Where in the country is there a lack of support for breastfeeding ?

[smallvoice]

Can I just ask where those who say there is no support for breastfeeding live ?

From the moment I walked into my dr's surgery bottle feeding was never mentioned as an option. When it really mattered (ie not when I was watching eastenders or playing with my dolls-see threads surrounding the Milupa debate), there was an overwhelming amount of information available about breastfeeding. I never asked about bottlefeeding but a friend of mine in a different area who has very valid psychological reasons for actively deciding to bottlefeed was told by her antenatal midwife that she was not allowed to provide any information or give any advice re bottle feeding.

As it happened after the birth I was severely anaemic, with no energy or physical resources to draw on, and had a baby with a tongue tie who found it difficult to get milk from me and therefore did not stimulate my low production. Breastfeeding was incredibly difficult. I made the decision to bottlefeed with no support or information. I found this lack of support on such an emotional issue very difficult. In the breastfeeding debate it is often said that every woman is free to make her own decision as long as its informed. In fact as its almost impossible to make an informed decision as, at a time when women aren't free to do lots of their own research, there is a distinct lack of any information...When I asked questions not one professional could give me any actual figures or refer me to any material about the options I was trying to weigh up - they could only repeat the generalisations re breastfeeding which I could see on any poster. I assume these are based on studies and statistical facts but I wasn't able to assess any of the risks.

If I had been absolutely determined to breastfeed I could have turned to midwives, the health vistors, workshops, drop in clinics, helplines, books, mumsnet, plus any of the women I met in my antenatel/post natal groups who, with one exception, are all breastfeeding.

Instead whenever I walked into the drs surgery, had a conversation with a health visitor, logged onto mumsnet or even picked up the box of formula I was reminded that breast is best. I don't have a problem with any of this and I plan on trying again next time but do wonder where those who complain that there is no support for breastfeeding live and does anyone agree that in this debate some of the statistical back should be more readily available through health professionals?

PS 3 months on I'm very confident about my decision and its just one of many I will make as a parent...sometimes I'll fall on the right side of the statistical probabilities and sometimes not.

When ds1 was born I developed severe mastitis when he was 10days old. The first course of antibiotics cleared it up after about a week but it came back just as bad after 2 or 3 days. During these days when I was physically better I climbing the walls with anxiety because the health visitor was making a huge deal out of my sons lack of weight gain and advised me to supplement with formula. This hv jobshared with another nicer and more pro bf hv whi kater admitted to me that if she had been around at that point she would nt have jumped in as fast to recommend supplementing. At the time I thought that this second hv was lovely because she stayed impartial and clearly told me it was my decision to continue or not. However after I had made my decision and my son was established on formula i began to research for myself what had gone wrong and how I could prevent it next time (was determined to bf second time around and I have done this with flying colours!).
Anyway my point was that it made me really angry in retrospect not just that I wa given crap advice but that noone sat with me and said "you can do it, other people have got through this and gone on to bf successfully". There are alot of strategies which we could have tried but didnt because I didnt know about then and was too exhuasted and ill to find out/decide about at the time. Some strong encouragement and building up of my confidence would have gone a long way to help me persevere until I was better.
Anyway second time around I deliberately sought out a relationship with a LLL leader during my pregnancy as I knew I could count on them to encourage me if things got tough. Her advice really fitted what I wanted to do although conflicted at times with the midwives advice eg to wake baby up to feed if they have slept for 2-3 hours (midwfe said i shouldnt do this and it would be ok to go 5 hours etc!) I am so gratefull to my LLL person as I still would have felt quite unsupported by hvs and midwives.

Sorry re amount of typos, late at night and should be in bed sleeping and not on MN!

stardoman,I am just agog at your story.I hope your written version is circulated far and wide in your health trust. So angry on your behalf!

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at some of these stories. Wondering how much in the way of bribes some of these HVs have had from formula companies!

Definitely believe that the "breast is best" campaign ought to be backed with "and this is how you do it, how you keep doing it and when it gets really tricky at 3am, here's where you can get help to make it till morning" support.

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i had a problem over the weekend and on monday finally decided i needed some moral support.

it took me an hour and a half to get through to someone as it was a bank holiday. when i finally got hold of someone the best she could do was quote a text book at me, with an apology for not being more helpful but she 'never encountered any problems' when she was b/feeding.

i understand that most of these people are volunteers, and therefore likely to be doing other things with their families, but i tried every phone number i could find and eventually got through to this person via a leaflet from my local support group.

i'm finding b/feeding very hard physically and emotionally...........i've only lasted this long (three weeks) because i'm stubborn and won't be defeated!

Moschops...who did you speak too?
What's the problem exactly?

Same as moondog - could mumsnet help. I'm a bf counsellor - what's the problem?

last week my left armpit became uncomfortable.....i massaged it when i expressed and it got better, then on sunday am i woke up and it was uncomfy again but started spreading across the left side of my breast. by monday the entire left side of my breast was a solid and extremely painful lump. i tried massaging, hot/cold flannels etc.

one of the problems is that ds really doesn't like to feed off my left breast. my midwife showed me different ways to hold ds but no matter what i try he just doesn't like it.

i eventually got the 'mass' to go away (with help from painkillers, a warm bath and my dp) but this morning i have woken up with a rather hard left breast again. i also appear to be experiencing a reduction in my milk supply.........

ds has now started really messing about at feeding time during the night, shaking his head around and coming on and off the breast every couple of minutes, but he feeds fine during the day.

Bumping for you, Moschops. Can you try ringing one of the bfeeding support lines again today?

Moschops - how old is your ds? Trying to see why he doesn't like the left breast. Could be that he has a stiff neck and could find it difficult to position himself? My dd1 had this & after some physio & oestopathy was fine.
For the blocked ducts - be careful, as you have been doing, not to get a breast infection that could lead to antibiotics. If you start to feel like you're coming down with flu call your gp asap.
Is the reduction in milk supply in both breasts or in one breast? - if it's the left it could be that your breast is adapting to not producing as much milk as the right breast.
For the night time feeds - doing anything different? Breastmilk production at around 4am is usually fine as this is when prolactin that helps to make bm is produced in the most quantity (great timing there!!)
Wonder if expressing some bm and then feeding this at night could help. Do you have someone who could feed this milk in the night to your baby? - plus let you rest.
Would say as well to call the nct bf line. You should get someone to help - also if you have a LA LAche League in your area - call them.
All the best with this xxx

ds is four weeks old tomorrow so only a little one......reduction in supply appears to be in both breasts. am expressing so dp gives the 4/5ish am feed (he's an early riser) so i get a good run of sleep after the 2am feed. i don't think i'm doing anything different for the nightime feeds, but he is generally very hard work during and after the 2am feed. even when he feeds well he refuses to go down in his cot after this feed which means either me or dp have to nurse him.

one of our local b/f counsellors is actually a 'friend' but she was away this weekend. will get in touch with her this week as she is likely to be more helpful i think. thankyou for your help, it is very much appreciated.

Moschops,lots of babies fuss at night.It is hardgoing but things will settle down. In the maentime,get as much rest as you can during the day. Don't charge around like a mad thing!

I would still try and keep feeding him as much as possible-the sucking stimulates production so that in a while your supply and demand should be sorted out.Will also keep everything moving so less chance of blocked ducts. I know it's not the case with everyone,but expressing doesn't seem as effective as a baby's suck.

Would second the suggestion to take him to a cranial osteopath if he finds a certain feeding position uncomfortable. Which hold are you trying? Have you tried a rugby hold?

Have you tried the ABM helpline?

0870 401 7711

You're doing a good job-keep at it and post some more!
(I'm not a b/feeding counselor,just a mother who had a bit of a battle with b/feeding but got there in the end!)

I agree that they may be a lack of balance for those who need info on bottle feeding, but to answer your question about lack of support - for me the lack of support comes in the fact that all the support is within the health sphere. When I see breast is best posters up in hospitals or gp surgeries I think to myself, "I know that, why are you telling me? go and tell the (proverbial) bloke in the pub". Feeling comfortable bf-g in public is crucial and feeling that what you are doing is normal and is considered normal - that is why promotion should be also aimed at the non baby oriented population. And I think this also goes to the more subtle messaging that you refer to as not being important (bottle-feeding dolls, East Enders etc) - it does matter. So I agree with you about balanced info and I agree with you that in some ways there is a huge amount of support - but I do think there are areas where it is not supported

All the best mosschops. Hope things work outxxx Often talking to a bf counsellor in person can be so helpful & a series of solutions can be sorted - to see what works best.

Hat stand have you seen the petition to give mothers a legal right to breastfeed anywhere in public. Thought you might be interested from your previous post, its at

The Way Nature Intended

Doh, I meant

The Way Nature Intended