breast is best

[Haitch27]

Is anyone else who is pregnant sick to the back bloody teeth of the 'breast is best' campaign being shoved down your throat everywhere you turn and being badgered by health carers to attend breastfeeding 'workshops'?? Maybe its just where I live but it seems to be everywhere yet the one thing no one says is "are you planning to breastfeed"? Assumption that all Mums will!!
Curious to know as I said if it is just my area or is it everywhere?

OK I think I will have to bow out soon. You really think I shouldn't have had kids? And you assume I sit on my arse all day eating crisps?

WTF are you on about?

This is a tricky one. Breast is best for the baby, but in my mind the campaigning has failed to reach certain social groups, whilst being too effective in others... To put this in context:

I was determind to breastfeed, but after my baby ended up in SCBU with severe dehydration due to feeding problems, my milk dried up, we paid for private lactation consultants and despite huge amounts of effort I found myself doing a mixed feeding (as much breast as possible, supplementing with bottles). The reactions were extraordinary. Whilst healthcare professionals were amazed what we'd achieved, other mums were shockingly judgemental. One even said 'how can you give your baby forumula, you must buy breast milk of the internet' .

There's nothing worse than being made to feel like you're failing your new baby and are a bad mum because you use formula. Some people have no choice yet still seem to be given a hard time by other mums. It's sad we can't just support each other in whatever are choices are.

ISNT, I think you have made some very sensible points.

If your body being affected is your biggest concern then children are going to ruin it one way or another. End of. If that upsets you so much you shouldn't have children, everybody knows your boobs, stomach, fanny and brain will never be the same again but we accept that for the joy of having children.

Breast feeding isn't the problem being pregnant is.

Now there is something wrong with women who have to wear a bra 24/7?

Do people really have no conception that other people's experiences may not be exactly the same as theirs?

And this idea that a woman seeing a midwife, and saying she wants to breastfeed but is concerned about

RubyBuckleberry, This is something I really don't undersand myself. If the NHS invested in proper training for front line staff, in particular midwifes in breastfeeding support, the returns in terms of less hospitalisation of under ones, surely must pay for the training ?!? Yet this is not done.

ImSoNotTelling, I agree with you, we have to address all the concerns of mothers to be and of course this does not include overruling how they feel.

darkandstormy (and women like her) are entitled to make their own decisions and whilst it is good to correct misconceptions when ever practical, there is a fine line between lecturing at new mothers and seeing their point of view.

millymolly I want you to explain your comment to me more please, about how I shouldn't have had children and how i "stuffed my face" when pregnant.

where did you get all that from?

breast pump- please do not make me puke. why would I bother when there are alternativies ie sma.

I pointed out correctly and repeatedly that weight gain is the issue with sagging boobs not breast feeding.
I've used as simple language as I can, hope it's clear enough.

hmm I may have gone a bit bananas there.

I just so often feel that I am trying to think rationally about this and abotu real women in real situations and some other peopple are just jumping up and down.

Women with concerns about BF shouldn't be having children - that is a ridiculous idea.

Nobody said women with concerns about breast feeding shouldn't be having children, what was actually written was that you cannot expect to have children and it not to affect your body.

This is boring now and achieving nothing.

millymolly do you really think that women who have concerns about BF shouldn't be having children?

Why do you all make life so hard for yourselves? it honestly really beats me.

"And no practical points about having to wear hideous uncomfortable nursing bras 24/7. About wearing a bra during sex. About no underwire and how that can make you feel like a sack of spuds.

So don't have kids then "

I can read perfectly well what you wrote milly. And I wonder how that makes all the women on this thread who had concerns about BF feel. Let alone the ones who chose to FF.

I agree with LITR -there is a difference between someone saying that something is a fact and that something is their personal opinion that will have an impact on their feeding decision.

OP, I think YABU, and I say this as someone who chose to FF all 3 of my children from birth. I think every mother is entitled to all the information she needs to make an informed choice, and a lot of women may not know anything about BF. The posters don't make me feel guilty, or angry, or sad. I am fully aware that the milk I feed/fed my babies was nutritionally inferior to breast milk, and I have made my peace with it.

FWIW, I agree with the posters at the beginning of the thread who suggested "Breast is Best" be replaced by "Every BF Counts". It is much easier for women to achieve that and far less dogmatic.

Or milly you could admit that you didn't quite mean what you said, rather than denying what is written in black and white and then leaving teh thread.

And people wonder why women feel guilty about their choices. Honestly it beggars belief.

Yes I wrote that if your tits are the most important thing in your life then having children will not do them any good at all so don't have them then - kids not the tits !

If like most women you are of the opinion that some damage is a price worth paying there won't be a problem - but the damage will be done by the pregnancy not the breast feeding.

And I admit I will never understand women that refuse to breast feed for whatever "reason", it's like thinking well there's a brilliant school round the corner they could go to but no I'm going to send them to the 2nd rate one that is less convenient and potentially going to cause them issues that'll affect them for the rest of their lives.
I genuinely don't get it - sorry.

ImSoNotTelling I'm amazed that you think women need so much 'encouragement'. Wouldn't anyone, knowing the facts, and medically able to do so, breastfeed their baby? You make out like the extreme attitude of one woman can turn another woman off feeding their baby naturally. Can't women make their own informed decisions? Why would someone saying that MAKE a woman feed their baby formula? What has someone saying oh if you're concerned about X,Y or Z you shouldn't be allowed to have children affect got to do with a woman's choice. Its like saying that if I meet someone who says breastfeeding is disgusting and I shouldn't be allowed to have children, I'm going to be put off breastfeeding. It won't, because I know its not true. It is not this walking-on-egg-shells approach that is needed, it is some straight talking facts that alter some seriously dodgy perceptions that will make a difference.

that is a harsh cruel thing to say milly.

You think that for a woman with concerns about BF, surrounding things like underwear, leaking, sagging, sex and so on, her breasts are the most important thing in her life and she shouldn't have children.

Do I have that right now?