was going to give up on multiple occasions if I wasn’t prodded encouraged to endure the first few weeks, as it gets so much easier.

I’m so glad I had DH badgering me to keep trying in the first two weeks - breastfed my first until 2.5yo.

I agree I think those statistics make breastfeeding seem really unobtainable whereas the picture is actually far more nuanced.